You just had your baby, and you have been spending all your time taking care of your little one that you forgot to take care of yourself. I mean, who has time for selfcare? All you want is just a little more sleep in your life. Seriously, maybe a cleaner, chef, and nanny would be awesome too, right?
I get it.
Those few weeks with a newborn baby can be exhausting, but remember mamas need to rest and take care of themselves too to avoid burning out.
So, for those first few weeks, just keep taking care of baby and making sure you are eating, resting, and brushing your teeth. Yes, don’t neglect brushing your teeth. I did that because I was so tired but learn from me. Just brush, okay. We don’t need extra stress from dental bills and cavities.
Once you notice baby is now following a sleep pattern and you have a routine in place. It’s now time to focus on taking care of you.
You need it. Repeat after me. I NEEEEEEEEDDDDDDD to take care of myself too!
One more thing, you know that thing called guilt, that we mamas tend to just have when it comes to selfcare and putting ourselves first at times, yeah you know what I’m talking about. We are leaving that guilt behind today. This is a no guilt selfcare guide, okay!
Good, now let’s jump into the selfcare for moms guide below.
Postpartum selfcare; Nourishing your body
1-Take your Prenatal vitamins
Yes, continue taking your vitamins every day; your body needs it, especially if you are currently breastfeeding. Your body just made a human being, and that takes a lot of energy and nutrients from you, so thank your body by replenishing it. Put a reminder on your phone to take your vitamins daily; it makes it easier not to forget.
2- Drink water
You know that cup they give you at the hospital for water? Fill it up and leave it next to you at all times. I hope you saved the cup. That’s one hella expensive cup. lol If you delivered in the US, you get it. If not, find you a big cup with a straw or bottle and fill it up with water and ice and sip throughout the day. It’s very important to stay hydrated, mama.
3-Nourish your body with your favorite fruits, nuts, veggies and smoothies
Stock your fridge with all your favorite fruits to snack on; some of my favorites are mandarins, blackberries, blueberries, watermelon, and cantaloupe. For veggies, I recommend avocados, cucumbers, sweet potatoes, and carrots. Smoothies are wonderful and simple to make too, but blending can be noisy if your baby is sleeping, so just plan ahead for that.
4- Make yourself a cup of tea and watch your favorite Netflix show
This is my favorite thing to do sometimes in the middle of the day when baby naps. I know you have laundry and dishes and all the other important stuff to do now that baby is sleeping, and you have little free time. But listen to me, make sure baby and you are well fed; that’s important; the rest can wait. I’m not saying don’t do the dishes or laundry forever, but letting it wait every once in a while, so you can prioritize you and your needs is necessary at times.
Postpartum Selfcare; appearance
5- Get your hair done
You don’t have to go somewhere to get your hair done. Just get your favorite shampoo and conditioner and wash your hair. You can blow-dry it and comb it in a ponytail. If you are feeling more razzle dazzle, you can curl it or flat iron. The point is to make your hair, so you feel good.
6- Shave like a pro
Shave your legs and armpits and anywhere else you need to shave. I have this cute Billie shaving stick I got off Amazon, and it works way better than the plastic disposable I usually buy. My legs come out smooth and shiny, and this is coming from someone who hates the work that goes into shaving. Every time I go take a shower, I am more eager to shave just because of how cute it looks and feels.
7- Get your eyebrows trimmed
Eyebrows define your face, so don’t forget to keep up with trimming them when they become bushy. I normally do them myself, but if you don’t know how, you can always go to a professional.
8- Manicure/Pedicure
Make that appointment to get your nails done. Ask your partner or family member to watch baby for an hour so you can get out of the house and go get a manicure and pedicure. Now if you are not a big fan of getting your nails done, that’s fine. The point is to go do something that makes you feel more of yourself. Whatever you liked doing before you had your baby, go do it. If you need nail design inspiration, check out Pinterest. They have a lot of cute nail style ideas people pin every day.
9- Splurge on your favorite skincare items
When I breastfeed baby, I am more conscious of the types of skin care items I use, so I like to keep it very simple. Some of my favorite skin care products I use during this time are Timeless vitamin c serum, Cerave face wash, Jojoba oil, African shea butter, Drunk elephant water facial and La Roche Posay. I mix jojoba oil and the shea butter to apply on my stomach areas as well.
