1. Go easy on yourself
The most important thing new Moms can do is to set reasonable expectations for what can be achieved each day. Most of us lived busy lives before we had a baby and it's easy to fall into the trap of thinking we can just carry on as before. Eventually, you will fall into a new busy groove that revolves mostly around your little ones, and as they grow older, you will start to get a little time back for yourself to do the things that give you your spirit and energy back. However in the early days of having your baby, your body is still adjusting and healing, and you have another little human who you are now responsible for - so go easy on yourself.
2. Sleep when your baby sleeps…
This is easier said than done, as it's so tempting to think that you can do all the housework while your baby is sleeping. Rest is important for our health, more so when our bodies are healing, therefore rest becomes essential for our physical and mental wellbeing.
You might want to try a cool mist to diffuser with red light therapy and a few drops of relaxing pure essential oils like the Aroma Snooze blend to promote deep sleep.
3. Eat well and often.
Good food is essential for new Moms, but it's not always easy to eat well. It's also important to ensure you are well nourished by eating a healthy and balanced diet to fuel your body with energy so that youcan give the best care for your baby and family. The nutrients we need after birth are greater than at any time during pregnancy, but we can find ourselves with little time or energy for preparing good food as new Moms.
Before your baby is born, try preparing some of your favorite dishes and keep them in the freezer. Make sure to have a fruit bowl stocked with your favorite fruits and have a range of healthy snacks, such as nuts and seeds, muesli bars and yoghurt on hand.
4. Hydrate
Maintaining hydration is essential for supporting your body to heal and to ensure adequate breastmilk production. The best way to hydrate is by drinking lots of water throughout the day. Your skin undergoes a lot of stretching during pregnancy and hydration is key to helping our skin retain its elasticity and to relieve dry and irritated skin.
Our Baby Light Chia Oil contains omega rich plant-based oils to help moisturise and protect skin - so amazing as a face oil and doesn't leave your skin feeling greasy at all.
5. Keep active
There are so many benefits to exercising and maintaining fitness. Of course, this depends on the circumstances of your labour, you may be advised to avoid strenuous exercise for a period of time. Most women can start gentle walking as soon as they feel ready after birth. Exercise helps your body to heal, it restores muscle strength, improves your mood, relieves stress and can help prevent postpartum depression. Always seek advice from your Doctor before starting more strenuous exercise to ensure your body is ready.
6. Ask for help
Never be afraid to ask for help, and say yes to offers of help – people don't offer unless they genuinely want to help you, so you are not being a burden. Take them up on their offers. It's wonderful to have people around who care, let them do it, but be specific about the help you need.
7. Do a self-check
Ask yourself "how do I feel today?" Being a new Mom is hard, but it's not meant to be so hard that you fall apart – be aware of how you feel. There will be days that feel like everything is a struggle - take a deep breath, call a friend - sometimes we just need to talk to someone. Learn to let things go, remember each day is a new day.
With our time so often spent getting the job done it's easy to give of ourselves, sometimes to the point of running empty. Remember you can't pour from an empty cup and we can only be the best version of ourselves for everyone else when we are looking after ourselves.