Bringing life into the world and then dedicating every minute onwards to a little human that is half you and half your partner. I feel like a lot more moms are talking about how hard it is, especially when you are breastfeeding because it’s all down to you if your baby is crying for something to eat. This limits mother’s time in some cases to even find time to wash their faces in the morning.

While pumping is a thing and it’s a blessing to help mothers get a break from the constant demands of their newborn, it should be taken advantage of because getting those extra minutes and hopefully hours to yourself is very important to keep your sanity.

I have put together some self-care strategies that have helped me and thousands of mothers take advantage of those minutes we can take for ourselves.

Morning Routine

While your morning routine before you had the baby is out of the window and gone forever (sorry!) that doesn’t mean that you can’t have one ever again. Having a routine that works for both you and your baby is what will keep you sane and give your day structure rather than just winging it every morning. 

I find a morning routine sets me up for the day and without one, I just feel gross for the rest of the day which isn’t ideal. While you might not have to do a 12-step skincare and makeup routine, keeping it short, fresh, and simple will allow you to do a quick reset and allow you to feel like yourself again. 

Try a morning positive mantra as well; starting the day off with positive words seems to help me keep positive for the rest of the day.

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Sleep When The Baby Sleeps

While this might already go without saying and you’ve heard it everywhere, that’s for a reason. Getting naps in here and there will give you the energy to get through the whole day, and while you might take advantage of nap times to get housework done like the washing, a shower, or a gym workout, nothing is more important than sleep.

I would much rather stink than miss out on sleep and the countless research studies that tell us that sleep is the most valuable thing we can have. I would truly advise every mother to ask your family or even friends to help around the house while you get some much-needed rest. That’s what they are there for and they do say it takes a village to raise a baby.

Nourishment

While it’s easy to order takeaway every night because the babies are taking up too much attention to get any cooking done, I saw this couple that meal-prepped breakfast, lunch and dinners and collected at least a month’s worth of food to help them get through it and avoid spending hundreds of pounds of crappy takeaway food. 

Meal-prepping nutritional, filling and tasty food that is as simple as defrosting and waking it in the air fryer will do the trick. Alternatively, again ask your mom to bring around some food now and then to help out because you shouldn’t have to struggle alone and people need to quit suffering in silence and ask for help.

Stay Connected

As I have mentioned a lot, getting friends and family around to help but also getting them around to socialise with. Spending time with just the baby and your partner while it’s nice and wholesome does get quite boring and just some different conversations that aren’t about you is what keeps us sane. It’s nice to laugh with friends and be confined to family so don’t boycott everyone from your home just because you’ve given birth. 

Honestly, you won’t regret asking them to come over and they always come bearing gifts, so why would you not want that in your home? 

Alone Time

Having alone time is something we all miss after dedicating so much time to the little one but I have found even if you don’t even have complete and utter alone time, having a nook in the nursery, staying in the bathroom for an extra 5 minutes (usually spending that time online shopping) and taking those minutes we get and soaking it in. 

But if and when you do get the chance, take those hours and do something that makes you happy, like going for a walk or a quiet coffee with your friends. Just doing that will make you feel so much better. 

Final Thoughts

Whether your self-care looks like taking an extra long hot shower or an extra 10 minutes to online shop on Petite Lumiere (my favourite baby shop atm for nursery room accessories) for little gifts as even when you are relaxing away from the family you can still do things for them, it’s important to find those extra minutes to do things that make us feel like ourselves. So be sure to get yourself into a new routine as soon as possible and don’t be afraid to ask for support from those who love you.