Be sure to fill your cup!

It may seem counter intuitive to put your need for self-care high on the priority list when you have just given birth and attending to your newborns need is critical. This remains true at every stage of parenthood.  Whilst there will always be the needs of our children to be met, it is impossible to function at our best when we are depleted. Parenthood is more a marathon than a sprint so setting up pit stops early on will help you protect your wellbeing from fatigue and burnout.

When is the last time you put yourself to bed early and handed over to someone else to take care of the kids?

Do you make time to ensure that you are eating regular healthy meals?

 Do you exercise if that is something you did pre kids? What are your interests outside of motherhood?

 If you don’t answer these questions in the affirmative you have fallen victim to an all too common case self-care neglect.

Before you try to defend yourself with there not being enough time or resources, the first step is to set the intention of self-care. Some simple suggestions to start with:

 Make time to go outside and move, book a pamper appointment, set limits to commitments, keep hydrated, listen to music or a podcast. Breathe deeply and slowly to bring your attention to the present moment and decide what you must do or can leave for later or delegate.  We all need regular breaks and we often let “priorities” dictate themselves.  Prioritizing the need  to stop and take care of yourself will ultimately lead you to serve others better.