3 Helpful Self-Care Tips For Moms

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I’m very honest in what I share.

I adore being a mother. I absolutely love it. I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world. My sons are my life, and I love taking care of them. But being a mom is not always easy! There are some days when I wish I had just a little bit of extra time to shower or enjoy my coffee when it’s hot (I have dubbed coffee that is cold or room temperature, “Mommy Coffee”).

Over the years, I’ve learned some tips and tricks regarding self-care. Taking care of yourself is very, very important momma! Don’t let yourself fade away. Although I’m guilty of this once in a while, you need to keep your spark shining bright. Your partner needs it, your children really need it, but most importantly, you need it too!

I have struggled with postpartum. I have let myself get to the point where I look in the mirror and don’t see the old me. I’m not talking about those extra wrinkles and white hairs, I’m talking about the spark! The glow. Your energy. What makes you, you!

I understand how easy it is to lose yourself in between the feeds, the laundry, the dirty dishes, the messy floors, but self-care is so important. It doesn’t mean getting your makeup and hair done every day (unless you want it to!), it means you need to try and remember that taking care of yourself is just as important as your household.

All moms are beautiful. No matter what you look like, we dedicate our lives to our children. Our kids’ interests and needs always come first, which is why I thought it important to create this blog dedicated to helping mothers.

We wake up in the morning and the first thing we do is get the kids ready for school. We make sure they’ve finished their breakfast before they start their day. We remind them to pack their lunches. We make sure that we have labelled all of their essentials and that they’re wearing the right outerwear for the season. We make sure the baby is fed, changed, and ready for naps throughout the day.

Where and when do we fit ourselves in that timetable? It’s difficult, but hopefully these physical and mental self-care tips will help you during those seemingly impossible time frames.

Self-Care Tip #1: The Mommy Bag 

If you’re like me and are always forgetting to use the essentials that are upstairs or in your bathroom, the “Mommy Bag” will be a huge help! I have an IPSY membership which has provided me with a bunch of their adorable/reusable makeup bags which work perfectly for my own Mommy Bag! Here is my referral link: https://www.ipsy.com/xcusrswz

IPSY is an amazing makeup/self-care service that sends full sized and sample sized products to your address depending on your preferences for skin care, nail polish, hair care, etc. For an entire Glam Blag of products/samples, I pay $12.00 a month. It’s also beneficial for my lifestyle as I don’t leave the house often with two little ones to take care of full-time!

Here’s what’s in my “Mommy Bag”:
*Moisturizer: I have very dry skin, so this is a must for me.
*Chapstick: Who doesn’t need some chapstick??
*Bobby Pins and Hair Elastics: A Mommy MUST
*Nail Strengthener: After pregnancy, my nails have become brittle and need the extra help. It always dries fast so I love to keep it in my bag!
*Small Toothbrush/Toothpaste: This doesn’t need an explanation.
*Comb
*Compact
*Vaseline: A self-care must for moms! Vaseline has healing properties & promotes hair growth in eyelashes (it’s not just great for diaper rash)! It’s wonderful for under-eyes (keeps the wrinkles away), and even more amazing, if you apply some to your eyelashes every day, you will see a huge difference in growth/thickness in about 1-2 weeks! I obviously don’t recommend putting mascara on top of this as it will smudge everywhere. I usually apply it during the day if I know I’m not leaving the house and definitely at night.

Self-Care Tip #2: The Mommy Lunch

Eating healthy and drinking water is very important for self-care, especially if we are breastfeeding! Unfortunately, moms don’t always have time to prepare a healthy breakfast or lunch with kids at home! When my oldest is hungry in the afternoon, my infant is ready for his nap. This usually results in me eating super late (and being exhausted).

Luckily, when Joey was younger I discovered Bento Boxes. They are such a great help when it comes to self-care – I usually pack a lunch the night before I know it’s going to be a busy day. I will drop a link to the Bento Box I use at home below my blog.

Here are some of my favourite/easy go to Bento Ideas:

Turkey Rollups with cucumber/cheese
Strawberries
Crackers
Boiled Egg

Tuna Sandwich on Rye Bread
Carrots & Roasted Red Pepper Dip
Watermelon

Roasted Kale (make at any time in the oven and store in the fridge)
Wraps or Salad with Grilled Chicken Strips (you can buy these at any grocery store!)
Orange Slices

Egg Salad Sandwich
Laughing Cow Cheese and Pretzel Sticks
Peppers (cut up in slices)
Grapes

Most of the time, I use what we have at home! Get creative, prepare for a few days ahead if need be. Don’t forget to drink your eight glasses or more of water a day (a great help for physical self-care). I start off my mornings with a big glass of water (whether you drink it cold or at room temperature has great benefits). Water will energize you throughout the day and keep you hydrated (also great for that dry postpartum skin).

Self-Care Tip #3: Mental Self-Care 

My last self-care tips have really helped me over the years when it comes to my mental health.

To any of these Bento Box ideas, maybe a few times a week, I’ll add a small treat to lunch or I’ll save it for my afternoon tea/coffee when the kids are napping. Whether it’s a small Halloween chocolate, fruit salad, even some chocolate drizzled popcorn, give yourself a treat once in a while. You deserve it!

Also important for mental self-care – once in a while, you need to have a little “me” time. If that means staying at home (especially during a pandemic), it can be something as simple as having a tea/coffee and a small treat. This is what usually gets me through the afternoon or prepares me for those restless nights when baby is teething!

Also, whenever you can find a few moments of quiet, pop a book open that you’ve been meaning to read. Or, read some mommy blogs! There are so many mothers out there with wonderful stories that we can all relate to. It’s great to know for my own mental health that I’m not alone in my experiences, and neither are you!

I also love to bake, get out my Kobo, or I’ll bring out my sewing kit to make my bows. Do what recharges your mind.

Although it may seem mainly physical, working out or even going for walks can greatly improve your overall mood! Taking the baby out for a walk in the stroller, bringing the kids with you on an exciting nature walk, or going for a quick 20 minute run on your treadmill are all great ways to help your mind stay energized and focused. 

So please remember for my third self-care tip: rest, regroup, and recharge.

Sometimes all it takes is a little treat.

Take care of yourselves, Mommas.

TKM

xo