As a mom, you are always SO ready to be there for pretty much anyone in your life. But do you treat yourself the same way? Unfortunately, many women have the mindset that the “super” mom is someone who constantly is bending over backwards for her family and loved ones. So, let’s PLEASE discuss some mom self care ideas to give your heart and soul the love she deserves.
Women literally do it all. And what blows my mind is that SO many of us think and believe that running on E is okay and all fine. Completely draining ourselves is what makes us resilient and proves we love our family and friends so much. And doing any form of any self-care would just be selfish. FALSE, FALSE, & EXTREMELY FALSE.
First of all, when did being selfish and putting us first become a bad thing? Ever since being a mom? Because I think that is total B.S. I think I can still be selfish and be the best mom to my son. I think (just kidding, I know) I am much more present and patient with Owen when I have specific time aside for taking care of my own needs.
So, lets please discuss mom self care ideas to get us feeling more ourselves. Let’s talk about self-care ideas for the busy mom who never makes time for herself. And let’s please get rid of the negative thought process that the best moms are the ones who drain themselves completely dry until they have nothing else left to give.
***ALSO. I want to be clear. Self-care is not just taking bubble baths and drinking wine. In the moment those things are great and make us feel great. HOWEVER, self-care is doing what is best for your soul. If self-care was simply just doing things that made us feel happy in the moment- is that really SELF care? Things like face masks and shopping are great (and “care” like this will be talked about below) but is that really healing us? As a mom, we don’t always have the time to be taking nightly bubble baths, with wine and candles lit besides us. We need to be thinking more outside the box. We need to be caring for our minds and body that doesn’t require a huge amount of time, doesn’t get procrastinated, and is actually revitalizing.
I have created a self-care for moms pdf which contains basically just your own little personalized planner/reminder to practice your self-care daily! Click here to access the pdf.
This post is all about mom self care ideas to help give your body and mind some extra love and attention.
Mom Self Care Ideas
simple self care ideas
Unfortunately, as a mom, we do not have all the time or resources in the world. Because of this, it is important to discuss self-care that is fitting and appropriate for any situation. We won’t all be able to 100% adhere to all of these options, but I hope you are able to find at least a few that will work for you.
hydrate (& more than just water)
We all know and love a good glass of water. Once Owen started being more active, I quickly realized that I drink basically no water. Who has the time to be thinking of their water intake when you are chasing after your toddler who just loves to play in the dog’s water bowl? I found it extremely important to find and buy a water bottle that I love. If I love it, I will want to use it more. Mine specifically is a bright color so it just stares at me in the eye and makes me realize I need to drink more water.
So water is sort of a no brainer. But what other fluids can we use to hydrate ourselves? My two other favorites are herbal tea and celery juice. Herbal tea is perfect when you have about one minute of free time, whereas celery juice requires a little more time and effort. My current favorite herbal tea is the Traditional Medicinals Lemon Balm. It supports your adrenal glands (nervous system) and also helps your immune system. The flavor itself is so relaxing.
I recently have been drinking celery juice in the morning. Consuming celery juice on an empty stomach is ESSENTIAL for your all-around health. I have learned that we really put our bodies through shit with all the food and drinks we consume. One way to help out our brains, liver and gut out is by drinking celery juice early in the morning. You will need a juicer, but they are super inexpensive. They range anywhere from $50-300+ depending on how fancy you want to be. I will have my exact juicer linked here!! It works SO well and is incredibly quiet. It takes about 7ish minutes to get all your parts together, juice, and clean up your mess. Because the mornings are unpredictable, I choose to juice once I put Owen to bed. I put the juice in an airtight container and save it for the morning!
throw in the airpods
One thing that I have found that you can do at almost any point in your day is listen to music or a podcast. In the morning, I quite frequently throw on some relaxing “cafe jazz” music on YouTube. Owen loves it, and I love it. Overall, it just makes for a calm, relaxing morning.
