How New Parents Can Make Time for Self-Care

Guest Article by Jenny Wise

If you’re a new parent, you may be struggling to care for yourself. However, self-care is important for new moms and dads to stay confident, feel empowered, and be overall happier parents. So, how do you find time to put yourself first? Try these helpful tips for carving out more time during your week for some critical self-care.

Schedule Your Self-Care 
 
These are all great ways to make more time for self-care, but you have to commit to taking care of yourself. Many new parents are focused on taking care of a new baby and forget about themselves. It’s normal to feel this way at first, but self-care is essential for maintaining your overall health and wellness. Try to think of self-care like any other health habit and pencil it into your schedule. Whether it’s a yoga class or some time for dad to go for a run, these little self-care practices can make for some major stress relief during this time of change. Less stress means better health for you and more happiness to share with your new baby.
 
Use Meal Trains and Meal Prep  
 
If you have friends and family nearby, think about asking one of them to organize a meal train for the first couple of weeks after your baby comes home. They can cook easy-to-reheat casseroles, bring hot meals, or simply have meals delivered from your favorite restaurants. Once your meal train is done, you’ll still need to figure out fast ways to have meals ready for you and your family. Meal prep is a great option to keep healthy options in your fridge and freezer throughout the week. To make meal prep even less stressful, look into grocery pick-up and delivery services in your area. Companies like Instacart and Shipt deliver from stores like Target, Whole Foods, and other local grocery stores. You can even stock up with Costco through delivery services, making last-minute diaper runs a thing of the past.
 
Hire Some Help 
 
As a new parent, you may feel like you have to do this all on your own. While it does take some time to get into a groove with your new baby, you should also take time for yourself. Whether you need to work from home or just need a breather, part-time or full-time help could be a great option. You can ask friends for references or look online to find a nanny who can help with your new baby in your home. Be sure to conduct thorough interviews and do a trial run before you hire one. If hiring help is not in your budget, you can also think about asking family and friends to lend a hand. Whoever you get to help, make sure you set clear expectations from the beginning. This should be your time to get work, self-care, or any other tasks done.
 
Make Cleaning Easier    
 
Keeping yourself and your new baby clean is enough of a challenge. When it comes to your home, chores tend to slip through the cracks. A little clutter is no big deal, but living in a messy home can actually cause more stress. That’s something you definitely do not need more of right now. To make life a little easier and chores a snap, try picking up some helpful tools. For example, consider using a cordless vacuum that will help you keep things tidy and clean in a jiffy. These lightweight appliances make it easy to vacuum one-handed when you’ve got baby in the other arm. For the other jobs around your home, look into some of the newest technology available to simplify cleaning at home.  Whether it’s a self-cleaning litter box or a toilet bowl cleaning system, anything that saves you a little time can be a real lifesaver when you are a new parent.
 
You need self-care more than ever right now, so don’t feel guilty about treating yourself as a priority! Doing so makes you a happier person and makes you a more effective parent.
 
Jenny Wise is a stay at home mom with 4 beautiful children. 
jwise@specialhomeeducator.com

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