Did you know self-care can help prevent common health problems? Learn 5 self-care tips for new moms to keep your immune system healthy in this guest post giving encouragement for moms.
From the moment you found out you were pregnant, your diet, exercise and sleep were determined by your baby’s needs.
After the birth of your child, the need to be the best and provide the best did not subside.
This is why most new mums focus completely on their little ones and ignore their own needs. However, ignoring your own needs is not healthy – not for you and certainly not for your child. Self-care is an important aspect of post pregnancy care as it can help to prevent postpartum depression, anxiety and similar negative emotions.
5 Self-Care Tips For New Moms
A healthy amount of self-love and self-care will go a long way in preventing the ‘baby blues’ and ensuring your physical, mental and emotional health.
Here are 5 simple but effective self-care tips for new moms:
- Set aside some ‘Me’ Time
Poor self-care often leads to a loss of interest in hobbies and activities along with withdrawal from friends and family – classic signs of postpartum depression. Mental healthcare experts recommend that you take a little time for yourself on a daily basis as this will help you retain your sense of identity. New mums often feel the need to keep their babies with them at all times but every afternoon pop her into her cot along with a toy and spend at least 20-30 minutes reading a book or listening to music.
- Ask for help
Create a support system that consists of family, friends and even teens in your neighborhood who are willing to babysit. Baby sitters can simply watch over your baby in his/her cot while you are busy with household chores. This will allow you to take care of things like cleaning, laundry and gardening with complete peace of mind, knowing that someone trusted is looking after your little one. New mums often find it difficult to spend time away from their babies so this is a great way to start. If you are not yet ready to leave your child in the care of others, you can simply ask them to help with chores such as grocery shopping or running errands.
- Exercise daily
Even if you were a dedicated fitness enthusiast before you got pregnant, you probably gave up on your daily workouts once your baby came along. However, studies show that exercise plays a key role in the physical and mental recovery post pregnancy. Stick with low-intensity workouts as some research shows that vigorous physical activity is linked to an increased risk of experiencing depressive symptoms. Yoga is a great exercise option for new mums – a study on the benefits of yoga for depressed postpartum women found that 78% of the new mums who did yoga experienced clinically significant improvements in in depression, anxiety and overall quality of life.
- Communicate more
Pregnancy causes drastic changes in the levels of various hormones including progesterone and estrogen – which are closely linked to mood. These hormone levels come crashing down after the birth of your child which is why new mums are likely to feel stressed and have negative thoughts. Talk to your partner, family members and friends as this will help you deal with negative thoughts and make positive changes in your life. You can also ask veteran moms for practical suggestions and tips to overcome and prevent common negative feelings such as anxiety, depression and guilt.
- Pamper yourself once a week
As a new mum, your focus in on your baby and your family but you shouldn’t neglect yourself in the process. Put aside a specific amount of time every single week where your husband or parents look after your baby while you go out. You can treat yourself to a pedicure, a chic haircut or a soothing body massage. These simple self-care measures will help boost your mood and improve your confidence and self-esteem.
Related Reading: 6 Subscription Boxes for Moms Who Need to Practice Self-Care
Self-Care Can Reduce Risks of Common Health Problems
Pregnancy affects your immune system and it takes 3-4 months for your immune system to return to normal. This is why new moms are more susceptible to common health problems such as the common cold or flu. Self-care after the birth of your child will help to reduce your risk of common ailments and ensure your physical and emotional well-being.
Author Bio: Anita Fernandes is a journalist and a writer by profession. She has been writing extensively on health and wellness related topics for a little over a decade now. Besides her professional interests, she loves a game of basketball or a good hike in her free time to fuel her spirits. “Health is wealth” is one motto of life which she lives by as well as advocates to every reader, who comes across her blogs.
