Taking Care Of Yourself At Each Stage of Being A Mom

Being a mom is one of the most rewarding and challenging things that there is. It’s pretty easy to feel exhausted both physically and mentally and still have to look after everyone else in the family before yourself. But you can’t neglect yourself completely because if you are happy and well, then you will be in the best state to care for your loved ones. Read on how to look after yourself at each stage of mommyhood.

Pre conception

So you are thinking of starting a family, but you have not written anything in stone yet? This is a good time to start to look at your lifestyle and seeing whether there any health tweaks you can make.

Giving up smoking, losing a little weight or taking up some exercise can all help improve your general well-being. That is important because healthier parents have a better chance of conceiving.

Conception

When you are actively trying for a baby, things can become pretty intense. If you are trying naturally, then your relationship can seem to be all about the practical act. While this is not necessarily a bad thing, it is nice to foster intimacy and romance between you as a couple. Otherwise one or both partners can end up feeling under appreciated.

Of you are try for a baby with IVF, then it can be a stressful time. There are a lot of physical aspects to the process that can be uncomfortable. Then there is the addition of hormones on top of that, and the pressure not knowing whether it will work.

However, stress is neither pleasant nor is it good for your chances of conceiving. That is why you need to stake steps to relax and give yourself a break. You can plan a quiet night at home, yoga classes or meditation. You can even get things like acupuncture infertility treatments. These are not only relaxing but could be helpful in tandem with the IVF.

Pregnancy

Congratulations you are pregnant! Once you become pregnant, it won’t be too long before you start to notice some physical changes. First of all, you might get sick, have indigestion or get a crazy sense of smell. Then, of course, you may experience swollen feet or hands along with your growing belly.

It’s important to realize that pregnancy while natural is also quite taxing on the body. Gentle exercise can help relieve some of the aches and pains. It is also possible to go see a chiropractor or massage therapist to help with these issues as well.

New mom

As a new mom, you bundle of joy has arrived and you have to cope with the effect of postpartum, along with nursing your new baby, usually through the night. It can be an exhausting time, and it’s perfectly natural to be unsure as to how we will cope.

While it can be tempting to put the baby first all the times, there are some little thing that you can do to make it a bit easier on yourself.

Sleep, when the baby is napping the laundry, can wait. Also, make sure you have a book on hand for when you are feeding, so you don’t get bored. Get a baby monitor system, so you don’t have to charge up the stairs every time you hear a noise. Finally, if people offer help,  accept where you can. You don’t have to do it all on your own!