Having a baby is one of the most amazing things in the world. Extending your family is beautiful and will completely change the way you live your life. Yet while it is magical, it is also a period of your life when you can feel a bit overwhelmed. You can go from feeling like yourself to being completely consumed by another little human being. Instead of being “you” then you turn into being a Mum and you can feel a bit like you have lost your identity. There is a transition period that needs to happen especially if it is your first time. If you find yourself in a rut and not feeling how you used to, there are some things you can try straight away. Here we take a look at some ways to feel like yourself after having a baby.

Make some time for a pamper day

After going through childbirth and having your new baby, it can be difficult to find five minutes to really relax. Which is where a pamper day can come in. Find a babysitter or leave your other half to look after your baby, grab a friend or head to a local spa on your own. When you are here, book in for a massage and get rid of any tension in your back and shoulders. You can also just take time to swim, relax in a spa or hot tub and read a book away from the distractions of your baby back home. It can really help to reset your mental health. But also just having time alone, to just be, is so important as taking care of a baby is a 24/7 type of job. Relaxing your mind and giving your self a rest will help to make sure you are the best version of yourself when you're with baby.

Take care of yourself

As well as something like a trip to the spa, you should take care of yourself through the little day to day things. This involves trying to have a skincare routine, moisturising with things such as CBD face cream can have relaxing effects (may not be suitable if breastfeeding) and having leisurely baths will give you the self care and relaxation you need. Having pockets of time throughout the day to do things for yourself is so important. Wash your clothes in nice smelling detergent, make yourself a tea and if you have time stretch it to a haircut and manicure. These are all small pamper things that might not seem like it, but they will make a big difference to the way that you feel. Making sure you stick to some of your past routines will help you find a little bit of yourself again.

Arrange some time with friends

Having time with your baby and your husband is all well and good, but sometimes you just need to go out and rediscover the old you. Speak to your best friends and arrange a time that you can spend with them, maybe go out to eat some delicious food or ask them to come over. Not having to worry constantly about baby or even having your friends over while baby is there will help to manage expectations of the new chapter you are about to begin with your friends too. You will feel more free and like yourself and you will also start to see how baby and your new role of motherhood is going to fit into your old relationships.

These are just a few ways that you can help feel like yourself after having a baby. It’s important that you do what you can in order to not lose your identity and remember that while your role is now a Mum, you are still “you” as well. Just doing a few little things for yourself can really help you to feel more like yourself and improve your mental wellbeing. It can be easy to feel 'mum guilt' when you are rediscovering the old you, however it's so important to remember that a happy mum makes a happy baby. What are some things you have done in the past to help after you’ve had a baby? Let us know in the comments below.

Amina xx

Image Credit: Chenspec from Pixabay.

Do you know how to look after your mental health? Some of the obvious ways may pop into your mind, including:

• Practicing self-care.

• Doing things you enjoy.

• Seeing a therapist or taking medication, as needed.

These can all be simple effective ways to look after yourself. However sometimes a little bit more is needed. Getting yourself into good routines is a great starting point. But if you are feeling especially low then doing things to distract yourself can also be really helpful. Things such as, taking a walk, listening to music, doing some exercise, having a glass of water or even practising meditation have all been successful for me. Some things require more attention and I have noticed three areas which can have a big impact on mental health and would like to look at them a little deeper.

1. Look After Your Body

Looking after your body helps with your mental health more than you’d think. Eating right and exercising aren’t the only ways you can do this.

There are several ways to do so, including:

• Getting enough sleep.

• Drinking enough water.

• Avoiding smoking/drinking excessive amounts of alcohol.

These are basics for mental health, making sure the body is working optimally helps the brain to work optimally. However sometimes no matter how much effort we put into our physical health some people can still have issues with this. For example with the link between body dysmorphia and plastic surgery . Body image can be a very detrimental factor when it comes to mental health as our expectations don't always live up to reality or societies standards. To help this I would limit social media and really focus on the goodness your body provides you. I myself having had three children can now appreciate my stretch marks a little more as they have provided me with such a gift.

2. Break Up Monotony

Having a routine can often be recommended. It can make you feel safe and secure. It can also lead to monotony, however.

Over time, this can impact your mental health. While you should still have a routine in place, you should aim to break up the monotony.

Plan things spontaneously. These can be one-offs or something that you decide to do relatively regularly. More than making plans spontaneously though, just make plans. Make sur you always have something in your diary that you can look forward to and enjoy.

You wouldn’t need to go too extravagant with these plans either. Instead, the focus should be on something that makes you feel happy, it could be as simple as a solo coffee date or a meal out with friends..

It’ll not only improve your mood, but help relieve any boredom or complacency you may be feeling.

3. Set Realistic Goals

Many peoples’ mental health can suffer because they feel as though they’re not accomplishing anything in their life. That could be financially, academically, professionally, and more.

Setting goals for yourself can help with this. If you already have these, then making sure they’re realistic is vital.

Should they not be realistic, then you might find it hard to achieve or or near impossible to achieve them, which can negatively impact your mental health. Adjusting your goals and putting a plan in place to achieve them is highly recommended.

Not only will this help your mental health, but you’ll be better able to achieve your goals. It could be worth having an overall aim broken down into smaller easier to achieve steps. Small and steady will help you to achieve your goals.

Though that could mean taking more time to achieve them, your mental health will be better for it.

How To Look After Your Mental Health: Wrapping Up

Figuring out how to look after your mental health can be overwhelming. It doesn’t need to be as difficult or complex as you’d expect. You have multiple options available and hopefully this article can act as a starting point. Determining what works for you can take time, although it’s more than worth spending time on it. Your mental health is key to your happiness so it is about time you started investing in it.