9 things you can do today to help you feel like your pre-baby self

When you become a mother your old life is very often turned completely on its head. The delights and demands of this new little life are top-of-mind, and before you know it your ‘before baby’ life seems very distant. Not only that, the last time you were able to prioritise yourself seems very distant too! 

Perhaps this sounds a little like you? If you’ve understandably been so caught up in caring for and loving your new little person that you’ve forgotten about your precious self, we’re here to help.

9 things that will help you feel like your pre-baby self

1. Take time out

Very often the thing a very busy and under-pressure mum needs most is some time to herself. A wander through a bookshop, a baby-free visit to the GP, 20 minutes in a cafe alone, even a solo trip to the supermarket can provide a recharge and help an overwhelmed mama reclaim a little peace of mind. It can be very hard to find time to yourself, but make it a priority to nab some when and where you can.

2. Try a five-minute mindfulness practice

Mindfulness experts tell us that the simple practice of slowing down and being more aware of your body – perhaps with some deep breathing, meditation or gentle yoga stretches – helps ease the stress on our brains and makes us feel more like our selves. This is self-care you can do while cuddling your baby, or even when feeding, so that’s a big win.

3. Take care of your body

Prioritise having a shower over doing the dishes and treat yourself to products that will make you feel pampered in the limited time you have. You could give those tiger stripes a little extra TLC with the affordable and effective Palmer’s Cocoa Butter Stretch Marks range. The products include 100 percent pure cocoa butter and help prevent and reduce the appearance of stretch marks. You can choose their oil if you’re an oil girl, or creams or lotions if they’re more your style. There’s also a firming lotion in the range that might be just what your post-bub bod needs.

4. Hustle up a playlist of favourites

Music has the amazing ability to connect us to our history, so what better way to hark back to pre-baby days then with a little shoulder shimmy around the kitchen? Not only is kitchen dancing an important family ritual to introduce to your little one, music has an amazing way of reminding us of who we are and where – and how – we’ve lived. Keep adding memories to your playlist over time.

5. Kondo your maternity wardrobe

We don’t advocate saying ‘thank you’ and throwing away your favourite yoga pants just yet. However, it’s a brilliant idea to sort through your wardrobe, rationalise the garments that make you feel lacklustre and think about splashing out on some more true-to-you ‘joy sparking’ items instead. You totally deserve to treat yourself to something new that makes you feel good.

6. Reconnect with pre-baby friends

While mother’s groups are brilliant, sometimes what you really need is some time with the people who knew you before you became a mum. While of course they are interested in the new little life you’ve welcomed, they are refreshingly interested in the OG you, too!

7. Start journalling

Journalling is a fabulous way to make note of where you are, but it can also help you to think about how far you’ve come … and where you might want to be. Journalling can help to get swirling thoughts out of our heads and onto a page, ultimately clarifying feelings and helping us make positive progress. What’s not to love about that.

8. Comfort read

Reading comforting fiction has been shown to help us better empathise – and self-empathise – as we make sense of the world. Tucking into a cherished book also provides a little bit of time out amidst the busyness of life too, giving us a bolstering boost. Make it a favourite pre-baby book and you’re putting the icing on an already excellent cake!

9. Spend time with family 

If you’re lucky enough to have close family members on call or nearby, then putting aside some time for a chat or a visit can help you recalibrate and appreciate your brilliant self. Sometimes it’s the people that have always known you that allow you to be your authentic self.

This sponsored post was brought to you by Palmer’s.