I remember the night we got back from the hospital with our new baby girl. I was craving a hot shower. When mini-me fell asleep, I left my mom on baby duty and headed for a warm bath. Just as I opened the shampoo bottle and had started to relax under the running water, in came my mom with the news: baby girl was awake and hungry! That’s when it hit me – a long uninterrupted shower was a now a luxury I no longer always had time for. Welcome to motherhood! Where a long shower qualifies as the new form of self-care!
Nurturing your wellbeing
As new moms, we tend to get caught up caring for our little one. The cycle of eat, sleep, burp, repeat occupies you in a routine completely centered around your baby. For a very long time, I didn’t even think of self-care, seeing it as an unnecessary luxury or even indulgence that I didn’t have time for. It took me a while to recognize that self-care is as important for my baby’s well-being as it is for mine.
Accepting and integrating self-care into your routine is essential to thrive as a new parent and enjoy your motherhood journey. Self-care doesn’t have to be time consuming; it just has to nurture and replenish your inner wellbeing, or in other words, fill your cup!
Here are 5 self-care strategies that helped me transform my routine into something a bit more fulfilling: eat, sleep, burp, nurture yourself, repeat.
1. Schedule in your me-time
The random salon visit on a Wednesday afternoon or date night with hubby on a Friday evening will rarely make the cut if it’s not planned for ahead of time. I know what you’re thinking, more things to plan for? Hear me out. Remember the cycle we talked about? Pinning down time for self-care and adding it to your routine will ensure that it is consistently part of your schedule. Consistency is key to reaping the benefits of self-care and preventing burnout, which is very common among new mothers. Scheduling in your self-care also helps you prioritize your well-being and manage your time effectively to reduce the feeling of mom-guilt during your me-time.
2. You’re the boss, delegate like one!
You mean let someone else care for my baby while I care for myself? That’s exactly why I mean. It’s a tough one, I know. I still struggle with delegation to this day! But here’s the thing – when you carve out time for self-care, you want to be fully present, not distracted by worries about your little one. So, consider seeking assistance from someone you trust completely. If you’re not quite ready to have someone care for your baby just yet, that’s perfectly okay too! Start by delegating household chores that eat into your self-care time—things like laundry, cooking, or other tasks on your endless to-do list. Prioritizing self-care means sometimes letting go of the need to do everything yourself.
Asking for help as a new mom is key to maintaining your sanity. Remember, it takes a village.
3. Sometimes, you will have to combine activities
As a mom, there will be moments where finding dedicated ‘away’ time for self-care can be more challenging than others. It’s important not to fall back into the eat, sleep, burp, repeat cycle and neglect your own well-being during those days. Discovering what activities can be combined and integrating self-care is key to maintaining consistency and preventing burnout. During the early days of my postpartum journey, I really enjoyed taking the baby out for a walk in the stroller, while listening to my favorite music. Not only did this allow me to enjoy the outdoors, which is so beneficial for mental well-being, but the walk also provided me with movement, while the music served as a way to disconnect and unwind. Tip: Opt for upbeat tunes during your walk! Listening to sad music can counteract the positive effects we’re aiming for with this activity!
4. The Nap trap: Why it’s actually a thing
I know what you’re thinking – that’s impossible. How can I nap when there is so much to do around the house. This can be one of the worst and best advice I received as a new mom. While the old “sleep when baby sleeps” might sound cliché, it’s actually a smart strategy for new moms looking to squeeze in some rest. Remember how we talked about delegating? Getting sometime to nap is a great reason to delegate. If there is no one around, the laundry mountain can wait while you grab a snooze. Power naps for parents are always important to feel recharged and not drained from the long sleepless newborn nights.
5. Unplug and Disconnect
Another thing that can wait is social media! I don’t think we realize how much time we spend on social media scrolling through curated feed of the perfect image of motherhood. This not only can impact how you see yourself as a mother but can also negatively impact your mood. Know when to unplug, yourself that is, not your phone! Disconnecting from social media is not only beneficial for your mental health but also creates space for quick self-care activities.
Remember mamas, selfcare can look very different for everyone, and what works for you might not work for others. It doesn’t matter in what form you incorporate self-care, as long as you take those small steps to prioritize yourself.
