5 Self Care Tips for New Mums Coping With Covid 19
2020 started off with such promise, and has proven to be quite the… drag, huh? From the world-changing impact of COVID-19, a critical presidential election on the horizon in the US, and immense social progress taking place all around us, it’s easy to feel super overwhelmed.
Add being a mom in 2020 to your resume, and your stress level has blown well past the typical human threshold. But, you’re a mom… which means you’re no longer just a typical human. You’re a wondrous and powerful force doing everything you can to cope with the pressures of motherhood. All while protecting your family from a worldwide pandemic (and people who just refuse to wear masks for whatever reason).
Perhaps you dealt with giving birth without your partner, and are now trying to keep everyone sane during social-distancing, and educate yourself on social movements across the country… You probably don’t leave much time for you, do you? Yeah, we didn’t think so…
But that’s about to change, mama because we’re going to share 5 Selfcare tips for new moms that’ll help you refill your emotional cup and feel a whole lot better. Alright, let’s get started.
Tip 1: Ask for help and stop doing everything yourself
As mothers, we feel deeply compelled to do for others all of the time. It makes us feel good- it even makes us feel like we have control. And while that’s true, trying to do everything by yourself (especially with a brand new baby) is a great way to burn yourself out and even make yourself sick.
You need to let people help you, whether that be your partner or a support person. Don’t be afraid to delegate some tasks, chores, or responsibilities. This is especially true if you’re exclusively breastfeeding.
Your body is using up so much extra energy, you’re not sleeping much, and breastfeeding is WAY more stressful than we think it will be. Write down all of the stuff you usually do in a day, and start sharing the load with your partner or a support person.
Tip 2: Meditate, it will make a difference
If you’ve never meditated, it’s understandable to find it, as they say, ‘woo-woo’. The idea of taking ANY time to yourself (even 5 minutes) to just sit in silence seems irrational- perhaps even selfish.
But it’s not selfish, and it can drastically improve your mental and physical health. You don’t need a lot of time (seriously, 5 minutes is enough) to meditate, but those 5 minutes invested in quieting your mind will do wonders for your wellness.
You’ll feel calmer, more energized, and see your ability to cope with stress significantly improve. It will genuinely surprise you how much of a difference 5 minutes of meditation will make in your day.
And there are TONS of free guided meditation options you can find on Youtube (here’s a great one that only takes 5 minutes)
Tip 3: Drink water, more… no- more than that!
Most of us are dehydrated. We often don’t recognise it as dehydration, but not drinking enough water has a massive impact on your physical and mental health. Aside from feeling lethargic (especially if you’re nursing), it can even make you irritable.
New moms who breastfeed need to drink 128 ounces of water each day to compensate for what is expended during milk production.
Always make sure you keep a water bottle full and close by, drinking more water is going to make you feel fantastic, and even help your skin glow!
Tip 4: Keep a journal, yep…I mean it
Perhaps the last time you opened a journal was in middle school, but the benefits of journaling can be profound. Journaling can be a companion to your meditation, giving you a private and quiet chance to express your thoughts and get stuff off your chest and onto a page.
Journaling can be way more than just “Dear Diary, today I feel…”, too. You can use journaling to:
Help you organize your day
Plan out goals
Identify toxic thought-patterns impacting your emotional health
(just to name a few...)
Again, it might seem really tough to find the time at first, but our last tip will help you with that.
Tip 5: Establish a ritual… candles and all mama
Block out a set time (or a certain amount of time) every day to devote entirely to yourself. Pick a time before or after your kid(s) go to bed to meditate, journal, light some candles, watch your favourite show- whatever makes YOU FEEL PEACEFUL.
We know it’s INSANELY hard to set aside time for self-care with a newborn, but maybe try during a nap. Or right after you put them to bed.
Obviously (though it can feel not-so-obvious to a new mom), you can ask a partner or support person to take on your little one while you devote this time to yourself. This will feel really tough and weird- you might even feel guilty- but it is SO IMPORTANT for you (and your family) that you do this.
You cannot pour from an empty cup. You can't give what you don't have. You love your family best when you take time to love yourself.
Take it day by day, you are so awesome
The most important form of self-care to practise is patience. Be kind and loving to yourself. You’re doing a fantastic job, and your tiny one(s) is(are) so lucky to have you as their mom.
Things will get easier, routines will fall into place, and practising self-care will become a habit.
If you found these tips helpful, share this post with a friend! Motherhood is beautiful, and supporting each other is beautiful.
Take care and breathe, mama.
You got this.