Mummy Self Care
Being a Mum shouldn't mean that you suddenly stop looking after yourself. In actual fact, you really need to look after yourself more than ever because if you aren't a hundred percent, you could fall ill. Then how will you be able to care for your little person? Here are a few of the ways I make sure I am looking after myself
Physical Wellbeing
Skincare
I don't know about you, but for me when my skin feels and looks good, I feel good but when it feels bad it has a huge impact on my mood. Sleepless nights may take their toll on me, but everyone doesn't need to know by looking at me that I've only had 2 hours kip. One of the best ways to keep skin glowing is to make sure that you are drinking plenty of water. Whatever goes into your body shines (or not) through your skin and if you are dehydrated, then your skin will indicate this by being dry. For me, winter is when my skin is usually at it's worst so I need to make sure it is moisturised to stop it from getting dry and flaky. On my face I have been loving the Zero skincare set that was gifted to me by the Skin Academy at their launch party last year. I love the fact they are not only vegan, but their packaging is also made from recycled and recyclable materials. The most impressive are the tubes which are made from sugarcane. They are super robust, yet biodegradable. I was also impressed with the quality of the product itself. I mean, it's all well and good having recyclable, eco-friendly packaging but if they are housing products that nobody wants, then what's the point? The scrub is abrasive enough to slop off any dead skin yet super creamy and gentle enough for me to be able to use it on a daily basis. Also the hand cream is super rich and keeps my hands nice and smooth.
Body
Other than my face, my feet always seem to be super dry, come rain or shine and to combat this I have found it helpful to use foot scrubs, moisture socks as well as foot peels. I recently came across this one from DermaV10
I actually found it in Poundland to my surprise and thought I'd give it a go. To my delight it actually worked really well and helped to peel off most of the dead skin on my heels plus the peppermint and tea tree scent was very therapeutic and relaxing.
As with my skincare routine, I find it very important to concentrate on what you are putting into your body. In terms of what I put onto my skin I use natural shea butter. I also use this on the little lady if she ever has any dry patches of skin and it helps soften them up nicely. But when it comes to what I put into my body, I try not to be overly strict but I do like to be healthy. As all my food is plant based, you could assume that if is all healthy, right?! Wrong! With so many junk food options popping up in the plant based world, it’s even easier for us vegans to go down the unhealthy route when it comes to our meals. I am no exception. However, I do still try to make sure that I am getting a lot of fruit and veg in my diet, especially as I am exclusively breastfeeding so need to ensure both me and her are getting all the nutrients we need. I love cooking and seeing an array of colours on my plate but if you struggle in the kitchen why not tap up plant based duo allplants to whip up a healthy ready meal, delivered straight to your door. There's such a huge variety to choose from.
Mental Wellbeing
Spirit
I am a very spiritual person and I know when I don’t feel spiritually centred, I just feel completely off balance. I feel that everyone has their own beliefs, which I feel makes this World such a beautiful diverse place. For me, I don’t believe in religion itself because I feel that these religions are all different accounts of the same story, just like you would have in a court case. There are the witnesses perspectives and as a collective, with bits taken out here and there, this equates to the truth. However, I do believe that I am connected to the Universe and God spiritually. Before becoming a Mum I used to try and meditate for a few minutes every morning, even if it is as little as 5 minutes and if I had to I would do it on my commute to work if I didn’t feel up to it before getting ready for work (during pregnancy it was harder and harder to get up in the morning so more often than not, this was the case for me) Now, I won’t lie, it is a struggle just to go for a wee without hearing a yelp from my little lady. I love her to pieces and love the fact that we are super close, but even an empath needs a minute to herself every now and again. With that said, that means I don’t really have time tor the quiet that I used to need to sit and meditate and really centre myself as I used to. So now when I wake up in the morning, I look around and see my beautiful baby girl looking up at me and feel compelled to thank God for her. I then proceed to think about at least 5 things that I am grateful for. I feel that starting the day with a grateful heart helps us to remember our place in this World and realise just how lucky we are as there are a lot of people worse off than we are. Yoga is also a great spiritual practice, although the last time I tried it I nearly passed out. But just like all of us, I am a work in progress so will try again and build my strength in that area. One step at a time. Speaking of steps, another way I keep both my spirit and body feeling good is going out on a walk, no matter whether I want to or not. Especially as I suffer from a Vitamin D deficiency (as a lot of POC do living in colder climates). Getting out and getting some fresh air even if the sun isn’t shining always helps to make me feel better. If you tend to sometimes struggle with motivation and tend to procrastinate, you should check out Mel Robbins 5 Second Rule. This really helped me in terms of springing into action when I found myself lacking in motivation.
Mind
As well as our spiritual being, our minds play a big role in our lives, affecting our physical health if we are struggling mentally. I know this from personal experiences as I have suffered with mental health issues most of my life and know that it is something that never really goes away, but just something that you have to continue to deal with. It is something you need to know how to manage when you notice you are starting to spiral. For me, I find it important to open up and talk to people when I feel I am starting to struggle again. Whether that be loved ones or a professional. Whatever you find easier and more comfortable doing, choose that method. As a creative, I find that I tend to struggle because I don’t have an outlet for my creativity, which is one of the main reasons I started this blog. If you too are a creative and find you struggle because you don’t have an outlet for all your creative ideas, try to find something that you can do in your spare time to give you that outlet. Whether it be a hobby, a side hustle, a volunteering role or a community of like minded people to spend your time with who boost your energy. I feel energy is super important and the people you spend your time with really do affect your energy so try to keep track of the individuals who keep your energy vibrating higher. But also remember that the energy you put out, comes back to you so be kind.
As I started to write this, news came in of the suicide of Caroline Flack, which really hit me hard. I guess because at the time I was struggling with Post Natal Depression so know how isolating and debilitating it can be when you are struggling with depression. Her death reiterated the fact that we never know what people are going through. They may seem strong and happy on the outside but you don’t know what is bubbling away below the surface. One action from a stranger can cause a chain reaction of events, which sadly was the case with her. So try to be kind whenever possible rather than judge someone’s life by looking at a few seconds of it. One way of doing this is on your daily stroll down the street, smile at strangers. It not only helps you feel better when you smile as it boosts happy hormone serotonin but also could make such a huge impact on someone’s day with minimal effort. It always makes me feel better whether they smile back or not because I know that I am putting positivity out into the universe.
I hope these self care tips have been helpful. If they have been, please do share as this may help someone else who may need it.
Please share any tips you have for self care in the comments. What helps you when you are feeling less than desirable?
