Your first few weeks back at home after delivering your baby can be exciting, but also make you feel apprehensive about what comes next for you. While you must take care of your newborn, it is also vital that you take care of yourself. When you look after yourself, you will be better prepared, mentally and physically, to fulfil your little one’s needs, and of course, have more energy for yourself! Here are some top tips to help you take control of your health.
Seek support
Seeking emotional support is key to taking control of your health. Whether it is someone to talk to when things get hard, a mother and baby group to stay social or a friend to laugh with, support is key. You should not expect yourself to handle everything on your own. The right kind of support will make life much easier for you.
Get enough rest
Rest is vital but can be extremely challenging with a newborn. However, it is important to put this at the top of your priority list, as your body needs to recover from giving birth, as well as give you the energy to get through the day, care for your family, your mental health, and to maintain normal cognitive function. Use the time that your baby naps to catch up on sleep, as opposed to chores. Until they have a better routine and sleep through the night, you must take what you can, when the opportunities strike.
Exercise
Exercising after birth is a great way to stay healthy, manage your mental health, and start to build up your strength after what your body has been through. It is also a great way to schedule the time and do something for yourself. It is important that you first speak with your doctor, or a medical professional, who can advise you on when you are ready to get started, and what kind of exercises you should do. Remember a lot has changed in your body, so you may have to start with different exercises that you are used to, and build up from there.
Eat well
Your body has just been through something major, so it may take a while to get back to feeling like yourself. Your body is going to need all the fuel it can get, through a range of nutritious food and even supplements, which you can find more information about here. It doesn’t always have to be about putting yourself on a diet to lose weight. The focus around nutrition should be to fuel your body, give you energy, and even help if you are breastfeeding.
Having a baby does not mean your life and health has to be put on pause. The more you prioritise yourself, and your health, the better you will be able to manage your mental and physical energy to take care of your little one. It will take some time to get used to, but once you can implement these habits and stick to them consistently, you will see great changes, and take control of your health, not to mention the great behaviours you are modelling for your children.
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