Self Care for Moms: 8 Tips
New moms are often not focused on taking care of themselves since it’s all about baby. Like the flight attendants say, you want to put on your own mask before helping others.
It’s important to be your best self so that you can give your all to your new baby. Keep in mind these 5 self-care tips for new moms to avoid burnout when baby arrives.
For new moms, it’s natural to put your kids first, but you can’t neglect yourself completely; you’re important too.
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Why Self Care for Moms is Important
Moms, especially first-time mothers, often give so much of themselves to their new babies that it becomes unhealthy. This can manifest to anything from exhaustion to post-partum depression. It’s important to take care of yourself after going through pregnancy and bringing life into the world.
Your baby, your partner and you will enjoy the new journey of motherhood much more if you take care of you. Here are some simple ways that you can keep your mood high and stress low as you enjoy your new role as a mom.
1) Get in Activity Daily
It’s good to keep yourself active. Depending on the age of your child, you may already get more than your fair share of activity. It’s good to get some exercise outside if you can. Physical activity can help your body release endorphins which can improve your mood and increase your energy.
Do whatever activity you enjoy that gets you active. You could walk around the park with your stroller, do yoga in your local studio when you can, use a workout video from Youtube; do whatever will get you active each day.
2) Read a Book
Again, reading might seem like a luxury for a new mom but expanding the mind allows you to relax, think of something other than being a mom for a few moments and may help you to cope with your new life as a busy mom. Read something you enjoy like a fiction novel or perhaps a book that teaches you a new skill, like meditation.
A subscription to Kindle Unlimited is only a few bucks a month and will help you to find new books on every topic while being very affordable since budget is often top of mind for new moms. You can read hundreds of thousands of books, including lots of books to read to baby for free on any device using the free Kindle Reader app.
3) Stay in Touch with Those Close to You
Taking time to nurture important friendships and relationships is a crucial part of your self-care. It’s not always easy to pay them a visit, especially when they live far away or have to travel with young kids, but there are other, simple ways you can still put the effort in to connect.
You could call them for a few moments when you’re doing dishes or taking a walk once or twice a week and keep in touch. You could write them an email, send an ecard, send them a gift, or something along those lines to let them know you’re thinking of them.
It’s so easy to get lost in the world of your new baby and allow friendships slip to the side. Let others know that you need their friendship still by letting them know when you’re thinking of them.
4) Prioritize Sleep
It’s tempting to try to make the most out of the time your kids are asleep, but it’s important to get sleep yourself. The Director of UCLA Sleep Disorders warns mothers of the risk of limiting their sleep:
“We know from research studies that chronic lack of sleep has adverse health consequences: people who consistently sleep less than six hours experience increased appetite, which causes weight gain and increases the risk of depression, cardiovascular disease, and type two diabetes.”
Sleep is a crucial part of your mental and physical health. Getting the appropriate amount of sleep each night is one self-care treatment you can’t afford to miss out on.
5) Eat Right
Eating right is a great self-care routine to adopt. You can experience both short-term and long-term effects by eating healthier regularly. It’s tempting to go for the quicker, unhealthy option for yourself, but eating right is better for your body and sets a positive example for your kids. It’ll help to provide you with more energy and better overall health. Read here the benefits of starting the keto diet to help you to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
6) Prioritize Your Health
We always make sure to carefully note each checkup and appointment for our children, knowing the exact month to return for yearly checkups, but we rarely take as much are with our own.
This is why
7) Get Outside
Connecting with nature is a great way to lift your mood and get in some Vitamin D. If you’re able to and the weather allows, try to do your physical activity outside. It’s also a great way to give baby a break from the house and begin to introduce them to the environment.
8) Meditate Daily
Finding time to be alone with your thoughts seems like a luxury to a new mom. If only for a few minutes a day, take the time to get still and meditate. Read here the long list of benefits of meditation when it comes to stress and illnesses.
As a mom, you probably struggle to find time to yourself. You put your kids before yourself, which is commendable, but it leaves a void in your self-care routine, resulting in your neglecting yourself. We hope these few, simple tips will help you find a way to squeeze in some self-care time during your hectic life.
You are important, and your needs deserve to be valued. You can easily improve your mental and physical health by integrating these simple self-care tips.