Self Care Tips For Feeling Your Best Self As A New Mom

Today I’m sharing with you a list of my top five essential self-care tips to support you in feeling your best throughout your postpartum healing journey and the first year of motherhood.

During this physically and emotionally demanding time of caring for a new baby, you might feel like all you need is to take care of yourself the way you used to – but you can’t. It can be so hard to keep yourself happy and healthy and easy to neglect yourself.

Self-care is so important for mothers.

Self-care is how you show yourself love, which is the foundation of what we all need to be the best versions of ourselves that we can be. When you fill yourself up and treat yourself with kindness, you create space to hear the voice of compassion and unconditional love for the mother you are. That love overflows onto your children. Your children are learning about how to love themselves by watching you. You are their teacher.

Now if you are in the trenches of those first few months with a brand new baby, you might be thinking “I don’t even have time to eat, sleep, shower, let alone poop. I just need to know how I’m going to get through this!”

And I hear you. The self-care habits of massages, long baths, or mani-pedis may seem impossible when it’s a struggle to brush your teeth. Right now it’s about BASIC self-care, and reframing what self-care looks like in the early months of new motherhood. We are talking about making small loving actions towards yourself, so you don’t get used to running on empty. It’s essential to do something every single day that puts even just a little bit of fuel in your tank.

I hope these tips and self-care practices support you in nurturing yourself, mama.

1. Set small goals for yourself every day, one’s that you could realistically accomplish with a little bit of effort.

Don’t overthink it; just set the intention to do whatever makes you feel somewhat normal. Most days, I made a list of THREE things max, anything else was a bonus. My husband or I would write down our goals on a little notepad on the fridge the night before for the next day. Here is an example of some of the things I would put on my list.

• Take vitamins
• Go for a walk
• Take a shower
• Drink a big bottle of water
• Make a hot tea
• Meditate
• Gratitude journal / reflection

Write them down and cross them off as they happen or at the end of the day. You are doing so much in those early days of new motherhood, but because you aren’t doing any of the things you normally do, your brain can hijack the rational part of your mind that knows keeping a baby alive is a full-time job. This little “checklist” can give you a sense of completion, accomplishment and remind you to take care of yourself too. CELEBRATE these accomplishments, no matter how small they are.

2. Take vitamins.

Taking vitamins is HUGE! Vitamins not only boost your energy, which will be very useful for sleepless nights and exhausting days, but they can also help your overall mood and muscle healing from labor and delivery.

I worked with a nutritionist and a naturopath during my postpartum recovery period. Below I will share with you the best vitamins for healing your body, boosting your energy and mood, and reducing the likelihood of postpartum depression.

Of course, I am not a medical professional. I am sharing the suggestions I was given and speaking from my own experience. If you are unsure about which supplements you should or should not be taking, talk to your doctor.

Vitamin D3
Before getting pregnant, I would take 1,000 IU Vitamin D every day. Unless you are living somewhere with sunshine all year round, taking 1,000 IU isn’t nearly enough. During the first exhausting year of motherhood, it’s a good idea to boost your vitamin D intake for your immune system, energy, and mood support. Vitamin D is also believed to improve your pelvic floor strength and health.

During the winter months, I take 8,000 IU per day, and in the summer 6,000 IU.

Magnesium
Magnesium is an energy booster, calms your nervous system, and can help balance your mood during hormonal fluctuations postpartum. If you are breastfeeding, your magnesium needs will also increase as your body takes the stores that would primarily be given to you and uses them for your breastmilk. I took 500mg per day, in two 250mg tablets.

B12
Vitamin B12 provides energy, immune support and supports your brain with memory and learning, which is perfect for a sleep-deprived mama. I took 1,000 mcg per day.

Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are created to support the mother and baby during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Even if you are not breastfeeding, taking prenatal vitamins during the first year of motherhood supports overall health and well-being.

Women’s Probiotic
Your body and mind work together, so including a probiotic in your self-care routine is a holistic way to help you feel good from the inside out. Including a probiotic can help calm your mind and support you in feeling energized by removing toxins from your body.

3. Take some time to connect with yourSELF.

It’s easy to get caught up in the constant thinking and constant distractions from the thinking (i.e. Netflix, Instagram, Chocolate Covered Pretzels), but it’s essential to take time to connect with yourself beyond the worries. You don’t have to wait until you are alone to connect within. You can do this with your baby while they are nursing or sleeping in your arms.

Put your phone away and focus on your breath and check-in with how your feeling. Feel like crying? Cry. If you’re feeling grateful, say thank you. Feeling overwhelmed? Ask the Universe for strength and guidance. Try to do this every single day. It only takes a few minutes. You more than deserve to give this to yourself.

4. Get REAL support and connection.

It can be tempting to Google every little thing as a new mother, but the answers you are looking for will never be satisfied because the longing is really for connection. You may be feeling lost, confused, or isolated, and the endless search for answers is covering up your vulnerability of wanting to know that you’re not alone. I promise you; you are NOT. Reaching out for support and connection will help you feel seen, heard and nurtured as a new mother. If you have extended health benefits, I suggest taking advantage of them now. Most places will let you bring your baby with you.

I am fortunate to have a fantastic benefits package that allowed me to work with a lactation consultant, a postpartum therapist, and a pelvic floor physio-therapist. All of the support I received not only helped me to heal through my postpartum journey, but also inspired me to use my gifts, healing energy, and intuitive talents to help other new mothers in need. To request Spiritual Guidance or book an Energy Healing Session click here.

5. Do YOU while the baby sleeps.

As a new mother, nothing bothered me more than the phrase “sleep when the baby sleeps.” I still wonder why nobody warns you that babies don’t actually sleep in the beautiful $300 bassinet that you lovingly picked out for them while they were chillin’ in your belly. Babies want to be where it’s familiar and cozy, with their mama’s…

All.

The.

Time.

My daughter would only sleep in my arms or on my chest for the whole first month of her life, and so every time I heard that phrase or thought back to any time I said, “How little sleep could it be? Babies sleep like 18 hours a day; I’ll sleep when the baby sleeps” I wanted to cringe. 

If you manage to get some sleep in there, AMAZING! You go, mama! If your experience is more like mine, you might not be able to sleep while the baby sleeps, but you can do things for yourself. I highly recommend babywearing. My daughter pretty much lived in a wrap throughout the newborn days, and I would do things that would make me feel normal. I would brush my teeth, eat, do my makeup, go for a walk, journal, or meditate.

Check out my Mind, Body, Heart, and Soul Healing Meditation Collection.

So there you have it, my top five self-care tips for feeling your best self as a new mom. I know how hard it can be to take care of yourself and how easy it can be to push your needs to the side right now, but you’ve just been reborn too. You need to nurture and care for the beautiful woman and mother you are. You got this. 

Love,
Megan xo

---

I only send occasional emails with new blog posts or other relevant healing information to support you.