Actually, it is anything but selfish. It is necessary.

Being a parent is hard. Being a new parent is HELL! I mean, it is seriously the best thing in the entire world and I would do it over and over again, but I also vividly remember wishing away the sleepless nights and trying to imagine what life would be like when my daughter wasn’t feeding every 2-3 hours or could sleep independently. Some nights I would go to bed wondering how I even made it through the day.

Did I eat enough? Have I slept in the last 24 hours? Are there enough padsicles in the freezer? When was the last time I changed my adult diaper? (Yes…yes this is something you ask yourself at this stage in life).

Postpartum is gruelling and beautiful at the same time. It is a time when women set aside their personal desires and our lives change forever. It is a period of adjustment when you truly understand what it means to almost forget that you even have your own needs to focus solely on this little human you created and birthed into this world. It is so easy to fall into a pattern of disregard for ourselves. In the first few months postpartum the amount of times I would literally forget if I had brushed my teeth was astonishing.

That’s why I’m here, right now, reminding you that YOU are still important and deserving of a little self-care moment. It is something I wish I took more seriously after my daughter was born because I know how incredibly important self-care is for our mental, physical and emotional well-being.

Taking a few moments a day to pour back into our own cups and recalibrate is a gift that continues to give. It helps us to be better people, parents, and partners. I decided to write down a few self-care tips that I tried to incorporate postpartum whenever I could to help me feel more like me again. When I did these things, I noticed a significant difference in how I felt and would 100% recommend you try one or two yourself to see what I mean.

5 POSTPARTUM TIPS FOR SELF-CARE

• Rest Anytime You Can

This doesn’t have to look like a 2 hour nap, although that would be great. It can be as simple as closing your eyes for a few minutes while your partner is watching the baby can make the world of difference for your sanity.

• Ask For and Accept Help

Easier said than done BUT necessary to relinquish some of that control every once in a while. Asking your partner to take the baby for 30 minutes or asking a grandparent to bring over your favourite meal is a form of self-care that you should willingly accept. You are deserving of this support.

• Get Enough Food and Water

Eating and drinking enough throughout the day is essential. It is literally what keeps you going. The quality of ingredients you consume is what your body uses to build the cells that make up who you are. You literally are what you eat. PLEASE consider working with someone if you are struggling. A registered holistic nutritionist like myself can help you learn how to create simple meals with a variety of nutrient dense ingredients that will help you heal and replenish stores of vitamins and minerals that you lose as a result of giving birth. It is my honour to help you navigate this new normal.

Also, eating and drinking enough water supports breast milk production so if you are hoping to breast feed, this is something you should really pay close attention to.

• Do Something For YOU!

This can be so simple. Take an Epsom salt bath which is great for healing down there and helps you get some added magnesium which is great for increasing feelings of relaxation and so much more. This can be literally ANYTHING that makes you the priority and leaves you feeling refreshed.

• Spend Time Outside

Look for opportunities to get outside when you can. This could be as simple as opening a window and sitting in front of it for a while and taking some purposeful, deep breaths, this can be a 10 minute walk around the block (if you’re able), it could be feeding your baby on the front steps or balcony, anything that gets you in the fresh air whenever possible. Spending time outside calms the central nervous system, elevates your mood, and increases energy levels, all of which are needed postpartum.

Final Thoughts

So there you have it, my TOP 5 simple tips and tricks for postpartum self-care. Please take what you can from this post and incorporate it whenever it makes sense for you. You are deserving of self-care, you are worth the time you spend on yourself, and remember that self-care is anything but selfish, especially as a new mom.

Please comment some of the tips or tricks you have used in the past or plan on using in the future. Reach out with any comments or questions to sarah.sajnovic@gmail.com and let me know if you are interested in my Postpartum Package where I will help you navigate this new normal with even more tips and tricks along with so much more. Can’t wait to connect with you!