Celebrating International Women's Day; Our go-to list of every day investments into your wellbeing.
This year’s International Women’s Day theme, "Inspiring Inclusion" encourages a multifaceted approach to supporting and empowering women.
To celebrate, we've curated a list of self-care practices that act as a holistic guide to nurture yourself at the different stages of motherhood.
Whether you're navigating the challenges of pregnancy, savoring the joys of becoming a new mum, or simply seeking ways to prioritise your well-being, take a moment for yourself and embrace the spirit of International Women’s Day.
Before pregnancy
Invest in a toxin-free perfume. Most perfumes contain hidden chemicals that negatively impact our health and hormones. Our skin acts as a sponge that easily soaks up toxins, negatively impacting our health. When trying for a baby, switching to a natural, essential oil based perfume can lead to positive impacts on fertility.
Learn to make a delicious mocktail that doubles as an extra hit of vitamins and nutrients. Our favourite ‘Sleepy Girl Mocktail’ is the ultimate addition to your bedtime routine to promote deep sleep, boost magnesium levels and help you wake up energised.
Engage in meditation practices. Heightened stress or cortisol levels may impact your chances of falling pregnant so this is a time to start taking things a little easier. It is not always possible to remove all of life’s stresses, so engaging in practices to help you deal with anxiety is the next best thing. Start meditating, journaling or practicing gratitude during your free time to decrease stress.
Find trusted doctors and other healthcare providers that you can continue seeing during and after your pregnancy. It is important before you enter your next chapter in life to identify medical professionals you trust to go to with any questions or concerns, and now is the perfect time to do the self work to set yourself up for both physical and mental health before your pregnancy.
During Pregnancy
Invest in a quality body pillow and eye mask - sleeping gets tougher as your pregnancy progresses so set yourself up for sleep success early on.
Learn strategies to help ground yourself when the baby is born. Whether this is repeating affirmations, a selection of yoga poses, finding a podcast series you like, a particular walk you could do with bub once they're born or an author you like to read. Having simple actions you can return to, helping to bring a sense of calm, are essential.
Engage in exercise you enjoy - this can be as simple as going for a walk outside, doing some simple yoga stretches at home, going to the gym or to a Pilates class.
Find key people in your circle who will act as a tight support network for you once the baby has arrived. It is important to have people you feel safe and comfortable with, so you can ask for help or advice freely. This will allow you to go into the early days of motherhood that little bit more relaxed as you’re aware of the people around you who can help.
After Birth
Invest in your health. Consult with your doctor about continuing to take pregnancy multivitamins for a few months following the birth of your baby. Pregnancy and giving birth requires so much of your body’s resources, it’s important that you are properly nurturing and supporting your healing process both physically and mentally afterwards.
Let’s face it - you won’t have much time for learning how to do yoga, or a new recipe in the newborn phase, but this entire period is going to be full of learning new skills! Whether it’s how to breastfeed, how to tell the difference between your baby’s cries or the art of swaddling; embrace this period of newness, trust your instincts, and do your best to face this new set of challenges with admiration and grace for yourself. You’ve got this!
Engage in pampering yourself. Even something as simple as a warm shower, washing your face and giving yourself a five minute hand or neck massage can help. Every little step to looking after yourself makes a huge difference, and in these early stages of motherhood, they are key to allow you to feel like yourself.
Find a routine that makes you feel calm, in control and most importantly, like yourself. Getting into a routine with your baby may help you to feel more at ease in the newborn chaos.
Our wish for you is that you feel empowered, loved and assured on your path to motherhood, taking the time to invest in your wellbeing. When the time comes, Redsbaby will be there to continue to support you through your parenting journey.