How To Feel Like Yourself Again When Becoming A New Mum
When you become a new mum, you might notice signs of self-neglect and a lack of self-love. You will want to give your baby all your time and attention. However, it is important to remember self-love and personal care. Lacking these things can destroy your confidence and result in your loss of self.
If you want to boost your confidence as a new mum and not lose it again, here are some great tips.
Practice more self-care
There is nothing more confidence-boosting than some self-care. Whether you take a walk, run a warm bath, read a book, or book yourself in for an appointment, self-care will help you feel like yourself again in no time.
You could book into a local hair salon for a new style or a refresh, making you feel more like yourself. There is nothing better than a pamper session to make you feel better and more confident. If you leave months in between each pamper session, you should consider making it a more regular occurrence. Once you have your next session for a refresh and confidence boost, you will notice how good it makes you feel. Hence, repeat this feeling by booking time for yourself.
Don’t forget to sleep
Another top tip for feeling like yourself again after having a baby is to get enough sleep. This is difficult as your baby might wake up at night and need feeding. Yet, if you can try to create a good sleep routine when the baby arrives, you should be able to get adequate sleep. You should get between 7 to 9 hours a night. But, this might not be possible with a newborn.
If you can nap when your baby naps and get early nights once you put your baby down, you should be able to achieve more sleep than you might think. Sleep might not be productive when you could be doing other things. However, you will feel unwell and unfocused if you lose sleep, hindering your confidence and sense of self.
Find mum friends
You won’t be alone in experiencing a lack of confidence and self-care. All other new parents will face the same challenges.
Therefore, finding mum friends to talk about the issue is a good idea. You can seek comfort in knowing others have experienced the same thing and find out ways they rekindled their self-love.
Stop comparing yourself
Comparing yourself to others is the worst trap to get into when you become a new mum. You might find yourself comparing your body to models in magazines or to other mums that look like they have got it all right. However, it would help if you remembered that nobody is perfect, and everyone has their faults and worries.
The sooner you focus your energy on yourself, the less you will care about what others are doing. The reduction in comparing yourself will help you love and appreciate yourself the way you should be.
Seek support from your partner and family
As well as seeking comfort and support from mum friends, you might want to seek support from your partner and/or family. You need to remember that people love you and want to be there for you, no matter what you are going through.
If you doubt yourself, feel stressed, experience anxiety, or need some time for yourself, your loved ones will certainly offer to help in any way they can.
Get help from a nanny
Speaking of seeking more time for yourself, it might help if you get help from a nanny. Even hiring a babysitter once a week will help you find the time for self-care, errands, or better care of yourself.
Nannies are not always expensive. You might be able to find someone through a mutual friend who is willing to help for an affordable price. Paying a small fee to attain time for yourself could be all you need to feel like yourself again when becoming a new mum.
Use nap time wisely
If you do not need sleep when your baby naps, you could use this time to do other confidence-boosting and self-care things. For example, if you know your baby sleeps for 90 minutes at a time, you could use this time to:
- Run errands (with the baby or in the house)
- Self-care routine
- Exercise
- Meal prep
- Relax
Using nap time wisely will ensure you get time to do things you need or want to do to feel more like yourself.
Be patient
Patience is key when trying to feel like yourself. Although you might feel great after a new haircut or a baby-free dinner with a friend, the feeling might not last long.
To attain long-lasting results, you need to give it time. Remember to keep practicing self-love and self-care to feel happier and more content within yourself.
Move your body
Exercise is crucial when trying to feel like your best self after having a baby. Whether you want to lose baby weight or not, exercise is a great practice for mindfulness.
Getting on a mat for 30 minutes of yoga or running weekly might be all you need to feel refreshed, rejuvenated, and reinspired.
Eat better
Likewise, what you eat will also impact how you feel. You might lack time to make your favorite wholesome meals. Hence, you might eat snacks or foods that cause inflammation and fatigue.
Therefore, keeping an eye on your diet and ensuring you eat the right foods will help you feel better.
Enjoy your time as a new mum
You need to reward yourself for becoming a new mum. Bringing a baby into the world is an incredible moment, and you must enjoy your time as a parent.
You should enjoy time with your baby and appreciate the new life you have brought into the world. The sooner you appreciate the little things, the more grateful and content you will feel. Mental happiness will contribute to overall happiness, helping you feel like your best self.