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Mum and Dad

New parent self-care tips for when you're sleepless

by

Ashleigh Evans

posted in Parenting

When I was pregnant, I was great at taking care of myself. Hello, I was creating a human inside of my body. I was religious about taking my vitamins, eating well and drinking enough fluids, even getting in my Fitbit steps. Flash forward to 2 months postpartum and I’m a mess!

Simple self-care tips for when you're sleepless with a newborn. Some quick and easy things you can do to help feel like a million bucks! via @Babycenter

Last week, after getting a scare while passing a mirror, I vowed to take better care of myself. Not like I’m getting all dolled up or wearing nice clothes — I have a newborn! Simply trying to is better than nothing, right?

Sometimes you need to just drop everything (except your baby, of course!) and do what you need to do. Liam was super fussy the other day, but I seriously needed a shower. Like, a baby puke-in-my-hair kinda shower, so he had to go in his crib and fuss for 5 minutes while I did what I needed to. He was totally safe and I felt so much better after.

Here are some quick fixes that help me feel better.

Simple self-care tips for when you're sleepless with a newborn. Some quick and easy things you can do to help feel like a million bucks!

  1. Vitamins. Since I’m nursing, I still need to be taking a prenatal vitamin. I’ve also added a hair, skin and nails one in the mix, plus my allergy medicine and probiotic. At night, I make sure I’ve taken everything before bed. I honestly forgot to take my allergy meds for a week and I was dying!
  2. Make a quick morning routine. Having a crazy sleep schedule makes me forget certain basic things. Like “did I brush my teeth?!” Now, while the girls are eating breakfast before school, I head to the bathroom for my quick 5-minute routine: brush my teeth, wash my face, moisturizer, dry shampoo and clear mascara. Easy breezy, but it makes me feel like a million bucks.
  3. Change your clothes. The first few months, I swear I wore the same outfit for like 2 days because I was a total Mombie. Now I make sure I change my clothes every morning, even if it’s just into new leggings and t-shirt. Jeans are still totally out of the question for day-to-day.
  4. Eat! Usually when I go to the grocery store, I focus on the kids and what they need. Now I make sure to grab a few easy snacks for myself. I love the BelVita bars and a piece of fruit for a quick on-the-go breakfast. Cottage cheese, yogurt, crackers, and sliced fruits are great to have on hand too.
  5. Wine. I allow myself to have a glass of wine a few nights a week and honestly, it gives me life during the day. Whatever chaos comes my way with the 4 kids, I know at bedtime I can slowly sip my favorite wine. Find a treat that makes you feel special…it could be ice cream if you want!
  6. Get moving! We walk to school almost every day and those morning walks are becoming my favorite part of the day. Since Liam is in his stroller, he falls asleep quickly and I can enjoy my coffee and a podcast in peace. I’ve started to take a longer route to get extra steps on my Fitbit. This month, I really want to check out some Mommy & Me yoga classes, too.
  7. Prioritize things. Naps trump dirty dishes. If I can squeeze in a 20-minute cat nap, I’ll take that over loading the dishwasher. Our local grocery store has delivery now, so I will place an order instead of trying to trek out to the store…even if it’s a bit more expensive to do so.

Simple self-care tips for when you're sleepless with a newborn. Some quick and easy things you can do to help feel like a million bucks! via @BabyCenter

What self-care tips do you have? I’d love to know any tips or tricks you have.

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