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It’s that time of year where everyone is focused on their health and overall wellness. As a stay at home mom, it can be easy to forget to take care of yourself when you’re busy taking care of your child(ren). In this season, I challenge you to prioritize yourself and make time for self-care. I know mom guilt can sometimes get in the way of this, but remember, self-care as a stay at home mom is not selfish and is something that all SAHMs should practice.
In this blog post I will be sharing 5 practical ways that I practice self-care as a stay at home mom, but first, let’s talk about why you should make it a priority.
THE IMPORTANCE OF SELF-CARE AS A STAY AT HOME MOM
Maintaining physical and mental wellbeing is crucial in general, but it’s especially important for stay at moms. I recently learned that many stay at home moms experience what is referred to as stay at home mom depression.
It is used to describe the shared depressive experience that many SAHMs face. This could be due to situations of isolation, feeling like you’re always “on”, or even the feeling of loss of identity that many stay at home moms face.
To help alleviate these feelings, it’s important to make yourself a priority and learn how to set boundaries to do so. Taking time for self-care is a great first step.
Below you will find 5 ways I practice self-care as a stay at home mom to give you some ideas. I also shared some detox and wellness tips for stay at home moms. Be sure to check that post out when you finish up here!
1. Nurture My Mental Health
Self-care for me is much deeper than having a skincare routine or workout regimen. Taking care of my mental health is the first line of defense for ensuring that I maintain overall wellbeing.
I’ll be honest though, it took me a long time to accept the fact that I needed to reach out to a mental health provider. Since beginning bi-weekly therapy sessions, I’ve notice that I’ve been able to better cope with life as a stay at home mom.
The one hour sessions that I spend with my therapist have allowed me to rediscover myself outside of being a wife and mom. It has also helped me to feel more confident in setting boundaries and asking for what I need from my partner as it pertains to parenting our son.
Starting therapy has truly been the best decision I could’ve made for myself and has definitely upped my self-care!
Many insurance companies will cover the cost of therapy sessions, including virtual visits. I personally use the app Brightside because it’s covered by my insurance. It’s easy to use, gives you access to therapists and psychiatrists, and also provides you with lessons to keep you on track to becoming your better self.
2. Reconnect With Friends
As a stay at home mom, self-care can be as simple as talking with a good friend. One thing that seems to get away from me is time.
There have been times when days, weeks, and sometimes months have gone by where I haven’t reached out to my friends. Many of them are also moms so they understand. However, it’s important to maintain healthy friendships.
Talking with friends, especially about things other than motherhood, can be restorative. It allows me to have a relationship outside of my husband and child. If you have even just one close friend that you can reach out to, do so. Also, make sure you hold them close because good friends are hard to come by!
3. Have Creative Interests
My favorite form of self-care as a SAHM is having interests that allow me to be creative. For me, that’s content creation, blogging, and photography. I started my YouTube channel back in 2018 followed by my blog in 2019. I’ve since incorporated Instagram, Pinterest, and more recently TikTok.
Being active on social media allows me to express myself in a way I never thought I would. Or could for that matter. Naturally, I’m a pretty introverted person but being active on social media has forced me to open up and be more vocal than I usually would be.
This has been great for me as it pertains to self-care because it’s something that is completely about me. While I do talk about motherhood to an extent, it’s from my lens instead of it being focused on my baby.
4. Take Care of My Body and Skin
When most people think of self-care, their mind immediately goes to having a skincare regimen, eating right, and working out. All three of things are also important to me as a stay at home mom.
It took me quite a while to find a skincare routine that works because I’m still nursing Turtle. However, there are a few products that I’ve fallen in love with that are breastfeeding safe. You can check out what I’m currently loving in my ShopMy Storefront or if you’re on LTK, you can find them there also.
Eating right and working out are two aspects of self-care I’m still working on. I recently made the decision to switch to a pescatarian diet and start at home workouts. I find that I’m more motivated to exercise when I wear cute workout outfits. If you need a little boost to get you in the mood, buying some cute (and affordable) workout outfits is a great first step!
5. Prioritize Alone Time
Up there with my therapy sessions, is having time to myself. Like I said before, I’m an introvert by nature so I need time to myself to recharge.
As a nursing stay at home mom, I often feel like my baby is attached to me constantly. He does nurse less now that he’s older, but I still have days where I just feel completely touched out. It’s in those moments that I use alone time as my form of self-care.
Some days that looks like me spending time in my room working on my blog, other times it looks like me taking a solo trip to Target. The latter is my favorite because I can go down every aisle uninterrupted. However I choose to spend my alone time, I always feel rejuvenated after doing so.
BONUS: Have Intentional Time With My Husband
While self-care is about the self, connecting with my husband helps fosters a positive environment and brings us closer together. In turn, it helps to alleviate some of the things I feel as a stay at home mom.
He is the breadwinner of our family. Since being a stay at home mom doesn’t bring in money, I’m often hard on myself for not being able to provide in that way. Having intentional time with my husband where we are able to discuss this and other things keeps us connected.
Some nights we stay up late watching movies or having deep conversations, other nights we play our favorite video game. No matter what we do though, it’s helpful to help maintain a healthy marriage. After all, marriage is hard work. The little things that you do with each other add up.
Create Your Own Version of Self Care!
If you’re a stay at home mom, I hope these ideas have been beneficial in helping you form your own version of self-care. What works for one mama may not work for you. It’s important that your self-care involves things that you enjoy and help you to feel like your better self.
Remember, loving yourself and taking care of you is essential to being able to care for your family!
Be sure to check out my previous post for other ways you can promote wellness as a stay at home mom motherhood related posts.
