fitting in self care as a new mama

In the craziest year of all of our lives, self care has never been more important. There are lots of different things you can do for self care, from exercising to a luxurious spa day. But as a new mama, it can be hard to find time to fit it in. 

I'm sharing with you my tips for finding time to take care of yourself while taking care of someone (or many someones) else.

The first step is changing your mindset of what self care looks like. While we all could use a full day at the spa, there are lots of other ways to take care of yourself that don't take a lot of time or require a babysitter. You also don't have to be completely alone in order to find a moment for yourself. If you can involve your baby in your special time, you will not only be able to find more time, but you will set a good example for her in the future.  

The next step is prioritizing what is most important to you. Figure out what activities bring you the most peace. Make a goal to do those things every day, or at least as often as you can. For me I make sure that I exercise and get ready every single day. Exercise gives me a boost of endorphins and helps me handle stress better. Taking a few minutes to get ready helps me feel like my life is more put together than it actually is. Plus when I walk past a mirror, my first thoughts are positive because I've taken the time to accentuate my natural beauty. 

The last step is figuring out when to get it all done. Somethings are better to do during nap time, but other things can be done while baby is awake. You really have to experiment what works best for you. 

  Some of my favorite self care activities to do with a baby around:

• Exercise - use your baby as extra resistance during strength training, turn on a show to distract her, pull out a special toy, or go for a stroller walk
• Get ready - put your baby in a carrier, or master the art of getting ready one handed
• Skin care - wash your face while baby is in the tub, put on a face mask and make some funny faces while playing, or do it while baby is playing
• Reading - read to your baby while feeding, as they are falling asleep, or while baby is playing
• Connect with others - catch up with friends on social media while baby is playing or falling asleep, video chat with a family member while baby is playing, or give someone a call at anytime 
• Quiet time - spend a few minutes snuggling with your baby, turn on a show and watch it together, read some stories, or get outside and look around at the trees and sky
• Sleep - try to get to bed early, and then wake up when your baby does, or try to fit in a nap when they are. This one can be the hardest one when you are a new mama, and it might be a very long time before you can get 8 blissful hours of uninterrupted sleep, but do your best to go to bed early and don't try to wake up too early 
• Expectations - be kind to yourself, don't expect to be able to do everything every single day. Some days are going to be a little rough and the dishes won't get done and the laundry will be strewn throughout the house because baby keeps pulling it out of the basket 

You deserve you time Mama, so go get it!

What are you doing for self care?

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