Mental and physical self-care is key
By Catherine Tambroni-Parker, CNM
Beaufort Memorial Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialists
Motherhood is an amazing, wonderful adventure, from conception to delivery or adoption, to toddlerhood, to the school years and beyond.
Motherhood is also demanding. Trials and tribulations are real, but so are the many heartfelt rewards that being a mom brings. It’s important to remember that you’ll need help from your support network to get through the child-rearing years. Remember it takes a village to raise a child, and you must take care of yourself, too.
Don’t forget to ask for help from your partner, family and friends.
Sleep is imperative! A well-rested mother is more able to cope with the busy day-to-day routine necessary to raise children with joy and humor.
Take a little time each day, even if it’s just 15 minutes, to meditate, journal, pray or even quietly reflect. This practice will help you to be more present in your own life as well as your children’s.
Exercise and enjoy the sunshine. Being outdoors releases much-needed endorphins that make it easier for us to cope when daily life gets crazy. Your exercise may include taking the baby for a stroller ride, biking with the kids, playing in the pool—the little family activities that bring joy and make lasting memories.
Eat nutritional foods that are good for both you and the children. They’re great for maintaining strength and energy. And being a role model for children in the realm of nutrition will benefit everyone in the long run.
Remember that you had hobbies, sports and friends before motherhood. Try to maintain them. You may need to alter the frequency and duration with which you enjoy them, but don’t abandon those things in life that lift your spirits.
Don’t compare your life or your children with those of other families; enjoy who you are and who your children are becoming.
Make your relationship with your spouse or partner a priority. Take small moments together if that is all time permits, listen to music, dance in the living room, talk about what makes you joyful.
Don’t forget to make your own healthcare a priority, taking time for annual physicals and dental and vision exams.
Pamper yourself when you can, be it by walking the beach alone, taking a bubble bath, reading a chapter in your book. Be sure you have something of yours alone to look forward to on a weekly or monthly basis. Time for yourself refills the tank and refuels you so you can continue to be the giver, nurturer and role model for your children.
Learn to let go of those things that cause you anxiety and to recognize your stress cues before stress overtakes you land leads to outbursts you’ll regret. Practice self-soothing techniques that will help calm your system like deep breathing, counting backward from 10 or just reminding yourself, like a mantra, that you can do this. Remember, too, that every mother feels at her wits end from time to time, and that’s OK.
Try to restore and recharge often, so you’ll have the strength and determination to enjoy each moment, each accomplishment, each milestone of your children’s lives.
Catherine Tambroni-Parker, a certified nurse-midwife at Beaufort Memorial Obstetrics & Gynecology Specialists, has delivered more than 3,000 babies. Many local mothers-to-be benefit from Catherine’s experience at the Baby University – Baby Basics classes she teaches each month.
