10 Ways To Look and Feel Great Postpartum
I vividly remember the well-intended though unsolicited advice seemingly offered at every turn during my days of pregnancy (and let’s be honest, as a young woman, even before then). One of the recurrent negative themes was how “you will never look, dress or feel the same again after having kids.” While this is holds a bit of truth, as everyone changes, I do believe that to a certain degree we are not victims of circumstance but rather beholders of our own choices and actions. Having a child does not mean you will indefinitely or completely “lose yourself” and your identity.
The early postpartum days are met with beauty and grace along with varied challenges. Alongside the sleep deprivation and tending to the needs of your precious little one and so much more, it can be difficult to find time to prioritize yourself: your needs, your mental health and your feelings. It can be very easy to slip into a downward spiral when you feel lost or not quite like yourself. I have certainly had those days, especially in the preliminary weeks and months when everything is so foreign and you are so sleep deprived.
While I understand that every woman and her needs are different, I wanted to share the TOP 10 daily or regular habits that really helped me to get back to looking and feeling great again after having my baby. I really hope these tips will help you get back to finding some normalcy or better yet, feeling great again.
This blog post will cover the following:
Enjoying the outdoors
Dressing beyond comfort
Hair/makeup routine
Exercise
Block scheduling
Regular self-care
Eating for nourishment
Calling on your tribe
Starting your day early
Giving yourself grace
Are you ready? Let’s get started!
1) GET OUTSIDE
Weather permitting, to me there was nothing more healing, refreshing and mood boosting that taking walks with my newborn. Whether it’s a short stroll to the park, a walk around the neighborhood or even a beautiful hike, I think one would be hard-pressed to find something more freeing, healing or reinvigorating. Not only would your sweet baby benefit from the sunlight and fresh air but it’s an excellent low-impact form of cardiovascular exercise that is great for your general health. Start small with perhaps a 15 minute walk and work your way up to 30 minutes or more- I promise you will not regret it.
2) GET DRESSED FOR THE DAY
What makes you look and feel your absolute best? This answer varies for everyone but I urge you to really think about it. I totally understand and can relate to the desire to wear easy, comfortable clothing items but how do they really make you look and feel? If I’m being honest, while it was easy for me to reach for the nursing pajamas and robes in the first couple of weeks postpartum, I could not wait to get back in my “real clothes.” I’m not speaking to getting back in your pre-pregnancy clothes or sizing but wearing clothes that make you feel and look good. The moment I started re-adopting my style, I started to feel like myself again. I would “get dressed,” even if I had no plans but to be home with my baby all day. It may seem like a small or trivial thing but it helped me break up the monotony of the day and gave me more confidence.
3) HAIR AND/OR MAKEUP
Along with getting dressed for the day, this point is also a big one for me. While some look and feel their best au-naturel, others (such as myself) feel most confident wearing a little makeup and having a trusty hairstyle that makes us feel more put-together. It doesn’t have to take much effort but if you can find even 5-10 minutes for a quick hair and skincare and/or makeup routine that makes you feel great, then why not? I typically wash my hair every other night and use a little dry shampoo on my roots in the day between. I will usually curl my long hair the morning after washing it and end up sweeping it into a low, chic bun when I’m taking my toddler to the park. Whether I’m leaving of the house or not, I love to wear a little make-up every single day because it makes me feel put-together, confident and ready for whatever the day will bring.
4) EXERCISE
Exercise and fitness has been very important to me for a number of years and was something I dedicated at least an hour toward, 4-6 days a week even through my final week of pregnancy. The exercises I enjoyed and did pre-pregnancy though, are different than what I incorporate now. Before pregnancy, I really enjoyed high intensity interval training, running and lifting weights. These days, I do a lot more yoga, pilates, barre-type exercises and walking as I find them more gentle for my body without compromising any benefits. I am an enormous advocate of exercise, not so much for weight loss (though obviously, it assists in that) but for strength, endurance, toning, energy and mental health. I also love the fact that I can always keep up with my now very active young toddler. Find the exercise that you don’t mind or even love doing and you will be more apt to stick to it as part of a regular routine.
