3 Things to Start Doing to Be a Happier & Healthier Mum

When you’re nursing a newborn baby, even the simplest things can get challenging. Maybe you’re even juggling different needs of 2 or 3 little people. As a mum, many of us spend a lot of time at home in isolation from others if we haven’t returned to work. We need to work around our little one’s changing nap routines. There’s a mountain of housework to take care of…You can easily get overwhelmed and completely forget to take care of yourself but I’d love you to ask yourself this simple question. Who is going to take care of YOU? Aren’t you the only person who can take care of yourself? Sure, your husband or partner or the significant other can try and have an influence on your behaviour but no one can really make you do things. You know, I’m a big fan of daily self-care. What we do everyday matters a lot more than what we do every once in a while. So here’re my top 3 tips to improve your physical, mental & emotional wellbeing today and everyday!

1. Leave the house and move your body

I know we all feel like a bit of zombie when we’re sleep deprived but staying at home all day was probably one of the biggest mistakes I made in those early days of being a new mum. I know we feel exhausted and can’t function properly without decent sleep but trust me on this. Go get some fresh air. Soak up the sun & Vitamin D. When we stay at home all day, we feel stuck physically and mentally. Getting outside and going for a walk shifts your mood & energy. Even better if you can stretch out a bit to release tension you’ve accumulated in your body. We stay in the same position for extended period of time through breastfeeding and also do too much of the same repetitive movements like lifting & carrying our baby and getting a pram in and out of car etc. Achy back, tight neck & shoulders are all very common symptoms new parents experience.

2. Meet up with other like-minded mums

I realised I didn’t have a lot of friends with kids when I became a mum. A few of my friends who are mums have returned to work, which meant no one was really available to see me when I wanted to see them because most of them worked 9-5. It was the time to make effort to meet other local mums and especially finding other like-minded mums who shared similar interests. Sure, you can spend all day chatting with someone on phone and social media but there’s something more in having a real face-to-face human connection with other people. Find local mother’s groups or playgroups and get to know other local mums. Or find local child-friendly classes that you’d enjoy being a part of like yoga or Pilates where you’re likely to meet other mums who share similar interests.

3. Practise gratitude

Easier said than done. We’ve all heard how practising gratitude is good for us but how many of us really practise it everyday? When your basic needs (including sleep) are not met, it’s so easy to get caught up and fixated on things you feel deprived of and forget about all other little things. But those little things matter. Don’t take anything for granted because some people don’t even have those. Be grateful for having a partner because there are some mums who are doing this alone. Be grateful for having your mum/dad/sister/brother near you who can help you babysit your little one because some of us don’t even have them (FYI - All our families are overseas!) Take a moment to count your little blessings every day. It will change your perspective, from the scarcity mindset to the abundance one.

There you have it. 3 little tips to help you get closer to a happier & healthier you. Make sure to get out of the house and meet other like-minded people, beautiful mumma! And not take anything for granted and practise gratitude in your life.

If you enjoyed this post, you may also enjoy these posts👇

“7 Simple Self-care Ideas for Mindful Mums”
https://www.wayoga.com.au/blog/7-simple-self-care-ideas-for-mindful-mums

About the author

Chika is a Yoga Australia registered teacher and a founder of Wa Yoga.
She's been practising yoga since 2008 and teaching since 2014. 
She empowers busy mothers of young kids
through online resources and help them create a healthy, balanced lifestyle. 
She's a creator of Calm & Relaxed Mama course and Mindful Mama Membership. She's a mother of a school-aged daughter
and has helped hundreds of mums, kids and young families
transform their lives through yoga & mindfulness. 

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