Issue 150, September-October 2008
Becoming a mother is exciting and terrifying. First-time mothers are cast in a new role, and although they may have been preparing for it for months, many are overwhelmed by a newborn’s needs and demands. Life revolves around the new being in their
lives, and there seems to be little time for even the necessities of life, let alone for pampering. However, this need not be so—there is time to be pampered, even to pamper yourself.self-care 101
Each day, do something you love. When my first child was born, I enjoyed doing needlepoint. It may sound strange, but I found it relaxing to sit in a rocking chair beside his bassinet as he slept and move the needle through the fabric. I didn’t worry about the dishes or getting the laundry folded, I simply relaxed my mind and body with something I enjoyed doing, instead of taking a nap.
In fact, don’t feel obligated to take a nap just because baby is—some people just can’t sleep during the day. If you’re one of them, don’t force it, and don’t beat yourself up about it—just find some way to rest your body and mind without sleeping. Your body will let you know when it’s tired. And remember to ask for help so you can get a few extra minutes of sleep each night.
If you can nap, do it often—a good time is when baby is sleeping. To make those naps even more of a treat, place a warm flax-seed compress under your neck, or a soothing eye mask on your face. This will augment your much-needed sleep with the soothing comforts of spa treatments.
Take a steam bath. Long, luxurious baths are out of the question for most moms—bathing is little more than quick splashes of warm water between feedings—but that doesn’t mean you can’t use steam to cleanse your pores and loosen tight muscles. The easiest way to take a five-minute steam bath is to set it up before baby’s nap. Turn on the hot water in the shower, and leave it on while you get baby settled and asleep. When your infant is happily snoozing, grab the baby monitor and head for the bathroom—which by now will be a steam room. Pick up a good book, flip through a magazine, or apply a facemask as the steam from the shower eases any tension. This is a wonderful way to pamper yourself without taking much time.
Take a stroll. While many people wouldn’t see exercise as a form of pampering, it can be a great way to invigorate the body, mind, and spirit—besides, walking costs nothing, and can be done with baby. Fresh air will do mom and baby good, and provide a quiet time for both. So when the weather permits, bundle up the baby and head out to a local spot. On cool spring days, find a tranquil garden to stroll through, or a busy park filled with the sounds of children playing and laughing. Later in the year, take a quick jaunt around the neighborhood to enjoy the sights and sounds of fall. The destinations will be different for everyone, but the goal is the same: to take a much-needed break from the confines of the house.
Break out a good book. Nursing an infant can be a long process, and you no sooner finish the breastfeeding routine than you’re doing it all over again. Studies have proven that reading aloud to an infant helps develop the child’s reading and language skills and is a wonderful bonding experience.1 Find old classics that you loved when you were a child, and spend nursing times reading aloud. The books might not be steamy romances or heart-pounding thrillers, but they’re treasures in themselves—and you have the pleasant experience of quietly reading something like E. B. White’s Charlotte’s Web to a captive audience.
Mandy-Saint Louis Doula
