Self Care Tips For Busy Moms

As a mom, we tend to put all things above our own needs–taking care of our babies’, taking care of housework, making dinner, etc. Our self care is not a priority especially when there are always things to do. Most days are so busy that it is hard to find the time. Especially if you are a new mom, giving so much of yourself to care for a new baby is fleeting but also very exhausting mentally and physically.

There will be days where you are emotionally drained. Going from having a lot of free time for yourself to not having any is a difficult adjustment. An adjustment you don’t realize until your feeling the effects of it weeks after giving yourself to this little human being every day.

Don’t get me wrong, being a mom is the best job and blessing in the world but you have to take care of yourself. It is SO important to practice self care on a daily basis to keep you motivated, happy, and in a good mental health space. It may seem impossible to find time for yourself when you are mom-ing 24/7 but I assure you there are little things you can do that will not take up much time.

There are little self care tips and tricks that are easy to squeeze into little pockets of time during your busy day that will make you feel better. The more time you take to practice self care daily, the better you will be at caring for your child. A happy mom means a happy baby, right?

Avoid getting overworked, over exhausted, cranky, depressed–all the negative emotions that create a toxic environment by slowly implementing these easy and quick self care tips into your daily routine. I promise it will make all the difference for your emotional health. I know that when I am more intentional about finding time for myself…I am a more pleasant mom, wife, and person to be around.

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Make Yourself Coffee or Go Buy Yourself Coffee: 

Coffee is the perfect mom fuel and takes no time at all to make. I don’t know about you but a cup of coffee always make me better. There is something so relaxing about sipping on coffee. Not to mention, the energy boost it gives you is perfect when tending to your baby. And even though you may have to rewarm your coffee several times a day, it is easy to do while taking care of your baby.

I also loved taking my son with me to go get coffee. It was our routine in the morning. I’d listen to some music, go get my Starbucks, and drive around until Luke fell asleep (this was back when he would not sleep anywhere but on me or in his car seat). It was a great time for me to relax which made a great start for my day.

I don’t know about you but what brings me a little extra happiness is drinking out of a super cute coffee mug.

Ditch the mom bun and sweatpants every once in a while:

I know perfectly well that there are days where it is a pajama/sweats all day kind of day. There will be days where your hair will be up and no time for a shower. But it is so important to not make that a habit. Before getting baby up in the morning, throw on a change of clothes. You may not have time to shower but at least getting dressed always makes me feel better. I always felt way more sluggish when I stayed in my pajamas or sweats with my hair a hot mess.

If it’s a good day and you get your baby to nap, take that time to get ready. Shower, put some makeup on, and do your hair. You don’t realize how special it feels to get ready and feel pretty until you have a baby. And like I said, there is absolutely nothing wrong with not getting ready some days because you’re busy nursing or your baby won’t nap or is teething, etc. but try to not make it an every day thing otherwise you will go crazy.

Related Post: Quick 5 Step Make-up Routine For Busy Moms

Go do something outside:

Cabin fever is a real thing and it can really wear you down emotionally being stuck inside day in and day out. Finding something to do outside whether it is going for a walk, sitting outside and enjoying the fresh air, or watering flowers can make a huge difference. There is something so peaceful about nature. If the sun is out, the vitamin D is the perfect anecdote for positively boosting your mental health.

This is a self care tip that can be easily accomplished while taking care of your baby. It is also good to take baby outside as well. If you are concerned for crowded areas like a park ( I know I was when my son was a newborn), then go for a walk in your neighborhood. That way you don’t have to go far and you still get that beneficial outside time.

I loved gardening and weirdly watering flowers during the spring time. I would sit my son in his Sit-Me-Up Floor Seat and he would watch me as I took some time gardening and watering the flowers. He enjoyed watching me and being outside and I enjoyed some me time. It was a win, win for us both.

Take a bath:

Baths were heaven to me when I first had my baby boy. My body was in constant pain after labor. I was emotionally and physically exhausted from cluster feeding. Baths were the perfect remedy for the aches and exhaustion I was having.

It doesn’t have to be a long bath. A quick bath for me was enough to reset my mind and attitude. I’d either take advantage of my baby’s nap time and take a bath then or I’d have my husband take my son for a little bit so I can have some time for myself.

