Tips on Re-finding Yourself as a Woman After Child Birth

Having a baby is one of the most incredible
life experiences a woman can have, but it can also be very difficult. One thing
many mums struggle with (aside from the obvious lack of sleep that is) is a
sudden inability to feel like themselves. Many women talk about feeling like
they have lost their own personal sense of identity. Here are some tips to
helping you find yourself again after welcoming your bundle of joy into the
world:

1. Bathe

One of the easiest things a woman can do to
relax after the birth of her child is to take a bath. Taking time out of your
super schedule as a new mum can be tough, but taking ten minutes to take a
refreshing soak in a candle-lit bath filled with gorgeous smelling bubbles will
do wonders for you mind (and for any niggling post-birth pains). As a new mum,
days can you pass you by before you realise you haven’t washed in a long time,
so even the small victory of feeling clean for once can have a massive impact
on your self-esteem. Plucking your eyebrows and painting on some pretty nail
polish is also a quick means of giving yourself a mini pampering session.

2. Have a time out

Leaving your little one for the first time
is an inevitably daunting experience, but making some time for you and your
partner to have a date night, or for arranging a girly catch up with your best
time will do you the world of good. The process of getting dolled up and
donning your best dress will make you feel good in itself, and the time out to
think of things that aren’t associated with breast pads, night feeds and baby
poo will definitely help you to feel like yourself again. A word of warning
though: no matter how much you enjoy your night, you’ll still end up leaving
earlier than pre-baby you ever would have done just to make sure your darling
angel is okay.

3. Exercise

Signing yourself up to a year-long gym
membership probably isn’t the best thing to do when you’ve just had a baby, but
participating in some regular exercise definitely is. As a new mum, your
exercise regime won’t be as intense and up-date as it was prior to you having
your baby, but it can still be as effective at improving your mood and helping
you to feel better. All exercise, including gentle exercise such as a short stroll
is guaranteed to release vital feel good endorphins that will lift your mood
and help you to feel a little more positively if you’re feeling a little down
in the dumps. Taking your little one out in the pram is a great way to fit some
exercise into your day, and it’s also beneficial for baby; being outside in the
fresh air is a welcome distraction for little ones and many new mums swear by
it as a technique for helping to soothe babies on their more demanding days.

4. Mummy makeover

One of the reasons why many mums feel less
like themselves after childbirth is because they no longer feel like they look
like themselves. Pregnancy is an amazing experience, but it can have a very
real physical toll on a woman’s body. Stretch marks appear, tummy muscles loosen,
and skin around the tummy area sags. As easy as it is to say it’s all just part
of the parcel when it comes to motherhood, that won’t do much to boost your
confidence. Not being happy with your appearance is a leading cause of low
self-esteem and can cause feelings of depression and anxiety, particularly if
you’re already feeling tired and low. Cosmetic procedures such as the so-called
‘mummy makeover’, which you can find out more about here, have been designed to specifically
target areas of the body that are affected by pregnancy, such as the tummy,
hips and breasts, and can help to rejuvenate the areas and help mums get back
to feeling great about themselves.