As a new mother, do not channel all your energy to your newborn, but also be mindful of your health. Several conditions affect new mothers, such as insomnia, fatigue, or depression, so stay safe by avoiding them.
Below are self-care tips for new mothers to stay healthy:
1. Adequate rest
As a new mother who is breastfeeding, you can be overwhelmed by exhaustion. This can deprive you of solid sleep until your baby has settled down. You should try to catch some sleep when your baby is sleeping, and relieve yourself of all responsibilities other than feeding the baby and taking care of yourself.
2. Good nutrition
You should have a balanced diet of five to seven servings of whole grains, pasta, rice or cereal, two servings each of fruit and vegetables and two to three servings of meat and low-fat dairy to make sure you have enough protein, iron and calcium. These are important nutrients, especially for postpartum and breastfeeding mothers.
3. Stay hydrated
It is necessary for you as a mother to drink eight to 10 glasses of fluids, including water, per day. This allows you to hydrate and to have adequate breast milk production.
Read also: Common Pregnancy Symptoms And 5 Natural Ways To Relieve Them
4. Physical exercise
After successful delivery of your newborn child, many of the physical changes of pregnancy will persist for four to six weeks. Therefore, you should resume pre-pregnancy exercises gradually.
Excessive weight loss may lead to a decrease in milk production. If a woman has had a caesarean section or an illness, she should check with her doctor before starting any exercises.
Appropriate exercise, especially pelvic floor muscle exercise, helps to improve blood circulation and, in turn, helps mothers recover faster from the changes that their bodies underwent during pregnancy and birth.
5. Relaxed mental state
You should try as much as possible to have enough rest. Do not hesitate to ask for help when you find things to stressful for you to do.
6. Postnatal massage
After delivery of your baby, your womb will contract immediately and shrink to the pre-pregnancy size within six to eight weeks.
Postnatal massage may hasten this process. However, it is important to ensure that the massage therapist is certified and experienced. Too much strength and/or pressure being exerted on the abdomen may cause increased bleeding.
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