Self-care as a new mom is paramount since Motherhood is a beautiful thing. Many say it’s the most fulfilling journey under the sun. But just like any other good thing, it too has two sides. The over-tasking roles of a mother come with too much pressure you easily forget yourself. On several occasions, mothers prioritize their children and family over their own well-being thus making them come last in everything including basic needs.
It feels good to have the whole family happy and put together, but it’s also exhausting to be at the center of it all. Waking up to the same routine every day is extremely overwhelming and can lead to a psychological breakdown. This is what mothers encounter on a daily basis and before we know it, postpartum depression rolls in.
It doesn’t pay to shield the entire burden. Self-care is not a distant memory, everyone deserves it and you are not an exception.
Here is to guidelines on Self-care while still striking the equilibrium.
- Personal hygiene
Having a baby is so engaging and mind occupying, in most cases mothers concentrate on bathing and changing of the baby’s diaper, they end up forgetting their shower time. Have a workable routine and set out time to shower and change.
Shower time may seem unnecessary, but it’s your ticket to a healthy and active body. Water is life, so they say taking time for personal hygiene saves you the stress of incurring body odor and also prevents you from getting or spreading diseases. Shower time is not an optional routine and if there is no one to watch the baby either put the baby to sleep or tag him/her along to the bathroom. Be sure to keep the baby at a safe place within your eyesight.
- Find time to sleep
Study has it that 80% of postpartum stress is caused by lack of sleep. Sadly most new moms get into motherhood with a fixed mind reading no sleep and end up prioritizing everything except sleep. Unknown to you sleep is the backbone of your physical and mental strength, foregoing sleep never results to more active hours, but rather makes you less productive and depressed. Sleep deprivation is also known to bring about Diabetes, heart diseases, obesity and hypertension.
Finding time to sleep, maybe hard mostly when your baby stays awake for a better part of the night. With the help of experts, try sleep training for a more restful night. Alternatively, be sure to catch quick naps during the day. Make it a routine to sleep when the baby sleeps as an important part of Self-care.
- Get your groove back
Postpartum comes with many body changes that may make you look out of shape. Try getting your groove back by making tiny adjustment here and there.
For starters, be active around the house. You can dance to your most loved tunes, go up and down the staircase or simply do yoga.
Step out of the house as often as you can for outdoor activities like long walks and minor exercises. Do not engage into vigorous exercise without involving your doctor.
Postnatal exercise plays a big role in strengthening your muscles, leveling your energy and improving cardiovascular fitness.
- Stay Hydrated
Being hydrated is important to all living beings; it however goes an inch higher on lactating moms. With too much fluid loss, the body is likely to end up exhausted with constant migraine. Mothers therefore should take water regularly to enhance skin flexibility. Being hydrated doesn’t mean you stay glued to a glass of water, hydration is equally achieved from taking vegetables and water based fruits.
- Find a life outside motherhood
Motherhood comes with too many responsibilities, expectation and emotional breakdown. Normally you’ll find too much information on parenting but hardly will you be told on how to strike the balance. Being fully engraved into parental care may deprive you of a chance to live again. You’ll wake up one day, and your social life is a gone case. It’s okay to care about your baby and want to always watch them grow but you can only do that in a sane state.
Find time to wine and dine. Mingle with your friends and colleagues, and catch up on the lost time. It comes as a relief, breath of fresh air, and for a minute it will feel like a complete change of environment which is healthy for your state of mind.
- Glam and show up, do not lose you
Even though exhausting, motherhood is a beautiful experience, so beautiful that you easily get consumed in it. Do not lose your identity to motherhood, bounce back after delivery and reclaim your position.
To help to bounce back:
- Work on your appearance and Self-care
- Step into a spa for grooming
- Change your wardrobe to suit your body and shape
- Step back to your hobbies.
- Work on your nutrition
The first thought after delivery is normally losing baby fat and many settle on dieting, this may however not be possible for a lactating mother lest you interfere with the milk flow or component. Remember a baby feeds off you; concentrate on having a good eating plan as that will benefit both you and the baby.
Eat foods that offer nutritional value, seek help from a nutritionist in case you aren’t equipped with such knowledge.
- Accept that you need help
You can be a jack of all trades or the juggler of all times but motherhood will send your walls crumbling so fast you won’t be able to salvage it. Motherhood is no child play, hiring help does not make you a failure hence you shouldn’t play hero, when the body melts accept and respond in tune.
It’s better to spend quality than quantity time with your baby, and you’ll only achieve quality time when physically and mentally upright. Physical and mental stability is got from adequate rest and sleep. Allow someone to watch over your baby while you take time away to re energize
- Healthcare checks.
As a lactating mother, you are usually at a risk of contracting diseases or developing complications that may be harmful to both you and the baby. A regular postpartum checkup is therefore, very important for you. Set reminders to keep you updated on your healthcare visits and be sure to follow it religiously.
To every new mom out there, self-care is not a debatable option. Practice it for the betterment of you and your baby’s health.