Self-Care Wins for New Moms

After having a Baby, there are 5 Ways to Spoil Yourself

The journey of pregnancy is a wonderful one. Pregnancy transforms the body, mind, heart, and often even your bladder. It’s a wonderful experience to grow a new life within you, but by the time it’s over, you probably want to eat soft cheese or roll around in bed without grunting.

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Finally, your baby will arrive. Welcome to the new chapter of motherhood, filled with hugs, awe, and exhaustion.

Don’t forget you.

You deserve to be spoiled more than ever. So here are five not-just-indulgent-but-essential ways to treat yourself postpartum–plus all the extra things mothers need to know to truly nurture themselves after birth.

1. Get a Full Sleep in Bed, Even if You’re Interrupted

During pregnancy, you may find yourself constantly needing to pee. This is especially true at night. When was the last time you went a long stretch without using the toilet? Rejoice. Your bladder is now reliable. It’s time to celebrate.

The baby will still awaken you. Often. Now you don’t have to run to the toilet each time you lie down. It’s a big win.

What you need to know:
The postpartum period is characterized by a significant change in the way your body functions. Normal are night sweats, hormonal changes, and tissue repair. But staying hydrated and getting as much sleep as possible will help your healing. While you may still be awake every few hours, your body will adapt.

Tip to spoil yourself:

• Make self-care an evening ritual by investing in a luxurious water or herbal tea.
• Use magnesium lotion or sleep sprays to help you relax during those precious few moments of rest.

2. Eat all the Forbidden Foods (and then some)

You’ve spent the last nine months reading labels and saying “no” when it comes to brie. What about now? It’s time.

Let your appetite loose. Enjoy deli meats and soft cheeses as well as runny or raw eggs.

What you need to know:
When breastfeeding, you do not have to adhere to a strict diet unless advised by your doctor. The majority of babies can tolerate a variety of fofoodsand your body burns hundreds of extra calories per day to produce breast milk.

You have the opportunity to feed yourself well and not just survive.

Tip to spoil yourself:

• Once a week, ask your partner, a friend, or a family member to prepare a “luxury snacks board” with your favorite foods.
• Don’t skip meals–your body is working overtime. Include foods rich in iron, omega-3, and plenty of water.

3. Cake

This is a special place because it’s not just food, but therapy. Now is the time to indulge in sweetness, especially for those who have managed gestational diabetes or sugar restrictions while pregnant.

Sweet moments, sweet an, ps, and sweet little joys are all sweet, but not only in the dessert form.

What you need to know:
Emotional eating is not something to be ashamed of. Guess what? Enjoying a mindful, delicious, celebratory indulgence is something we should embrace. When you can, balance it with whole foods. But guilt is not welcome at this table.

Tip to spoil yourself:

• Organise an “afternoon of cake and cuddles” with a family member or friend once a month.
• Subscribe to a postpartum box of goodies. You deserve them.

4. Outsource Everything You Can

Want to learn a secret about your mother? The best mothers are those who know how to seek help.

What to do when you have a pile of laundry? Leave it. Let them soak. Let them soak. Dinner? Delivered.

This is not slacking, this is self-preservation. You are recovering from childbirth, and you’re adjusting to your new life. You don’t have to be superwoman.

You need to know:
There is a limit to your energy. Postpartum fatigue may last for weeks or even months. Trying to “bounce back” too soon can delay healing or trigger anxiety or depression.

Tip to spoil yourself:

• If you can afford it, hire a cleaner to come in every few weeks.
• Practice saying “no” to any obligations that are not nourishing to you.

5. Binge Watch Without Shame

You’ll probably spend a lot more time on your couch, either trapped under a baby who’s drunk or just too tired to get up. Let go of your guilt and watch what you want.

Watch Game of Thrones again, or trashy reality shows.

What you need to know:
Not only is mental rest important, but also feeding, rocking, and cuddling your baby. It can be helpful to have something fun or light to watch during those long hours. This will help you feel less isolated.

Tip to spoil yourself:

• Avoid anything too dark during the first few weeks.
• If your baby is asleep and you want to hear better sounds without waking him, use wireless headphones.

Bonus: What Else Should New Mothers Know Postpartum?

Spoiling yourself isn’t just a luxury in the postpartum period–it’s a form of survival, self-preservation, and healing. Motherhood begins with a transformation unlike any other, and in the first few months, you’re adjusting not only to your baby but to an entirely new version of yourself.

