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Be Kind To Yourself...

Sleep when the baby sleeps
Eat to keep up your strength
Make time for yourself
Have someone else feed the baby so you can have a break

You hear all of that and more when you're a new Mum, all of it with good intention however it often seems like hounding and honestly how many of us heed it?

It all comes down to this... Be Kind to Yourself.

Recently I have learnt from a medical professional how important it is to be kind to yourself. If you are not then you will suffer for it. Maybe not straight away, maybe not in a dramatic way but you will feel it.

You may feel depressed, anxious, cranky. You may put on weight, your skin my appear dull & listless. No doubt you will be tired to the point of exhaustion. And you will say to yourself and others... I'm just tired, you know having a baby is tiring...or any excuse along those lines.

Be Kind To Yourself and you WILL feel better.

  • Get some sun - just 10 minutes in the morning before it gets too hot. Have your cup of tea on the grass in the backyard while the kids run around. I promise you it won't hurt and you won't ruin your day's schedule.
  • Have a nap when the baby does, lay in bed for an extra 10 mins in the morning or go to bed a bit earlier at night. This won't hurt you or your little one - if they're not hysterically screaming the house down, take advantage of it! They're safe in their cot or their room if it has a gate on the door right? So have your shower in peace or make your cup of tea BEFORE you get them up!
  • Eat well. We ALL know what it's like to hoover your food because you have children to feed / bathe or they won't stop screaming long enough for you to eat. That's fine. Just make sure you eat and you eat well. Enjoy your food, rekindle your love of cooking your favourite meal. And supper doesn't hurt either. A cup of herbal tea and a bikkie will do wonders for your soul at the end of a long day... and it's another 5 minutes you're treating yourself.
  • Make time for yourself. You know those moments when it feels like you're being blasted on all sides and you feel like your head is going to blow off or you lash out at whoever is closest? Take a deep breath and walk away. Go into your bedroom, the bathroom, the toilet. And BREATH. Take time to breath. Take the time to 'smell the roses'. There is no rush.
  • Lastly.... the dirt can wait. As in the housework will be there when you get home / get up from your nap / finish your cup of tea. Does it REALLY matter if you haven't cleaned every last nook and cranny of the house? nope. Is your kitchen & your toilet clean, your beds made and the house is tidy? That'll do it. Break all your other housework up into manageable pieces so you don't feel overwhelmed. Vacuum the dining room one day, the lounge the next.
All of those cliche things we're told when we are a new mother mean this ...
Be Kind To Yourself...
It's Okay.

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