realistic self-care for Mums

Becoming a Mum was one of my proudest moments. Each day, I am filled with so much love and gratitude for my children and I will always be thankful for that.

But the truth is, when I became a Mum, I let myself slip. I forgot what I loved and I stopped doing things for myself. I know that this is a common theme for SO many mothers.

But it doesn’t have to be.

I want mums to know that self-care doesn’t have to be hard. You don’t need an hour every single day to have a bubble bath and relax, because let’s face it, if you have a newborn or toddler, it’s going to be near impossible to get that bath every single day.

Self-care doesn’t need to take that long and self-care is something you can incorporate into so many tasks you already do.

Here are some of the things I do to incorporate self-care into my every day life and they’re all actionable tips so you can start literally right now!

Hour of power

Each morning, I wake up approximately one hour before my son. During this hour, I can get in my non-negotiables for the day which need me to be uninterrupted.

In my hour of power, I journal and meditate. If there is any extra time, I also like to review my goals and vision to keep myself on track.

I know that parenting is exhausting, especially if your little one wakes multiple times during the night (my son is 2.5 and still wakes at night!). Believe me, I do know that. But I also know that if I get this one hour of uninterrupted self-care each and every morning, I am happier, calmer and my day always goes a lot better.

Eat lunch outside

Sitting outside in the sunshine and fresh air does incredible things to your mind and body so if I’m at home for lunch (which I usually am), I eat outside.

My son goes to daycare 2 days a week, so on the days he is home with me, he also eats with me outside.

There have been literal studies showing that getting more vitamin D will help regulate your mood:

“Research has shown that vitamin D plays an important role in regulating mood and warding off depression. In one study, scientists found that people with depression who received vitamin D supplements noticed an improvement in their symptoms.”.

Invest time in your health

There are some things that need to be done regardless of how busy you are and they may not seem quite as exciting as a bubble bath alone, they are still SO incredibly important.

Book in for your pap smear. Get a dental check. See your counsellor. Have your moles checked.

Do the uncomfortable appointments when they’re needed because you only have one body and one life to take care of.

Speak with your partner

One of the most helpful things that I have ever done is to speak with my partner about how I’m feeling and what I think I need to do to take care of myself.

For me personally, this was a range of things that included his support with healthier eating, his help with more tasks around the house, outsourcing work tasks (which basically means our income is less) and most importantly, his support overall.

There is nothing that will help you more than your partner’s support when you are a parent.

Make the effort for yourself

If wearing makeup makes you feel more confident, sexy and empowered, then make sure you spend the time each morning putting it on. If putting on a nice outfit instead of wearing your pyjamas around the house, then lay out a beautiful dress each morning and make sure you wear it.

Spending the time on the little things that make us feel better is always going to help!

Do the things that you loved before you were a parent

Before I became a mother, I LOVED exercising. I would go to the gym every single day. I ate incredibly healthy and my priority was my body (and health).

This was something that I lost extremely quickly when I became a mother and it’s something, I’m still working towards getting back too.

Just because we become parents, doesn’t mean we need to let go of the things we loved and the things that were important to us. We just need to manage our time (as individuals and as a family) so that everybody has time for the things they love.

Take some time to think about what you really enjoyed and loved and then find time each week to do it.

Becoming a parent may feel like the most important thing to you but please remember, you are the most important thing to your children. Happy parents = happy children.

I hope this helped!

With love & support,

Shorina | Mindful Soul Collective

Holistic Counsellor, Wellbeing Coach & Business Mentor

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