Self-Care Tips for New Moms
When I was pregnant with my first baby, someone mentioned one of the best pieces of advice for first-time moms.
She told me to do one thing every day for myself.
At the time, I thought, “I won’t have time for that, I’ll have a new baby”.
After giving birth, I quickly realised the need to do that one thing for myself every day.
I promised myself that I would take a shower every day- no matter what.
Regardless of how tired I was, regardless of how busy our days were, I would take a shower.
That daily shower was my mental reset I didn’t know I needed, especially when I went back to work after having a baby.
I want to share some self-care tips for new moms that can help you refresh yourself each and every day. Your postpartum self-care routine is important and has great value.
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Do One Thing for Yourself Every Day
I already mentioned this, but I wanted to make sure I put it on the list. Be sure that you’re doing one thing for yourself every day.
It could be the same thing every day, like a shower, but it can also change each day as well.
There may come a day when you realise you’ve been wearing the same pair of pants for 4 days, and your one self-care thing may be to put on a clean pair of pants.
Seriously- nothing is too small to count as self-care.
Take a Break When You Need It
Some days as a new mom can be REALLY hard. You have to know when it’s time to take a break and walk away. One of my babies had a terrible case of colic. It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever dealt with. The constant crying was heartbreaking and maddening at times.
I had to know when it was time to put the baby down and walk away.
Even if your baby doesn’t have colic, you need to know that it’s OK to take a break. As you’re dealing with your own postpartum recovery, you’re also taking care of your baby, AND learning to breastfeed if you choose to.
It can be a lot. And as women, we need to know that it’s OK to take a break for an hour or so and let someone else care for your baby.
Get Outside
Research shows there are great benefits to being outside. Breathing fresh air, getting sunlight, and changing your scenery are a few of the postpartum benefits.
Taking a walk has even greater benefits, but if you’re only feeling up to sitting outside in the sunlight, that is a great place to start.
Keep Hydrated
Regardless of how you delivered your baby, and regardless of whether or not you’re breastfeeding, your body has just endured a lot.
Staying hydrated is important for everyone, but it’s important especially for new moms. Your self-care routine as a new mom should include plenty of water. I’ve always heard it recommended to try to drink at least half your body weight in water every day. That may be a lofty goal for you starting out, but at least try to improve your hydration.
My Iron Flask water bottle is one of my favorite stainless steel water bottles. I have the 40 oz and I take it everywhere with me, so I always have water to drink. It also helps me make sure I’m drinking a lot of water throughout the day.
Stay Connected to Your Friends
Your self-care plan after having a baby should include your friends. As the loneliness of being a new mom can sometimes creep in, make sure you’re reaching out to your friends.
You can invite them to your house if you aren’t ready to go out yet. Or if you are, meet to walk at the park, grab a coffee, or better yet, maybe they’ll invite you to their house.
Keep a Journal
I wish so much I had something like this after each of my deliveries. It would be lovely to go back and read those now.
So much of what I am sharing here with you is inside this daily journal for new moms.
You can track your health goals, acknowledge your feelings, and share your own personal goals. It’s a safe space for you to write as you work through your own postpartum care.
Most importantly, I appreciate that there is a space at the bottom to remind you to ask for help when you need it. We as women often feel the need to carry everything on our own. But many times, we’re surrounded by people who would be glad to step in and help if we would just ask.
Ask for Help When You Need It
Just as I mentioned, many women have people around them who would be glad to just jump in and help, we just don’t ask for the help.
It could be because we’re afraid we will inconvenience them, or that it’s going to make it look like we can’t handle being a new mom.
Our self-care as new moms is dependent upon allowing others to come in and help when we need it. It may be grabbing groceries, it may be holding the baby long enough for us to take a shower, or it may be help with something happening with the baby or help breastfeeding.
There is no shame in asking for help.
Make Healthy Food Choices
Here’s the thing- it can be so easy to eat what you want, because it makes you feel good.
I, for one, personally struggle with this, even more so after having a baby.
If something brought me joy, I ate it. After all, I had just had a baby.
But I quickly found out that putting unhealthy foods in my body didn’t make me feel better; I felt worse.
So I encourage you to choose snacks and meals that are going to nourish your body instead of hinder your recovery.
Do Daily Mental Health Checks
Here’s the thing- postpartum depression can sneak in without you even realising it sometimes. It’s important that you keep tabs on your mental health as a new mom.
Maybe in the morning when you wake up, or right before bed, you think about how you’re feeling. Are you feeling good about caring for your baby and yourself? Do you feel overwhelmed? Are you beginning to resent your baby? Are you struggling with breastfeeding and feel like you aren’t providing what your baby needs?
All of these are common feelings for first-time moms, especially, but truly can be felt by even the most veteran moms.
Each day, it’s important to check in on yourself. If you’re starting to feel like something is “off”, reach out to your doctor and care team so they can help you feel more like yourself and help solve your concerns.
Let People Take Care of You
What would your life look like if you allowed people to make meals for you for the first few weeks after you’re at home with your baby?
Could you let someone come clean your house and help out with laundry?
Would you be willing to let someone grab groceries for you?
All of these are simple ways you can allow other people to take care of you. For our family, meals were the biggest one, especially as our family grew. I know a lot of people make freezer meals ahead of time, but I knew people were planning to bring us meals, so I didn’t even have to do that.
Oftentimes, other people feel blessed and not stressed when they get to help you. It helps them feel good knowing they were able to do something to help you out after having a baby.
Don’t Feel Guilty About JUST Taking Care of Your Baby (and Yourself)
Taking care of your new baby and yourself is at the very top of your self-care routine as a new mom.
Your primary focus is making sure that you and your baby are cared for. That’s it. (Unless you have other kids, but that’s a whole different story.)
You should never feel guilty for “just” taking care of your new baby.
This is the time to soak in all the snuggles, the new baby smells, and their sweet little squeaks and sounds.
It’s the time to appreciate all your body was able to do to bring this tiny human into the world.
Never feel bad for taking care of yourself and your new baby as a first-time mom.
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