10- Update your wardrobe to some comfy clothes.
After giving birth, I found most of my maternity clothes were too big for me, and most of my regular clothes were too small for me. The struggle was real, lol, so I went to Target, grabbed a tall matcha chai latte, and found some really soft and comfy clothes. I don’t know why, but I just love getting Starbucks at Target and walking around the store. There is just something about the Target ambiance that is relaxing.
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle
11- Schedule your Yearly physical
After having a baby, I spent so much time indoors that I didn’t realize how low my vitamin D level had gotten. I only found out at my physical. So yeah, it’s very important not to skip those. I had to take vitamin D supplements to boost up my levels fast.
12- Schedule your yearly dental check ups
Yep! Don’t neglect your teeth too. Take that phone out and schedule your dental cleaning if you have not done so already.
13- Go on walks
There is something about going on walks that is so relaxing. You can put the baby in a stroller and go on walks outside. Sometimes it can be hard to walk given the weather or location of your area. I live in Texas, so you are not going to catch me walking during the day. No, thank you; that heat is not for me. I do, however, go on walks in the evening. It is much more manageable in the evening, and I bring the stroller with me. My baby loves looking at other people and their dogs.
14-Work out
Working out should be the last thing on your mind after you’ve just had a baby. So just focus on all the other stuff I have listed above first. After you’ve been cleared by your gynecologist, and you are feeling up for it. Start by doing some simple stretches and postpartum workouts. You can join a group exercise class in person or just turn on YouTube in your living room. I have been trying out Pilates on YouTube, and I love this YouTube channel. She has her entire workouts dedicated to pregnancy and postpartum and I love her energy and aura. Another reason why I love her channel is because some of her workouts are diastasis recti safe and this is something I suffered with after delivery.
Social life is part of postpartum selfcare
15- Keep up with your hobbies
What do you enjoy doing? is it gardening or making music or birdwatching or playing tennis. Schedule it in and go do it at least once a week. Keeping up with your hobbies and protecting your social connections is very important during this time where a lot of women develop postpartum depression.
16-Ask and take any help offered
This is one thing I struggled with the most. I just don’t know how to ask for help. I think that when I do, I am an inconvenience, or better yet, it’s my responsibility to take care of my baby, so why bother someone else? This is not a helpful way of thinking as I’m learning; we are humans, and of course we all need help. And help can come in many forms. If you live near family and friends, see if they can come over to play with baby while you nap or take a nice relaxing shower. Call a friend and just ask for advice, or just vent and laugh together. Do whatever you can to keep from feeling isolated.
17-Find other mom friends to connect with
The best way to find other mom friends, in my opinion, is to join mom groups in your area on Facebook and commit for at least 6 months to meeting up in person. Another good way is when you go on walks, try to wave and talk to your neighbors. There are moms in your neighborhood that are wanting the same thing: to meet and connect with other moms. You just won’t know until you start initiating conversations.
Take care of your head space
18- Write down your goals
I believe the magic starts to unfold as soon as your goals touch paper with ink. So go ahead and think about your near and future goals and write them down. Just because you are a mom now does not mean your goals and aspirations should be forgotten. Your goals can be as simple as eating more fruits and veggies in a day; seriously, have fun writing them down.
19- Read books
You know that saying that books will change your life? Okay, I don’t know if it’s actually a saying, but it’s so true. I love reading with this kindle I got as a gift from Amazon. I signed up for a library card, and I just borrow books for free with my kindle. If you love reading books, I highly recommend the kindle. I leave it at my bedside, and I read for thirty minutes everyday before falling asleep.
Final thoughts
Okay, I hope that was a good and helpful read for you. You don’t have to do all the mom selfcare ideas listed above at the same time. You can do one thing every week or month. Just go at your own pace.
You got this mama!
Please let me know in the comments what number you are going to start with and share this post with a new mom.
I’ll see you in my next post, friend! Check out this post on avoiding diaper rash on babies before you go.
Thank you for this guide and inspiration for new moms. I agree self care is hard, and they sure could use your advice!
Good reminders! Currently a little over half way through my pregnancy with baby #5! Thanks for sharing!