Bier Mit Bebe...

So last night I indulged in a few beers with friends at the pub - something I've not done in a long, long while (considering I spent 18 out of 27 months pregnant, it kinda goes without saying!) I wasn't planning it, but I figured it wasn't too bad an evening weather wise, I had a rain-cover and plenty of warm clothes for her should it turn nasty, and was prepared that should I have to go for any reason, I'd just leg it and go...

I figured Maya is 5 and a half months old now, and relatively predictable, hence I should be able to cope with a couple of beers under my belt. Of course I was sensible - did not leave myself obliterated and unable to deal with an emergency in the night should it arise. But regardless of my self-control and moderation, I still felt guilty!

Why on earth should I feel guilty about having a couple of drinks? Do other mums feel this way when they have a tipple around their tots? I know plenty of households where the children have grown up amongst dinner parties where the wine flows freely and the parents wake up to toddlers shoving playdough up their nose mid-hangover. And those children turned out just fine! I don't know where my guilt stemmed from, but whilst I held a beer in one hand, and gently watched Maya with the other, I just felt BAD.

Something I'm working through on a personal level at the moment is "permission". Permission to do my own thing occasionally. Perhaps this itself is an issue of permission, too. I've recently started putting Maya down in the bedroom for naps and when she goes to bed at night, rather than letting her nap out in the lounge-room with me by her side during the daytime and early evenings. That way I feel like I have permission to do my own shebang, knowing she's getting as good a sleep alone as she would be if I were watching her.

On the plus side, despite the guilt, I had an enjoyable evening. It was nice to indulge in some cheery pub banter with adult people in contrast to the baby-babble I speak all day long to my 2 under 2... and nice to see some faces I'd not seen in a while.

I think that alone makes it worth it. I'd love to hear how other parents go about ensuring their own social lives are feeling fulfilled and even whether they feel it's right/wrong to indulge in the occasional revelry. Hence comments on this topic are more than welcome - in fact, I look forward to them :)