Whether you’re planning to conceive, currently pregnant, or already embarking on the journey that is new parenthood, self-care is essential. Taking care of your mind and body will give you the energy and motivation you need to get through this major life transition. And it doesn’t have to cost a lot! Instead of investing in trips to the spa or expensive beauty products, look for simple, affordable ways to treat your mind and body with care every day — like applying skin care and makeup products from Skin Elegance! (Editorial aside: click here for a downloadable guide to which Synergie products to avoid if you’re pregnant or breast-feeding, have allergies/sensitivities, or are vegan.) Here are some other self-care strategies for new moms or soon-to-be moms to work into your life.
Fuel Your Body
Eating nutritious, balanced meals is important for maintaining your energy during pregnancy and beyond. A healthy diet will help you stay active during pregnancy and postpartum, which is incredibly important for managing stress and keeping your muscles strong. Plus, nourishing your body with the right foods will help you avoid common nutritional deficiencies. Try to focus on eating more lean protein to increase your iron intake naturally. Shape magazine explains that healthy lean proteins like peas, salmon, and turkey can also help you feel fuller so you can avoid overeating.
Stay Hydrated
Along with a healthy diet, keeping yourself hydrated is crucial. During pregnancy, your body needs plenty of water to increase blood volume, produce amniotic fluid, flush toxins, and carry nutrients to you and your baby’s cells. Staying hydrated is equally important during breastfeeding to keep up with your breast milk output. To ensure you drink enough water daily, The Everymom recommends carrying a water bottle around with you and sipping throughout the day. Other sources of water like tea, watery fruits and veggies, and even soups count, too!
Combat Sleep Troubles
As Parents magazine points out, sleep struggles are common among new moms. Even when your baby is snoozing away, it can be tough to lie down and fall asleep. But sleep is incredibly important for your mental health and physical wellbeing, so try to find ways to get that restorative rest you need. Consider pumping and getting your partner to take over some of the nighttime feedings.
When your baby naps during the day, take a few minutes to lie down and rest — these moments can be very restorative. And when you do have to wake up in the middle of the night for a feeding, stay off your phone to prevent the blue light from disrupting your sleep. Put on a podcast or read a book instead.
Engage in Feel-Good Physical Activity
While exercising may be the very last thing you want to do, moving your body will help stave off lethargy and keep your mind feeling sharp. Find a form of exercise that makes you feel good. Yoga, for example, offers a wide range of amazing benefits for expectant mothers. Practicing yoga can prepare your mind and body for the birthing process by helping you build strength, flexibility, and endurance. At the same time, the meditative element in yoga will help you connect with your intuition and develop a mindfulness-based approach to coping with stress.
Carve Out Time for You
One of the most important things you can do in the name of self-care is to make time just for you. For many moms, this means learning to say no to things that don’t serve you. You don’t have to host every single person who wants to visit you and your new baby. Be honest about what you need. Find someone who can watch your baby for just 30 minutes so you can soak in the bath, spend some time outside, take a nap, or do whatever feels good to you.
Becoming a mom is one of the most selfless things you can do, so you should never feel guilty about taking some personal time for self-care. This may include investing some free time spent with friends or old classmates. There’s nothing quite as socially enjoyable than catching up with old friends from high school or college and sharing each other’s experiences, such as becoming a new mom.
The best self-care practices aren’t expensive or time-consuming. They’re the simple actions you take every day to improve your general sense of wellbeing. As an expectant or new mom, these simple self-care strategies can make all the difference in how you feel through pregnancy, birth, and beyond.
Whether you’re pregnant or a new mom, you can benefit from Clean Science skincare products from Skin Elegance. Contact us today! 1-800-989-SKIN (7546)
Author Bio
Sheila Olson is a personal trainer with more than five years’ experience, who believes in setting small goals to achieve physical fitness and good health. She’s a keen advocate of positive thinking and mindfulness as part of her training programs. Read more of her posts at FitSheila.com.
Photo Credit: Amina Filkins from Pexels
