Self Care rituals to help Nigerian Moms embrace their Post-Partum Body

For new moms the journey to embracing your “mom bod” can be both empowering and challenging. On some days you're mourning the pre pregnancy body; how it looked, how it felt. On other days you’re extremely grateful to your current body– the life it helped you create and the strength you didn’t know was buried within.

Both emotions can be very consuming. So it is very important that you practice certain activities and rituals to evade intense mood swings that throw you off balance.

Self-care rituals for New Moms:

1. Invest in Clothes that make you feel good-

There’s no pressure to race back to your regular clothes after childbirth. In this phase your priority should be comfort. Comfortable clothes with soft materials are a good place to start as they make you feel good. As you progress through your postpartum journey, you can then start to opt for clothes that flatter your new body.

2. Speak to your body with kindness-

Speaking to yourself daily with positive and affirming words helps to put you in a positive headspace even when you don’t feel your best. Reminding yourself of all the work your body is currently doing for you and the baby allows you to appreciate it more.

3. Rest Rest Rest-

For the past nine months, your body has been stretched to its limit, your organs have moved around, and your hormones have been on a rollercoaster ride. What your body needs the most now that you have your baby with you is rest. Rest and resist the urge to want to “snap back” and allow your body to heal.

4. Mindful Movement-

When you aren’t resting and need to be active, it is crucial that you focus on mindful movement. Slowly start to incorporate light exercises or stretch routines like yoga. The goal here is to build back your strength and not to pressure yourself into losing weight.

5. Indulge in “Me time”-

Taking out time to do things for yourself can be hard this period with the newborn, but it’s necessary. The key to making out time for yourself is to find ways to delegate some of the workload you have to get more “me time”. Make sure to do things that you love during your “me time” to help you feel like yourself again.

6. Celebrate Milestones-

Your postpartum journey as a new mom, is one filled with many ups and downs– it will test you in many ways. That is why celebrating progress within your journey whether physical or maternal holds much power. It helps you feel good about yourself and inspires gratitude for your entire postpartum journey.

Postpartum might be one of the hardest parts of your motherhood journey, but with the right community, resources, and routines, you will be able to go through it and come out stronger.