Why Mothers Matter Too: Taking Care Of Yourself As A Parent

Remember the moment when your child was placed gently into your arms? Remember exactly the transformation that happened inside? That special indescribable something that blossomed right there that changed you as a person forever. That something that was unconditional love.

That wrinkled-up creature that lay there squinting and most likely smeared with blood and vernix became a source of wonder, and fascination and above all vital importance for you. Nothing else mattered anymore. You would do anything, absolutely anything to save that squirming little worm.

In fact, you probably even forgot that you had needs to begin with, once the instinct and hormonal cocktail took over.

And as time went on, you continued to put your child first, taking on more than you could really handle, watching your stress-levels escalate and your health deteriorate as a result. Be honest with yourself, and admit that it’s time to stop.

You might think that by giving it everything you’ve got and sacrificing your own needs, you’re doing the best for your child. But I’m afraid that you’re sadly wrong, even if your heart is in the wrong place. You will never be the kind of parent you dream so hard of being, if you don’t give yourself a break. It’s time to take better care of yourself, and I’m going to show you how to do it.

Neglecting your own needs

We all know that feeling of utter exhaustion that comes from spending too many nights nursing a baby or child; you feel bleary-eyed, unable to think straight, and barely able to function. There’s nothing like it. And over time, you get used to living on a bare minimum level of sleep, you kiss your dreams goodbye, and you believe that you will never be the master of your own ship now you have a child.

Perhaps you’ve also found yourself skipping meals when you should be eating more to heal from the pregnancy, birth and your recovery. You take on more than you can realistically handle, and forget that you need time to chance your own passions too.

And so what happens? You find yourself coming down with every single virus that’s going around, feeling stressed, irritable, depressed even, and unable to cope.

Don't sacrifice your health

When you’re pinned beneath this kind of all-encompassing pressure and stress, your health comes under attack. Stress hormones flood your body, expecting fight-or-flight and as a result, they suppress your immune system, disrupt the balance of your female hormones and also affect your blood sugar levels and eating habits.

Sacrificing your health and sanity isn’t what nature intended when it gave you the gift of motherhood, and your beautiful child doesn’t want it either. Far from it in fact.

Your child needs you to feel relaxed, calm and attentive. It wants you have more energy so that you can play, and it wants you to be that bouncy, happy parent that you dream of being. You can be none of these things if you don’t take better care of yourself, so let me tell you how.

 There are some really easy ways that you can rediscover the person you used to be, and reclaim your health and energy levels. As a result, you’ll feel better and be able to actually enjoy being a parent instead of dragging yourself through exhaustion.

They are:

#1: Eat more nutritious foods
It’s all too easy to neglect your own diet when you become a parent, but in fact it has never been so important to eat nutritious foods. You need them to heal your body, give you the energy you need for the demands of parenthood and help you to enjoy better health too. So stop skipping meals and concentrate on eating better quality foods. Enjoy more wholefoods, get plenty of fresh veggies (especially the green leafy kind), enjoy healthy fats like avocados, and nibble on healthy snacks to keep your blood-sugar stable and to feel awesome again.

#2: Get enough sleep
You’re probably sick of hearing it by now, but you really should make sure you get some sleep when your child sleeps, no matter what time of day it is. You will feel so much better in the end. Forget the housework- it can wait! Really.

#3: Practice stress-management techniques
It’s important that you feel better about yourself and reduce the levels of stress hormones that are racing around your body. You will sleep better, suffer from less illness and feel less irritable as a result, as well as reconnecting with yourself and rediscovering your own desire. Positive visualization, relaxation, deep breathing and mindfulness techniques all work wonders. Contact me to find out more.

#4:Take time for yourself
Whenever you can, try to take some time for yourself, even if it’s just a few moments. Your body and mind will thank you for it. I don’t necessarily mean employing the services of a babysitters (although you can if you want to), it simply means doing something you enjoy. Such as taking a warm aromatherapy bath, reading a gripping novel, or just sitting down to relax and talk with your partner. It will make a huge difference to the way you look and feel.

#5: Be kinder to yourself
Treat yourself with as much unconditional love and understanding as you do your child. Don’t give in to the guilt that suggests that you should be doing it all, or that you have to prove yourself to be worthy of parenthood. You don’t. If you need to sleep, sleep. If you need to eat, eat. If you need help, just ask for it.

Nobody said parenthood was going to be easy- it can certainly have its challenging moments.

But thankfully it’s an incredibly rewarding journey with plenty of fun and smiles along the way. So don’t martyr yourself for the sake of your kids find yourself edging closer towards burnout. Eat better, sleep better, practice positive visualization and be kinder to yourself so you can feel better and enjoy the adventure that is parenting.