One month postpartum as a second time mom, some days you feel great and some days, not so great. Below are 9 reasons I still feel like myself as a new mom and how I’m trying to stay connected to myself.
I shower daily – I often hear Mom‘s talk about how long it’s been since they took a shower since they had a baby. A shower for me has never been a negotiable. Every evening I make it a priority to get clean wash off the days spit up and anxieties before going into a long night.
I do some sort of skin care daily – before my babies I never had an elaborate skin care routine(shame on me as a 30-year-old) but since having my second baby, I’ve realized that applying a mask, a serum, moisturizer, an exfoliate in the shower, something a little extra every day makes me feel like I’m on top of my self-care, even if it’s just the bare minimum.
I’ve created part of a routine – Jase is only a month old at the moment, but I’m doing everything I can to establish some sort of routine. Our whole house thrives on routine and even though a newborn is unpredictable, I’ve set some boundaries in place to help us be productive at least in the morning. For example, we do not turn on the TV until 11 when we watch price is right. The morning is reserved for playing games, putting away laundry, maybe even sleeping in?
I asked for help when needed – I pride myself on how much I feel I can take on by myself, but I know my limits. I have had no trouble asking for small and larger favors throughout this month. Everything From “can you hand me that burp cloth” so I don’t have to get up to texting my mom, “Do you mind coming over for an hour for an extra set of hands”
I get out of the house – I’m easing my way back into society by getting out of the house at least once a week – the first two weeks the only time I left the house was to go to his first week doctor appointment. I immediately felt myself going stir crazy so I’ve been making an effort to get out and either go on walks inside or outside, do light errands for an hour or two at a time. I love shopping, which is a perfect place to walk around.
I talk to my sister four out of seven days a week – In a normal week, I will talk to my sister every morning on the way to drop Jackson off at daycare and sometimes more than once a day. My schedule is definitely not as consistent now that I have a newborn, but I still try and call her at odd times to catch up. Talking to her helps me feel more normal and also gives me a little more adult human interaction that I need in a day.
I get dressed every day – it may be as simple as going from pajama pants to sweatpants, but getting dressed can be a real game changer. I’ve always associated staying in your pajamas all day with being sick so anytime I keep my pajamas on all day I end up feeling rundown, as if I’m sick. It’s all a mental game. I also like looking in the mirror from time to time and not being horrified with what I see, even though I’m not feeling amazing about my body right now getting dressed and applying a little tinted moisturizer makes me feel just a little bit better.
I often eat before the kids – I keep myself nourished and hydrated. I know myself and the hanger is real. I am no good to anyone if I have no patience and I’m in a foul mood all because I’m hungry. It’s easily avoidable to grab a snack or eat my full lunch before trying to tackle lunch for two little ones.
My husband and I still carve out the little moments for each other – date night doesn’t look the same anymore. Getting a babysitter for two kids is even more challenging. So we are trying to find different ways to really spend time with each other at home. Have a cocktail on a Saturday and watch a new movie even while the baby lays right next to us on the couch, it’s a little moments of quality time that makes the difference.
I hope these ideas help even one other Mama feel like herself. Postpartum can be a very isolating time filled with emotions and overwhelming feelings. These have helped me feel like my old self with all the new happy changes.
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