This post sponsored by LoveCrafts.com. All opinions are my own. Full disclosure policy here.
Having a baby is one of the most amazing experiences we can go through. It can also be the most overwhelming, stressful time of your life. Babies take up a lot (if not ALL) of your time and energy. At the same time, you’re trying to find a new routine and balance in life. So a lot of things in life tend to fall to the wayside, one of those being something so crucial: self care. I think one thing we can all agree on is that we can be practicing a lot more self care!
My son is now six months old, and since having him, I’ve found taking care of myself so difficult. Which is a real problem, because in order to take care of HIM, I have to take care of MYSELF. So, I’ve been looking for easy ways to make sure I’m keeping myself happy and healthy as well.
I’m no lifestyle guru or anything, but what I can offer are a few tips that have helped me. They’re nothing extravagant, but every little bit helps!
Get some shut eye whenever you can.
I know everyone says “sleep when the baby sleeps”, but that’s easier said than done. My son is an awful sleeper. His naps are never more than 45 minutes to an hour (if we’re lucky), and he is up constantly at night. So because I’m not getting anywhere near the sleep I need to be getting at night, I do try and fit in a nap here or there when I can. Sometimes I’ll take the baby in to bed with me for a nap, or will go lay down while my husband is looking after him. Literally any time you can possibly cram a little bit of sleep in, then do it!
Don’t overwhelm yourself trying to do too much all at once.
On any given day, I usually find myself trying to do way too many tasks at once. Wash the bottles, feed the baby, do laundry, tidy up, etc. I’ve found that because of this I’m often left feeling overwhelmed and exhausted ALL THE TIME. So by not putting as much pressure on myself to get everything done every single day, my stress levels have gone down massively.
Take care of your body.
Eating right and getting daily exercise benefit me massively. I’ve spent so much time since Aidan was born just sitting around, so to get up and moving not only helps me physically (helps with all of the aches and pains!), but gives me a little bit of a mental boost. That paired with eating healthy means I’m giving myself the strength to take care of my son.
Ask for help.
Those days when I’m feeling extremely overwhelmed, I rely heavily on Steve. Any little thing he can do, I ask him. I used to feel guilty for asking for help, but I’d honestly lose my mind if I didn’t.
Carve out some time for yourself.
Most days, I feel like the second that I get to sit down and relax, it’s always short lived. Working full time 12PM-7PM with an infant at home doesn’t really leave much time for “me time” at the moment. So I make sure to try and set aside a few minutes in the morning or evenings when I can to do something for myself. I’ve taken up cross stitching as a bit of a stress reliever and it helps me unwind MASSIVELY. I’ve been working on this gorgeous cross stitch gifted from LoveCrafts (for Aidan, of course), and I can’t wait to finish it. They even have a beginner’s hub, which is a great place to start if you’re looking to try a new craft.
Those are just a few of the ways that I’ve been practicing a bit of self care at the moment! In addition to these tips, I’m also giving away a £20 gift voucher, courtesy of LoveCrafts – head over to my Instagram for details on how to enter!
xx Lauren
