You just had a baby, and life is chaotic—you’re still figuring out your routine, and somebody’s always crying. It’s no wonder most new parents lose themselves for a while! Even though you’re putting all your time, effort, and love into caring for your new bundle of joy, you still have to take care of yourself to keep your sanity. It’s not always easy to make yourself a priority, but learning how to maintain your sense of self as a new mom is crucial for your mental health.
Make Use of Baby’s Naps
It’s no secret that babies take plenty of naps in the first few months. If your newborn isn’t sleeping through the night, you probably also want to get a little shut-eye when they nap. While there’s nothing wrong with taking a nap with your baby, you can also use their nap times to find yourself again. Whether you choose to complete a household task, read a good book, make yourself a snack, or work on a hobby, you can care for yourself while your baby sleeps.
Connect With New or Old Friends
It’s not uncommon for friendships to fall away once you have a baby, but it’s still unfortunate. Even though relationships go both ways, you can continue to reach out to your pre-baby friends to maintain your friendships. On the other hand, you can also make new mommy friends in many different ways. Connecting with new and old friends is an excellent way to meet your own social needs and avoid isolating yourself from the rest of the world.
Keep Up With Your Personal Hygiene
For many new moms, personal hygiene is a massive struggle. Whether you’re too exhausted to wash up or you don’t want to leave the baby alone, you may find yourself going a week without a shower. As you probably expect, poor hygiene can affect your self-esteem. Keeping up with your personal hygiene as a new mom is a simple way to help you feel like a normal human being. There are many ways busy moms can take care of their skin and physical health, but staying consistent with showers and skincare is the key to success.
Mom Tip
Bring the baby with you in the bathroom in a secure seat so that you can keep your eye on them while you take care of yourself.
Let Someone Help You
While you might feel uneasy about letting someone help you this early in your baby’s life, you can’t do everything yourself. Whether you choose your spouse, partner, parent, or friend, someone can support you by looking after the baby while you cook, shower, sleep, or handle anything else. Many people in your life are always willing to help—you just have to reach out.
After learning how to maintain your sense of self as a new mom, you can take great care of your newborn and yourself in the early months. Early parenthood can be a difficult time in your life, but looking after yourself is always worth it—a full and recharged momma can give more to her baby.
Mom on the go in Holy Toledo 