Taking care of your baby’s needs throughout the day could leave you feeling weary and emotional – I have been there. Making self-care part of your day-to-day life can be tricky at any stage of life. But especially when you are on mom duty 24/7, it becomes a not-so-easy task for you. It is the most challenging as well as most rewarding part of early motherhood while breastfeeding It accompanies by loads of stress and expectations, fear of unknown pressure to make things work.
There are so many benefits of breastfeeding. Lets us share a few here and make the experience as enjoyable and relaxing as possible. Probably you can call it a mom self-care. I mean, when can you be forced to sit for hours a day, cuddle with your new newborn, and relax? So enjoy the moment.
All the time, you are busy taking care of your newborn, and you neglect your mental and physical wellbeing during this time. To be in mommy mode all the time is not possible. So why not find that comfort and relaxation you, a new mommy, need in that ongoing routine. I am sharing a few of the tips I followed when I had my first baby.
Create your own space
You must choose a calm space in your house when you nurse your baby. Trust me, and it will make a world of difference to have a serene and relaxing environment when you are sleep-deprived. I suggest keeping everything handy near the place you st for nursing, which you will need during and after the nursing session.
Things like nursing supplies, water, burp cloth, books, etc., should be kept near a table. Create a ritual for both you and your baby with a relaxing playlist to soothe anxious minds.
Comfortable yourself
Comfort is vital when you are breastfeeding! You’ll be wearing nursing bras around the clock so invest in a few soft and comfortable nursing bras. Nothing can provide comfort like the nursing wardrobe for wearing around the house. All new moms must have few nursing garments, especially for the initial few weeks.
They are helpful when you don’t have a chance to think about what to wear, and they are super comfortable. And also few pairs of nursing-friendly outfits to wear when you go out of the house. I found nursing pillows also are very comfortable in the initial stage when you are getting the hang of breastfeeding. This day you have many types and varieties of the nursing pillow to choose from.
Me time
I had always looked forward to my nursing sessions as that would be the only time I can get access to my phone or books, which I loved to read. This allowed me to have my “me time” along with nursing my baby.
Apart from this, there are many others ways you can take care of yourself without realizing it during the first few weeks and months of motherhood.
-Nutrition is so essential for lactating moms!!
-Make a grocery list before you are pregnant to fill your pantry a few weeks before your due date.
-Make sure to have a breastfeeding snack on hand at all times.
-You can make routine shower time your “me time.” Listen to music or a podcast, light a candle, a body wash, face mask, and spend 10-15 baby-free minutes by yourself and enjoy it.
-Keep yourself hydrated! When you are a lactating mom, you need to increase your fluid intake. It would be best if you had a water bottle handy wherever you go.
Snuggle up
Make it routine to nurse your baby in bed during the nighttime. You can work with a partner to help you in diapering to stay in bed some nights. Keep the lights as low as possible, and I suggest reading kindle during nighttime instead of scrolling your phone.
Utilize your support system
During the initial time, it was like I want to know each little thing about the care of my baby. The worst part was to lose control of it as a new mom. Sometimes I even get frustrated if things don’t go as per plan.
But then I quickly learned that I had to let go and allow my support system to help me. Everybody has their method to perform any activity. As long as my baby was happy and healthy, I needed to be ok with their ways. So learned to step away from your baby and get out of the ‘mommy fog.’
Let your support system step in so that you can free your mind, whether it’s taking a shower or just wandering around the block. That’s fine to take timeouts from being a mom. If you are in a situation where you have little to no natural supports, look into online associations or look into free parenting support in your area where you can create your support system.
Make a schedule
Don’t ever feel bad when you make a mess, accept it. Preparing a schedule, and sometimes if you fail to follow it, that’s ok. There is always a next time to amend it.
Dirty laundry, a mess on the floor, uncleaned utensils do not make you less of a mother. Sometimes will consist of cluster feedings, no sleep, and a fussy baby. Letting yourself to pressure about what you didn’t get made adds further and needless stress. Enjoy this part of motherhood which will go by promptly.
Make motherhood and breastfeeding an enjoyable phase of your life
Establish good self-care habits early to help you be the best and, in turn, the best mother. Breastfeeding is not easy, but yes, it is doable. A routine and managed self-care will help you to achieve your breastfeeding goals.
Are you practicing self-care as a new breastfeeding mommy? What are the things you do?
Are you practicing self-care as a new breastfeeding mommy? What are the things you do?
You are most welcome to share your thoughts and views on breastfeeding in the comment section below. We would love to hear from you.
Home Remedies For Burns