Reading · Keep This In Mind

This month, it was really hard to prioritise being a mom over writing and connecting with you all on Substack. There were so many instances where I felt creatively inspired, but couldn’t do anything about it because my baby girl needed me. I feel a bit guilty about even wanting to do anything other than care for her, but if I’m totally honest, there were many times where I was preoccupied by my desire to write. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to write. Once again, motherhood is forcing me to practice accepting two things to be true at once.

My daughter Louise, now officially two months old, is starting to need me more than she used to. Her naps have gotten shorter and less predictable during the day, which means I have to work at warp speed to get anything done while she’s asleep. My husband works in the office a few days each week, so there are many times when it’s just me, Louise, and our dog Nimbus. Today is one of those days. My girl is currently snoozing on my chest getting some much needed rest after a day of fighting sleep. I realised that I need to start being creative about being creative. Writing something is better than nothing. So while I’m nap trapped this afternoon, I thought I’d quickly run through some of the best parts of the month of May.

I had to change my relationship with social media

In May, I had to re-evaluate how I spend my time. I had an epiphany halfway through the month where I realised doomscrolling social media was slowly robbing me of natural dopamine and stealing my attention. How in the world does a mother of a newborn have 3-4 hours a DAY to scroll mindlessly on her phone? My screen time was scary, so I finally decided to do something about it.

Other moms warned me that the fear mongering I was served during pregnancy would not go away postpartum. I wanted to break the jerk-reaction of constantly flicking open social media apps when I had a spare minute or when I was breastfeeding. I downloaded the Refocus App (it’s free!) to block social media apps most of the day, except for a few hours in the afternoon. This meant that I no longer had the option to be constantly caught up mindlessly scrolling social media on autopilot.

I started reading again

I decided to start reading a physical book instead of scrolling on my iPad or watching TV while I drink my morning coffee. I’m currently halfway through So Thrilled for You by Holly Bourne, which I am LOVING. It’s a classic “who done it?” about four friends in their early thirties who attend a baby shower that ends in a massive fire. One is pregnant, one is struggling with her nine month old, one is child free by choice, and one desperately wants to get pregnant but is struggling with fertility. I think so many women will relate to the characters and l hope I have some time over the weekend to finish it!

I also went to Audible and finally used one of my credits to purchase an audiobook I could listen to while breastfeeding instead of watching stupid reels that made me feel bad about myself. I downloaded an easy read, Every Summer After by Carly Fortune. I listen while walking, doing laundry, breastfeeding, and cleaning the house. It’s soothing to listen to someone reading aloud. My nervous system is thanking me for this one.

Getting dressed to look and feel better

I recently wrote about how I’ve been prioritising getting dressed postpartum and I didn’t realise what a confidence boost this would bring. I have a two month old, so staying comfortable is the only thing that matters these days. But I realised that I can feel a bit more polished and put together WHILE staying comfortable. There’s a post in my drafts ALL about this, but here are some looks I’ve worn on repeat over the last month:

I survived an Irish heatwave with a newborn

When I saw the forecast was predicting a few days of 27 degree heat, I knew I had to act fast. This may not seem HOT to people living in the likes of Spain or France, but for us here in Ireland, 27 degrees is a heatwave. Irish homes are built to keep the heat IN. They are very well insulated and it’s very rare for an Irish home to have any air conditioning. With a new baby, I knew I needed to order a fan ASAP, because our attic bedroom could quickly become a hazard without any airflow. I ended up getting us this fan for our room and so far, it’s the best purchase of 2026.

I had Louise all to myself for most of the heatwave, because my husband was in work. She was so sleepy, and ended up taking long naps throughout the day leaving me to read my book and sip on an iced coffee or two. We also had our first BBQ of the season when our friends invited us over one evening for sausages and burgers. Although the rain has returned, for a while there it really felt like summer. I’m so excited to bring Louise to the beach and let her get in the water once the weather returns. We are also officially going to America in July to visit my family, so she will get another taste of summer sunshine, although in America they have air conditioning (thank God!).

Some honourable mentions:

When I’m not in the mood to listen to an audiobook while breastfeeding, I’ve actually been watching some really good shows that I can recommend if you have some downtime.

Monsters: The Lyle and Erik Menendez Story (Netflix): A true crime drama series exploring the lives, family dynamics, and infamous 1989 murders committed by brothers Lyle and Erik Menendez. So good!!
Legends (Netflix): A drama series based on true events about civil servants who go undercover to catch the biggest drug lords in 1990s Britain.
The Pacific (Amazon Prime): A World War II miniseries following three U.S. Marines as they endure the brutal Pacific campaign against Japan and struggle with the psychological toll of war. This was a re-watch for me, but I also love Band of Brothers and might watch that next.

My Marvel obsessed husband has also finally convinced me to start watching the films. So far, we’ve watched Iron Man, Captain America, and half of Iron Man 2. It’s been lovely to get together with him and have a bit of quality time. Although recently, Louise has not been allowing this in the evenings as she gets quite unsettled (I believe it’s called the ‘Witching Hour’). Hey, at least she is sleeping 3-4 hour stretches after that so I don’t mind.

p.s. - what brightened your May? Please share in the comments with me. I would love to know what has brought you joy this month ✨

May Favourites: Small things that have brightened my month

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