Add some candles, my favorite Dr Teal’s Bath Salt, and some music for the perfect self care treat.

Drink a glass of wine:

This can be tricky if you plan on breastfeeding but with a little planning ahead it’s easy to do. Once I put my little man down for bed, I’d help myself to a glass of wine. It’s the perfect ending to an exhausting day and the perfect self care treat.

Just make sure you have some pumped milk in case baby wakes up. I swear my little man had a sixth sense and always woke up when I decided it was a night for wine.

Watch a movie or a new TV Show:

This is another easy self care activity that can be done with baby or once you put baby down to sleep.

If baby is having a day where he or she will only nap on you, then take full advantage of taking that time to watch a movie or tv show while they nap.

Netflix also came in handy for all those all day nursing sessions during the newborn stage. It always made me feel good to snuggle my baby and catch a new show.

Take a nap:

Exhaustion can have such a negative impact on your attitude and your mental health. I know for me it was always hard for me to nap when my son napped because there are always things to do.

But it’s okay to take a break and catch up on some sleep. You can’t be at your best when you’re functioning on no sleep. Even if you have to ask for help and have someone come watch your baby so you can sleep, that is perfectly okay. You are no less of a mom for taking a break and asking for help.

Go on a date night with your significant other:

It’s amazing what a date night can do for your soul. Scheduling a date night with your significant other is not only important for you but for your relationship as well.

This takes some planning with finding a babysitter and what not but all it takes is scheduling an hour or two for going out to eat. Enjoy each others company and enjoy the time together. I guarantee you and your loved one will feel refreshed and reconnected with one another.

If you can’t find a sitter or not quite ready to leave baby (I’ve been there) then having a date night in is equally as wonderful. My son was only a month and a half on Valentines Day. So I wasn’t up for going anywhere or leaving him with anyone. My husband brought home Black Angus for dinner. Luke gave us enough time while he napped for us to enjoy dinner and each others company. It was wonderful.

Invite a friend over:

Self care can be as simple as having some adult time with adult conversations. Baby talk can get pretty lonely. I loved having friends over. I got to show off my son but also got to engage in adult conversations which made me feel human again.

And BONUS, sometimes my friends would bring me coffee or food. 🙂

Pray or Meditate:

Prayer helps tremendously with my anxiety and restores my mind to a great place. It’s hard to get in the habit of doing it but it doesn’t take long at all to say a quick prayer to God. It doesn’t have to be a long, drawn out prayer. You can pray where ever and when ever. Even if it’s just for a few seconds a day.

Meditation is also a great way to relieve stress. Taking a moment to close your eyes and take a few deep breaths can do a lot for your mind and body. You can do this once you put your baby down for bedtime or before you get baby up in the morning.

Getting in a routine of spending some quiet moments once or twice a day through prayer or meditation can be great filling your mama cup back up.

I also love reading my daily devotion. It helps start my day out right.

Go Shopping:

What mama doesn’t love a quick Target run, am I right? Target or shopping in general always seems to up my spirits. And the great thing is, you can do this with baby!

Whenever Luke would start to get cranky at the house, we would go out and about. Out and about usually took us to Target. It was a change of pace for the day and it made me feel good.

I even take advantage when my husband is home on the weekends and will take some time for myself when I need it most. I’ll go get some coffee and do a little shopping (window shopping if it’s not in the budget to shop). It’s nice to get some time alone and actually have time to look at things.

Find A Hobby:

Us mamas must not forget who we were before we had a baby. I love my new role as a mama and I couldn’t imagine life any other way but we can’t forget our desires outside of being a mom. We all have things that fuel our hearts and enjoy doing.

Find a hobby that brings joy to yourself and fills your cup so you can be all that you want to be for your children. Whether that is reading, writing, crafting, or whatever it may be…schedule some time to do it.

It doesn’t have to be an every day thing but at least once a week. For me it’s blogging. I love to write and help others. Blogging gives me that outlet I need and brings happiness to my life.

No Excuses Mama! These are all easy self care tips that are quick to implement into any mama’s busy schedule. You are important. Take some much needed time for yourself. A break is okay. Keep that cup full so you can take the best care of your babies.

Drop a comment below if you have some more ideas to add.