Self-care for New Mothers

By Meida v. Baal , doula and maternity nurse

The first weeks after the birth is exciting, but a challenging period for many new parents. The love, affection, and joy that they feel for their newborn are also mixed with feelings of uncertainty, lack of confidence and lack of sleep. It is common to experience these roller coaster feelings. Those feedings every three hours are brutal, and when the baby does not fall asleep quickly after the feed, it chips away the energy levels of parents. It is no surprise that parents are easily overwhelmed by all the changes that come with having a new baby.

How can parents survive those challenging weeks? This is where self-care comes in. Just because you are a parent, you do not need to sacrifice everything to care for your child. Self-care allows you to take care of yourself, reduces stress, prevent burn-outs and helps refocus the mind. In return, it gives parents the energy they need to take care of others.

Prioritize self-care into your busy schedule by doing the following:

-learn to ask for help from family and friends in your network

-sleep when the baby sleeps

-turn off your phone or mobile for an hour or two

-eat well-balanced meals

-spend time doing what you love to do

-exercise or take walks

Thu, 01 February