Why You Should Prioritise Self-Care Post Birth
Many will have you believe that as a new mum, you should devote most of your time to caring for your baby and even thinking about doing something for yourself is selfish — but it's far from the truth. Your child's upkeep shouldn't come at the expense of your burn out. Plus, self-care becomes unquestionably necessary when you think about how your body has spent nine months creating a life. Sustaining it and then, in the end, how it did the strenuous work of delivering that life into this world in the form of a tiny person with starry eyes and toothless smiles.
Feeling guilty about doing something enjoyable, like going for a postpartum massage, is normal. But it’s important to let go of the guilt and carve out some "me time," since it is the only way to support and heal your post-birth body.
Let's delve deeper and explore why self-care is so important for a new mama.
It Can Help Combat Anxiety and Stress
Good and proper self-care can go a long way toward helping you manage your stress and anxiety. It can help keep negative thoughts at bay and improve your outlook on everything, making it easier to deal with whatever life throws at you going forward.
It Will Hasten the Recovery Process
The post-birth healing period isn't the same for everybody. How quickly you will heal will depend on the complications you face, the difficulty of the birth, and how you take care of yourself in the postpartum period. You may not have any control over the actual birthing process and complications, but you can certainly ensure that you are not neglecting your postpartum self-care.
A well-thought-out self-care plan (which should include postpartum massages) is the best thing to help support the body and accelerate the healing process.
It Will Help Prevent Burnout
New mother burnout is a real thing, and it can have far-reaching consequences. In fact, physical exhaustion is just one of its symptoms. It can drain you emotionally, make you question your adequacy about being a mum, make you irrationally angry, disconnect you from your child, and the list goes on. So, it goes without saying nipping it in the bud with appropriate self-care is the best course of action.
It Will Make the Motherhood Journey More Enjoyable
Life with an adorable little baby should be exciting and fun, not exhausting and tiresome. From the very beginning, your motherhood journey should be filled with happy, cherishable moments that light up your soul every day.
Self-care is all about focusing on your needs — needs that make you happy and content. It's about giving yourself permission to relax and enjoy the little things that life has to offer. It's literally the essence of happiness that you need to enjoy your life as a new mum
Top 3 Ways To Practise Self-Care Postpartum
- Develop a Skincare Ritual - A soothing ritual will give you a sense of control in this turbulent time, make you feel like your pre-pregnancy self (even if it's just for a little while), and help your skin feel healthy and beautiful. At The Hermosa Co., we offer a wide range of postpartum care products crafted with all-natural ingredients. Browse and get yourself the ones you see fit your needs.
- Craft a D.I.Y At-Home Spa – At-home spa days are quick and doable if you plan ahead. It's a good way to relax and rejuvenate without having to leave the home. Give our postpartum sitz soak a whirl for your spa day. It will definitely enrich the whole experience.
- Schedule a Post-Natal Massage - Unlike a spa, you cannot D.I.Y a massage; for that, you have to go to a massage clinic with professional masseuses skilled in the art of healing through postpartum massages.
The Many Benefits of Indulging in a Postpartum Massage Therapy
- It can naturally treat postpartum blues (only when it is less severe) by mitigating mood swings, crying spells, stress, anxiety, and so on.
- It can balance out postpartum hormonal fluctuation by raising the levels of feel-good hormones (oxytocin) and lowering the levels of stress hormones (cortisol). Massage can improve mood and help you cope better.
- It can detoxify the body through lymph node drainage. By improving circulation and getting rid of excess fluid and toxins, it can reduce swelling.
- It can realign the back and help you get your old posture back. Expert massage with special oils and potions can also lessen the appearance of stretch marks to the point where they are almost invisible.
- It can improve sleep significantly by getting rid of exhaustion and body pain. By alleviating sleep troubles, you will be able to maintain a high energy level throughout the day, which is very much needed to take care of a newborn baby.
- It can help lactating mums get relief from mastitis caused by clogged milk ducts or bacteria entering the breast. Massage can also help increase milk flow by stimulating the breast tissues.
Conclusion
Your little one's life revolves around you. So whatever state you are in or emotions you are feeling can affect the baby. For example, if you are relaxed and happy, so will the baby. Furthermore, prioritising self-care will allow you to give the best care possible to your little munchkin. So, as soon as the doctor gives the OK, head over to our calming clinic at Torquay, Victoria to recharge your body & mind.
