6 Self-Care Moves That Leaves You Feeling Nourished
It’s no secret that self-care looks a little different as a mom than it did before you had kids. Prior to kids: if we were hungry, we ate. If we were tired, we slept. If we had to use the bathroom, we went. Oh, how much we took for granted all of those little things! It’s funny how now we have this impulse to look at those things as self-care -- which in a way, they are. But really, it’s just basic hygiene and bodily processes.
The kind of self-care we’re looking for is a level higher than that. Not just survival, but how can we find time to feel good, accomplished, and as if we’re actually flourishing--not just surviving.
At CODDLE, we emphasize self-care. A lot. We believe in mothers like you, your worth, your power, and we want to urge you to find yourself and love yourself every single day. So, what are some ways to find good quality self-care in your life? We’ve gathered 6 of our favorites:
1. Have a support system
This isn’t always easy, but gosh do we need it. One of the best forms of self-care is to surround ourselves with support, help, kindness, and encouragement. Even though this care is coming from external sources: like our partner, parents, in-laws, friends, nanny, co-workers, it’s up to us to seek out that care, accept it, and make sure we make time for it. Allowing others to care for us, in the same way we are caring for children, is a great gift we can give ourselves, and a great way for moms to self-care.
2. Take a vacation or a Staycation
This can be as simple or as extravagant as you can afford the money and time for. Honestly, the point is just a change of scenery. Have you ever been so deep in the throes of babyhood that you realize you haven’t left the house for a month? I mean, it does happen! In a post-COVID world, groceries are delivered, many work from home, and it’s quite easy to just never leave home! But, spoiler alert: you need to. Leaving the house can be likened to a splash of water in the morning-- a wake-up call.
If you’re stuck in the same old routine every day with baby, you can start to feel dull, bored, and lifeless. Mixing things up: taking your baby to a park, going for a stroller walk somewhere, or dining with a friend somewhere with an outdoor patio. Leaving your house and your routine gives you a fresh perspective on life. It really is nice seeing other people, living other lives, and it can bring you hope and add some sparkle to your consciousness!
3. Stretch
STRETCH your body! Even when you don’t feel like you have enough energy for a workout, stretching is a low-impact, simple way to get your blood flowing and reconnect with your body. When you stretch, your muscles are allowed to expand, which releases tight points of tension. And as a new mom, you’ve definitely got tension and tight muscles. Stretching it out also helps release trapped toxins, so everything in your body can flow correctly. When blood flow is free and clear, your body can heal and process things more efficiently, which is exactly the kind of self-care we need in our lives.
One of the most important stretches, we’ve found, are those that target your hips. My gosh, have your hips taken a beating. First, during pregnancy, your hip bones were stretched (yep, your bones stretch!) and put them into weird positions in order to carry your baby. Then again during birth, your hips likely were stretched even MORE to push that baby out, if you delivered vaginally. We did a LIVE on May 28th with @brownyogigirl to teach us a few stretches and exercises for hips and sciatica! You can incorporate all of them into your day. Check out our Instagram session with her here.
After 9 months of walking around with extra weight directly on your hips, this area and the muscles involved could really use some TLC. Finding good stretches and even yoga positions that help target your hips can help relieve sciatica pain, reduce tension, and increase flexibility.
4. Treat yourself to dinner
Whether you’re eating in or eating out -- mix it up. Have something you don’t usually have. If you always have a nice, healthy dinner, maybe splurge for an oven-baked pizza and have a relaxing Friday night in! If you typically eat quick, easy meals, set aside some time to make yourself something warm, hearty, healthy. Fill that tank!
If you’re really lucky and can get away, go for a nice dinner. Go with a friend, or get a sitter and go with your partner. Spending time with your spouse is also a great form of self-care, as our relationships can really take a hit during the postpartum period. Feed that relationship, get some kid-free time, and enjoy a nice meal at the same time!
If you have older children, see if your partner can watch your baby while you and your older child have a “Mommy and Me” date. Honestly, these are the BEST. It’s likely that both you and your older child miss that one-on-one time, so making time for that together can be healing for both of you. Your older child will love getting away, doing something fun, and having your undivided attention and love.
5. Learn a Skill
It can feel like that first year of postpartum = your life is on hold. You’re needed constantly, and you’re incredibly busy caring for your baby and working on filling your own basic needs, as well. Postpartum depression is incredibly common. This is due both to the hormonal changes, but also to the extreme shift in your life situation. You don’t have as much time for yourself, and that can be a shock. You might feel like your individualism is disappearing. “Who am I?”
Learning a skill, even just little bits and pieces here and there, can help you feel like you’re still progressing on a personal level. Your life isn’t on hold, even if you can’t get out there and DO as much. You can, however, read up, learn a skill, and feel accomplished. Whether you’re wanting to learn about herbs, essential oils, health, new cooking skills, gardening, sewing, yoga. . . these are all examples of things you can learn through a podcast, a book, or even from your cell phone. We’re all guilty of spending lots of time scrolling on our phones - so what if those hours were put towards something productive? Growing your skillset is an awesome way to self-care!
6. CODDLE yourself
Our last one is good old-fashioned pampering. You know, the stuff that you think of when you hear the word “self-care.” Bubble baths, pedicures, massages, that stuff. It might seem basic, but it’s GOOD, right? When was the last time you had a hot bubble bath with Epsom salt and some lavender essential oil? Our Sitz bath is amazing, even if you’re not in those first few postpartum weeks. Soaking in herbs can help boost your mood, relax your body and mind, and relieve stress. . . all of the things that mothers truly need.
Using your favorite scent in a diffuser, lighting a candle, or using our Postpartum Massage Oil is a great way to infuse aromatherapy into your self-care routine. Natural scents and florals have been backed by ancient wisdom since the beginning of time, and they are a great tool for healing your mind, body, and spirit. Our Postpartum Massage Oil can be used by your partner to give you a full body massage - and you’ll be surprised at how the lavender oil relaxes BOTH of you in the process! The oil can also be used on yourself - just put some in your hand, rub your hands together, and rub the oil on your arms, shoulders, and chest.
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It’s no secret that self-care looks a little different as a mom than it did before you had kids. Prior to kids, things were a little bit easier. But, there are ways to make self-care work - so make it work!
At CODDLE, we emphasize self-care because we believe in mothers like you, your worth, your power, and we want to urge you to find yourself and love yourself every single day. What are some more ways for moms to self-care that we haven’t listed here? Drop some of your favorites in the comments!