5) BLOCK SCHEDULING
I first learned of this concept from Jordan Page of “Fun, Cheap or Free.” It is a brilliant idea surrounding the allocation of time blocks designated for different tasks that need to be done. As a mom, it is an ongoing challenge to find time to manage time and get everything done but utilizing this concept has really helped me to prioritize my time as well as free up time and energy for leisure and hobbies too.
6) SCHEDULE A SELF-CARE DAY
This can mean different things to different women but the general idea is to be intentional and dedicated to carving out time to nourish yourself, your mind, body and soul. As moms, we would stop at nothing to keep our family members healthy and happy but we tend to put ourselves last and that can and will lead to emotional, physical and mental burnout. While for many of us, having an entire self-care day would be unlikely, I urge you to carve out some time for you this week. This may be a bubble bath and reading a good book for some or a massage and/or nails done at the salon for others. I personally look forward to my weekly 30-60 minutes of self-care on Sunday nights when I implement a lengthier skincare routine. It may seem small but it can make a world of difference and help you relax and recharge.
7) NOURISH YOUR BODY
In the early postpartum days, it was felt difficult enough to remember to eat and drink, let alone have my choices be the healthiest and most nourishing options. As I became a little more accustomed to motherhood over first few weeks and months, it became easier to adopt a better routine and make time to cook healthier meals for my family. While you never need permission or a reason to treat yourself, I find myself feeling my best when most of my food choices are nourishing to my body. Additionally, healthy eating requires less effort and has more positive impact on weight loss than exercise. I lost all my baby weight within less than 6 months postpartum but my body composition really started to change when I adopted a whole foods, plant-based diet a little over a year ago. Moreover, it has made a wealth of positive difference to my general health.
8) ASK FOR HELP
Since I nursed my son until he was 2 and he never really took to a bottle, I have never had any loved ones watch my son unless it was an emergency or an appointment that I could not take him to. In my mind and heart, I never wanted to “burden” anyone with the responsibility unless it was absolutely necessary and I justified it partly because “I needed to be around to nurse him.” He’s 2 and 1/2 now and no longer nursing so I finally feel comfortable with occasionally having my husband or parents take care of him while I get out of the house for an hour or two whether it’s to go run errands alone or grab coffee or dinner with a girlfriend. I realize and respect that everyone has a different opinion or circumstance with this topic but if possible, I urge you: 1) please don’t wait as long as I did (haha), 2) while your baby obviously loves and adores you, he/she will be okay without you for a couple hours in the care of a loved one or trusted individual(s), 3) it will be good and healthy for you to take a bit of time for yourself.
9) GET UP EARLIER THAN YOUR FAMILY
Please hear me out before rolling your eyes… after my baby established a more predictable sleep schedule, I started to get up earlier than my family on a regular basis so I could have more quiet “me” time. As moms, our days are so busy and filled with loving efforts to serve our family members so it can be challenging to find a moment of peace and quiet when you’re pulled in so many directions. That’s why the morning hour(s) before everyone wakes can be so blissful and magical. The exact schedule and how the time is spent may look different for everyone but I aim to get 6 hours of sleep at night and get up by 6-6:30AM. I usually get my workout done, get ready and dressed for the day, unload the dishes and get my family’s meals packed before my husband and son wake in the morning. While you can never fully predict what the day will bring: perhaps your baby will awake earlier than anticipated or you really needed the extra sleep because of a rough night, I always feel great on the days I’ve gotten up earlier and had the extra quiet time to myself.
10) GIVE YOURSELF GRACE
We so often freely and readily give grace to others but not so much to ourselves. Please be as gentle, kind and gracious to yourself as you would to others. Motherhood is a rewarding journey that is constantly evolving so let’s practice more patience with ourselves through the entire process and through life. Every day will get a little easier and you will find yourself feeling more comfortable, confident and on your way to becoming the best version of you.
What did you think about the items on this list? Are there any feel-good habits or routines you enjoy incorporating into your day? Please share below.
Sending love, hugs and prayers,
Katherine
“God is in the midst of her, she shall not be moved; God shall help her, just at the break of dawn.” (Psalm 46:5)