Lizzie Bland is an ex-professional dancer & founder of female fitness studio in Bondi Beach, Lean Bean Fitness and Lean Bean Retreats. She shares her practical tips on practicing self care as a new Mum with She Does This...
Self-care as a new mama is a tough priority to promise myself and something I struggled with even when I wasn’t. If self care still feels like an unachievable goal but something you know you need, then maybe lower your expectations from a 30 minute meditation, bath, home-cooked meal from Yotam Ottolenghi or a mani-pedi to some more realistic options.
1. Walking meditation
Don’t have time to meditate when you get home, but have a walking commute? Meditation apps like Headspace now have walking meditation which encourages you to discard autopilot behaviours such as making a call, listening to music or dwelling over your workload and instead encourages you to engage in your scenery with the idea to sync body and mind.
Just to clear up any confusion, this isn’t a closed eye meditation, that may be hazardous! The idea is to focus your attention on the environment and hone in on one aspect for a period of time. For example, focusing on your posture, followed by observing your gait, appreciating trees you see or listening to particular sounds and so on. The benefit is that we tune out of our heads and tune in to our environment which when we have up to 80,000 thoughts a day is a welcome respite for our brain.
2. Go for Jamie
For some, cooking is therapeutic but can be restricted by time. That’s where Jamie Oliver comes in handy, opt for his 30 minute cookbook or even the 15 minute one if you’re really pressed for time.
Cooking a meal for yourself is a form of self-care which when paired with music, a glass of wine or with a friend/partner can be very rewarding, especially if there’s left-overs for lunch.
3. Bring the bath to you
If you don’t have a bath or the time to soak in one, DIY bath with a bucket and Epsom salts. Simply run hot water and pour in Epsom salts which promote muscle relaxation and sit on the couch, with your home cooked meal and indulge in your favourite TV show while your feet receive some much needed loving.
4. Mini Facial
Any new mama will tell you that your skincare regime becomes simplified very quickly, but I’ve learnt to improvise and like to massage a nourishing natural oil like RosehipPLUS Rosehip Oil into my face before I breastfeed and just after the feed, while my little one is milk drunk, I roll a rose quartz roller over my skin.
This helps improve skin tone and elasticity, which is desperately needed with the minimal sleep I’m getting.
5. Legs up the Wall
You can do this if you’re doing your last Instagram scroll for the evening or reading a book. Simply lie on your bed, rest your legs up against the wall and tuck your bottom in so it is close to the wall. This helps drain the circulation from your legs which is beneficial if the day is mostly sedentary. This also helps soothe the nervous system and may even ease you into sleep a little quicker. Perhaps you’re in need of an endorphin hit? Lean Bean Fitness holds Baby Mumma classes daily, so new Mumma's always get a chance to workout without having to think about childcare. Talk about a win-win! Book a class here. All welcome after 6-week postpartum check.
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