Here are some of the most important things to understand, feel comforted by, and actively practice in your postpartum journey.

Your Body Is Healing (And It Deserves Patience and Praise)

Whether you had a vaginal birth, an assisted delivery, or a C-section, your body has just done something monumental. It stretched, endured, and delivered life–and now it needs time, care, and rest to recover.

What you may experience physically:

• Vaginal soreness, bleeding (lochia), and uterine cramps
• C-section incision healing and abdominal tenderness
• Breast engorgement or discomfort from milk production
• Hormonal fluctuations, night sweats, and hair shedding
• Pelvic floor weakness or incontinence

These changes are normal, but that doesn’t make them easy. You are not “bouncing back”-you’re moving forward.

Postpartum Movement & Exercise Tips:

• Wait for clearance from your healthcare provider (usually around 6 weeks postpartum).
• Begin with pelvic floor strengthening (like Kegels) and gentle walking.
• Try postnatal yoga or Pilates to rebuild strength and posture safely.
• Avoid high-impact workouts until your body has fully recovered and feels ready.
• Most importantly, listen to your body–not social media timelines.

You don’t need to get your body “back.” It didn’t go anywhere–it’s been here all along, working miracles. You simply evolved into a new form. Treat that form with kindness.

Food Is Fuel (And Comfort, Connection, and Healing)

Pregnancy, labor, and breastfeeding all deplete your body of nutrients. Now is the time to nourish yourself deeply, not with crash diets or “getting thin,” but with warm, hearty, healing foods that support your recovery.

What to Eat Postpartum:

• Iron-rich foods like lean meat, lentils, spinach, and dried fruits can help replenish blood loss.
• High-protein meals to support tissue repair and energy levels.
• Healthy fats like avocado, nuts, and oily fish (for mood and brain health).
• Whole grains and fiber to support digestion (especially helpful for postpartum constipation).
• Hydration, hydration, hydration–especially if you’re breastfeeding.

New Mom Food Hacks:

• Stock your freezer during late pregnancy with pre-prepped meals (soups, stews, slow-cooker portions).
• Ask visitors to bring meals instead of gifts (or set up a meal train with a friend coordinating).
• Keep high-energy snacks (like trail mix, nut butter, or oat bars) near where you nurse or rest.

Food is not just nourishment–it’s comfort, celebration, and a way to remind yourself that you are worthy of care.

Mental Health Matters (More Than You Think)

Motherhood brings joy, but it also brings enormous emotional upheaval. Between the sleep deprivation, identity shift, hormonal rollercoaster, and the weight of responsibility, many mothers feel like they’re unraveling quietly behind the scenes.

What’s Normal vs. When to Reach Out:

• Baby blues: Common in the first 1-2 weeks. You may feel weepy, anxious, and overwhelmed, but it usually passes.
• Postpartum depression or anxiety: If symptoms persist beyond two weeks, become intense, or affect your ability to function or bond with your baby, please seek help.

Signs to watch for:

• Feeling hopeless, numb, or like you’re failing
• Panic attacks or excessive worry
• Trouble sleeping (even when the baby sleeps)
• Rage or irritability
• Intrusive or frightening thoughts
• Postpartum Wellness Tip:
• Schedule a weekly “you check-in”-even 20-30 minutes for journaling, meditating, or just breathing deeply in silence can help.
• Talk to someone you trust–a partner, doula, friend, or therapist.
• Use technology wisely: There are amazing postpartum support apps, virtual counselors, and even text-based hotlines.
• Mental health is just as important as physical hehealthThere is no shame in needing help. The bravest thing you can do is say, “I need support.”
• You’re Doing an Amazing Job (Even If It Doesn’t Feel Like It)
• Every mother questions herself–especially in those first weeks. You’ll Google 700 things a day, doubt your instincts, and compare yourself to others.
• But here’s the truth: Your love, your effort, and your presence are enough.
• Even on your worst days–especially on your worst days–you are showing up. You are learning. You are mothering. You are doing the work of love.
• Gentle Reminders:

• You’re not supposed to know it all. You’re learning someone new (your baby) and someone else new too–yourself as a mother.

• It’s okay to cry in the shower, wear the same leggings for three days, or eat cereal for dinner.

• You are not behind. You are exactly where you need to be.

• Self-Love in Practice:

• Write yourself a love note or affirmation and put it on the fridge: “I am doing enough. I am enough.”

• Let go of perfect. Embrace the present.

• Remember: your baby doesn’t need a perfect mother–just you.

Conclusion