do you feel like an awkward mom?  

I know the feeling.My son is almost 3 years old and my daughter is 18 months and they are hard to lug around.I usually have to switch arms or switch off with my husabnd.I sometimes put my daughter in the shopping cart seat but she wants out sometimes and somtimes I tell her she has to go back in the seat for a while because I tell you your arms starts to cramp.I am sure some moms either get pumped up LOL or they sre actually feeling the same way we are.My son normally will walk in the stores now which is good.

I have exactly the same problems as you. I find babycarriers difficult, carrying my children is hard work and breastfeeding never worked with me.
I also find that I always seem to be herding my kids like sheep to go anywhere when other kids seem to just trot along behind.
I have also lost my older daughter twice in the supermarket, once in a shop and once in a shopping centre, I'm sure other parents don't lose their kids.

This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content.

This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content.

Fluffyfrog..please dont take offense to this because i'm NOT in any way shape or form trying to insult you...

Maybe you are trying to hard to do things the way other moms do instead of figurign out what works best for YOU AND your daughter!.....I dont parent like other parents....I tried to in the beginning with my oldest and I found myself listening to everyones suggestions and trying to mimic what I saw other moms doing and the end result was that I was miserable, frustrated and making my son miserable and frustrated! So I put an end to that right quick and figured out how WE wanted to do it....here I am 13 yrs later with a 13.5 yr old and an almost 12 yr old and though my methods and ways are far from traditional or normal LOL...they work out beautifully...

Try doign things in a way that seems natural to YOU because thats the key IMO...if it FEELS natural, it'll BE/COME TO YOU in a natural way and that way both of you are happy!

This post contains content of a mature nature. You must be Signed in or Registered to have the option to view this content.

I am glad I am not the only one!! You made me laugh thinking about all my akward moments!! I can hardly lift my son up to put him in the grocery basket without huffing anf puffing, and the Snugli's?? I never wore one out of the house because it felt like he would fall out.

Yes parenting wss supposed to come naturally but something are hard to adjust to such as you are suggesting, I never had to carry around my babies when I was shopping that sounds strange in your country don't they have a special trolley that you can put her in there. Oh the baby shows are not for real these women would have problems as well which of course they would not show you that!!

When I had my oldest (she's 11) I was a single mom and lived 45 minutes from my parents. I had no experience with kids, I never really even babysat. Anyway, the first day home with my new baby and she cried, and cried. I didn't breast feed because I was just awkward with the whole notion, my breasts are mine, and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the problem was. At about 3 in the afternoon I called my mom, frustrated and alone. She says to me "honey when was the last time you fed her" and I was like "she had a bottle for breakfast at like 9:30". My mom says "you ninny! She's probably hungry!" and that's my first experience at parenthood. LOL It's gotten a lot better since. I still feel awkward sometimes, like my parenting abilities aren't up to par with everyone elses, but we do what works for us and everything is great. Don't beat yourself up by thinking all these other moms are wonderwoman, they're not, every parent has their strenghts and weaknesses and as long as your kids are happy and well adjusted that's all that matters.

Don't compare. What some women are great at, others will be less compatible but do other things better. It's not a contest and as long as you use your brain and your heart and be the best mom you can be... you are doing fine! And remember the old saying "the grass is always greener on the other side"... perhaps these "perfect mom" types are quite psychotic at home or have to drug up to enjoy life or who knows what. Just do your best. You'll do fine!

With my first daughter, now 18, we wanted a baby so bad and tried for 6 years. When it came to breast feeding I was so upset and compared to what I read, etc. Finally a LaLeche mother came in to "help" me and she went "Honey, you're too worried about what they SAY is right. Go with what you feel." The minute I relaxed and just let things happen.. it was perfect. Sometimes trying too hard to do what they SAY is right will only end up making you so stressed you will never get things.