10 Self Care tips for the new Mom

You’ve just had your baby. A beautiful thing that you have promised to love and take care of. Motherhood is great and In order to keep being the awesome mom you are, you need to set aside time aside for some much-needed self-care and TLC. Because there’s nothing wrong with taking care of yourself mama, It’s time to stop putting yourself last and embrace the importance of self-care for YOU.

You can’t take care of your family if you’re running on empty. Period.

 New moms always think “I don’t have time for self-care” but it comes easier as you include small acts of self-love into your everyday routine. Getting a little personal TLC doesn’t make you a bad mom, okay?

It’s not selfish; it’s needed.

Lets prioritize moms, and These tips should help get you started.

1. Get some Exercise

It doesn’t matter how you move your body, just make sure you do it for your physical health.

Go for a walk, throw on a YouTube workout video or head over to your local gym.

Doing something you enjoy will make it much more enjoyable to get moving. Whatever floats your boat. It’s one way to start reclaiming a feeling of ownership over your body now that you no longer have a baby occupying it. Exercise will make you feel better and reduce your stress.

2.  Eat.

And drink! If you’re breastfeeding, your body burns an extra 300 and 500 calories a day. But whether you’re nursing your baby or not doesn’t matter, really. You just made a human being with your body and then brought that human being into the world. So feed your body. Forgetting to eat isn’t an option.

3. Meditate

Even the best babies are demanding, helpless and crappy communicators, especially until you get the hang of their particular rhythms and cues. You will have dark moments. You will feel exhausted and overwhelmed and alone. Having a mantra can help in lifting your spirits. Consider ones such as “I’ve got this” or You’re doing Great”. Because you are, and its important to believe that. A couple minutes of meditation can relieve stress and anxiety, there’s Less fear of the decisions you make and it Improves your immune system.

4. Take Control of your Social Interactions.

Believe it or not, it takes a lot of physical and mental strength to deal with people during this time. Your focus is on your baby and having to be a polite host may feel weary. If there are people you don’t want to come over just yet or so often, tell them. If you don’t want long visits, don’t feel embarrassed for even one second about telling people ahead of time (or in the moment) when it’s time to leave. Conversely, if you are feeling lonely and really want friends or family to come over and say hi and help out, tell them. Remember that your only job right now is to take care of your baby and to take care of you.

5. Get Beautified.

This can be as simple as just getting fully dressed in the morning. Don’t let yourself go mama, I’m not talking about a full beat, but a little mascara and nail polish goes a long way, trust. And when you look good you feel good. Your mood improves, and you may feel better equipped to take on the responsibilities of your day.

6. Join a group

Find other moms in your area through social media, or word of mouth. Community lightens the load of motherhood and it helps to connect with other moms who are going through the same changes and season of life. Plan meet ups and play dates. You aren’t alone in this.

7. Treat Yourself

Find little ways to treat yourself throughout the week. This can be starting that new book you’ve been meaning to read or some new earrings that may have caught your eye, or it may be something else entirely. But after a long day of nursing, burping, changing and comforting your baby indoors you’ll benefit from finding little ways to treat yourself.

8. Journal Your Thoughts, Feelings and Anything Else You Want

There are so many things that you may want to take note of and remember during this time, even the struggles you may have faced. Writing can be therapeutic and it’s possible you may feel better about yourself if you can purge it out on paper. Treat yourself to a beautiful notebook and take time each day to make a little note to yourself, to get your thoughts and feelings down. You don’t need to share it with anyone, but it would be interesting to read back on in years to come.

9. Dont’ Stop Being You

You had a life before the baby, hold on to your life after the baby. It’s true that you won’t have as much time to dedicate to your interests. Schedule it out if you must, but take an hour or two a week. Your partner can take over, or you can find a sitter or friend to watch the baby for a little bit. You need time to recharge your batteries and to remember who you are.

10. Sleep!!

Need I say more? If you can sleep when your baby is sleeping then go for it! A nap is an excellent self-care option as it refreshes you, has tons of health benefits, helps reduce your sleep deprivation that you would have accumulated with a newborn and can even help your baby sleep longer if they are a contact sleeper.

Becoming a mother is one of the most massive changes you can introduce into your life, and that includes the self-care routine you’re used to. But there are easy ways to make sure you’re taking care of your mind and body during the baby’s first year. After all, a happy and healthy mom is a baby’s greatest asse