Meditation for Parents with Newborns

As parents it is hard to feel calm and at peace when we have newborns.  The balance we once had has shifted so drastically and so quickly we are left uncontained.  And while some children sleep through the night in a couple of months (or less if you are super lucky), there are still many that wake up every couple hours for the first two years.  So here we are sleep deprived, off balance parents looking for some peace.
When I became a mom, the first thing I started to ask for were ways to continue to meditate.  In the fog of new parenthood, nothing quite seemed right.  It was not until the newborn haze lifted, before I realized meal time is the perfect time to start meditating.
Meal time Meditation for Parents with Newborns:
Make yourself comfortable.
Experience your breath going in and out.  Feel the way it passes in through your nose and out through your mouth.  Notice the way you pause for a second between each breath.  Stay here until you are feeling ready to move on.
Now that your body is centered you can start to receive the beauty you are holding in your arms. As you move your awareness towards your child, feel his/her weight in your arms.  Although heavy, this weight is also comforting.  It fills you with love.  Notice the warmth of your love for your child fill you.  Hold onto this awareness so you can create a physical and mental memory of your bond.  
Next notice how your child suckles.  For breastfeeding mothers, notice how your body feels as it presents your child with the nourishment it works so hard to create.  Thank your body for this nourishment.  
Since your child is not aware, say thank you for them.  Thank you to their mothers for their milk.  Thank you to our farmers, rain, and sun who provide nourishment to our mothers.  Thank you to the scientists who help nourish our child, when there are challenges in breastfeeding.
Observe your child's face as he/she receives your nourishment.  Watch the comfort that you are providing them with take over.  They are aware of the love you have for them; the safety you are providing for them; the warmth and peace which is given through your body as you nurture them.  
These thoughts forever connect us to that deep bond we hold with your child.  From their conception and every day afterwards their existence inside and out of us has been blissful.  As they finish eating thank them for the trust they put in you each day and remind them of the unconditional and undying love you have for them.  
You can focus on each one of these at different feeding times or slowly in the same sitting.  Trust yourself when you set the pace.  You may find there are certain areas of focus you enjoy keeping in your awareness more.  You may also create new focal points.