Momma Said There’d Be Days Like This

There’s a lot of talk about the importance of self-care especially when it comes to mothers because caring for a little person is hard no matter how cute they are. Society says it’s ok to take time for yourself (i.e., the whole oxygen mask reference) but does that apply to new moms? No one blinks when you want to trade your angry teenager for a day at the spa, but isn’t self-care when you have a precious newborn just selfish?

No. It’s actually self-preservation. Self-care is different for everyone, and while there are times it’s a facial and a massage, there are other times it’s simply letting your sister take the baby so you can sleep. When we neglect self-care everything suffers, so in honor of Mother’s Day we wanted to share a few tips for life with a new baby. And, since La Bella Derma Owner, Chelsea, and her husband Chris recently welcomed their second child (baby Sophia) you know these have been tried and tested in real-life.

Tips for new moms:

Ask for and receive help. People love to fawn over babies – those tiny fingers and toes, chubby thighs, new baby smell – so let them. Allow your friends and family to hold that little bundle so you can get feeling back in your arms or eat without balancing a baby on your chest. Your instinct will be to politely decline these offers, but don’t. Be honest when your mother-in-law asks if you need anything at the grocery store. Trust us, there’s a reason it takes a village.

Mom Pro Tip: Set-up a meal train for those first weeks home using Sign-up Genius or another free website.

Move your body – eventually. Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor try to fit movement in regularly. Note that we did not say, “Get to the gym 3x a week and hit it hard.” At this point, moving your body is more about benefiting your mood than fitting into pre-pregnancy clothes. Put your baby in that fancy new stroller and walk around the neighborhood, head to a post-natal yoga class (bonus – there are often sweet volunteers who will rock your baby while you enjoy some much-needed shavasana) or do some gentle stretching in the living room. Most importantly, be kind to yourself. Trust that your body will not be postpartum forever. You just grew and birthed a human being!

Mom Pro Tip: Take advantage of free, online fitness videos created specifically for new moms. These are great for those early morning hours!

Multi-task like a mother. No one knows how to multi-task better than a mother, especially in those first months years. Time to yourself is limited and there will be days that a seven-minute shower feels like an indulgence. Does that mean you need to forgo all non-essentials? Definitely not, you just need to be intentional with those seven minutes. Put on a face mask before hopping in and replace your body wash with a gentle exfoliator. Showing your body love in little ways will make you feel more like a human and less like a milk machine.

Mom Pro Tip: Our pre-shower favorites include Epicuren’s Pumpkin Apple Spice Peel that dissolves dead skin cells and promotes clarity and PCA’s Hydrate Mask that soothes as it moisturizes. We also love Epicuren’s After Bath moisturizer to keep our skin as soft as baby’s.

Get out there. Even the most social among us can find it hard to venture out of the house with an infant, but it’s essential for your mental health. There’s a reason cabin fever is a thing. We’re not suggesting you keep a full social calendar or bring baby on tour but leaving the confines of your house is so very freeing. A quick trip to the drugstore or Starbucks (even if you use the mobile app) expands your little world and helps you feel like you’re still part of society.

Mom Pro Tip: Bringing your new bundle of joy out into the world may seem daunting but take advantage of the infant carrier stage while you can because soon enough, you’ll be wrangling a toddler into a shopping cart!

Schedule an eyebrow wax. We’re not kidding. Chances are your eyebrows will have been severely neglected by the time baby arrives. You’ll be amazed at what a quick brow wax can do to brighten your eyes and make you feel human again. Plus, laying down for ten minutes will feel heavenly.

Mom Pro Tip: Ask a friend to accompany you, swing by a coffee shop, and you’ve just had yourself a little momma date.

There’s nothing quite like being a new mother. Bringing life into the world is beautiful and exhausting and joyous and draining all at the same time. The team at La Bella Derma knows how delicate the postpartum season is and we love to help mothers feel their best. Check out our May specials then giveus a call at 802.735.3031 to schedule some well-deserved time to yourself.







Heather Frechette-Crowley is principal and founder of Root Marketing, where she uses content-based strategy to help businesses of all sizes connect with their target market. Looking for help telling your story? Visit www.rootmktg.com or email heather@rootmktg.com.