Other times, I will just throw in my Airpods and listen to my own music or a podcast (Call Her Daddy, specifically). This is something you can do when you are making dinner or on the floor with your babe.
bring in the sunlight
We all are aware that sunlight can really do your mental good. While I would love to be out laying in the sun all day, it just cannot be possible at times. What I can control is how much sunlight I allow into my house and where I choose to sit. For example, instead of playing with Owen in the bedroom that doesn’t see sun ever, maybe I’ll choose to sit closer to the patio door.
Obviously in the spring and summer time, choose to be outdoors as much as possible. Whether it is taking your baby on a walk or just hanging out in the backyard.
focused, deep breathing
Whether you choose to meditate or just sit down and focus on your breath, I guarantee you will notice a difference in your emotional and mental health. Again, this is something that can be done wherever and whenever. Whether you want to do an actual meditation before your babe wakes up or just simply take some focused breaths while changing their diaper, it really doesn’t matter.
Ever since becoming a mom, annoyance and frustration is something I experience quite often. I hate to admit it, but I literally get so pissed at the dumbest things. When Owen started to become more active, I would literally stress over a diaper change. YES, A DIAPER CHANGE. If you aren’t a parent, this probably sounds like crazy, but if you are a parent- you get it.
There are many things that have helped me deal with my rage tendencies, but one of the steps I have taken to help is just simply breathing. Focused, deep breaths can literally change your mood just like that. Most people don’t actually do this because it sounds super like “WELL DUH.” But if you actually make a mental note to try it when you are feeling on edge, you will understand what I am talking about.
Visit my post on morning rituals if you are in need of a new A.M. routine!!!!
mom self care kit
So, now let’s talk about some self-care kits you can buy yourself (or someone you know that needs some help). Many places like Amazon and Etsy sell specific self-care kits. Honestly, you could even make your own if you have the time. Below, I have found some amazing self-care products and kits that will definitely help you zen out.
kits
- Pacifica Vegan Beauty Sleep Nighttime Kit
- Sephora Self-Care Skincare Set
- BeautyBio The Complete Glo Set
- Lovery 16-Piece Eucalyptus Self-Care Gift Set
- Lavender Gift Bundle
make your own essentials
If you are looking for a way to de-stress and relax, whether it be by yourself or with a friend, I think putting together a little self-care kit is the best way to do it. Essentials like: skincare products, essential oils, teas, bath & sleep items are personally some of my favorites. Below I will have products that I absolutely need when I am trying to relax.
And of course, feel free to be creative and personalize your kit to your own wants and needs 🙂
self care schedule
Whether you are a mom of 4 or pregnant with your first baby- we are all busy. And unfortunately, that will never change, and it is just inevitable. That doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take care of yourself. If we never tended or listened to our body’s needs, we would literally be running on empty at all times.
Also, some women may have more help than others. Some may have their significant other and mom living with them- so they are able to leave the house and go get a manicure every few weeks. Others may be a single mom and work two jobs.
We all are given different situations and different circumstances. But the commonality is that we all need love given to our mind and body.
So, when are the best times to practice some of these rituals? Some I listed such as deep breathing or listening to music can really be done whenever. With other practices that may take more time, you need to get a little more creative.
- Wake up an hour before baby. This allows you plenty of time to work out, shower, skincare, drink your celery juice, or whatever it is you want to get done in that time.
- Utilize nap time (especially if this is baby #1 for you)
- Once baby is down for bed, set aside 30 minutes before bedtime, purely for yourself.
- I highly, HIGHLY recommend rotating toys. This way, if you need some time to put away laundry, clean the house or meditate- you can bring out a “new” toy of babes & it is like they have never seen the toy before. You also have way less of a mess this way, by keeping most of the toys in the closet.
- Take advantage of your support people. If you have people in your life that are free and willing to watch baby while you go do whatever you want to do- let them. Chances are they will be so happy to spend time with your baby, and you will feel so relaxed to have some me time.
Even just becoming aware of what self-care is and means for you is a form of self-care. It really is super individualized, because we all require different needs. I hope this post gives you the extra push you need to start giving yourself the time you need. xxx
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