At 5 months postpartum, I finally feel like I am getting back to feeling a bit more like myself. After having Sage, the newborn stage was very tough for me, as I was experiencing baby blues, sleep deprivation, and overall just adjusting to life as a new, single mom. In those first few months, you are basically in fight or flight mode so any form of self care really just went out the door for me. I was lucky if I was able to squeeze in a shower! I knew it was a temporary stage, but I did wonder how/when I would get back to doing things for myself. Skincare, wellness, and self care in general have always been very important to me and over the last few months, I have finally found ways to work those things back into my life.

1. Taking a postnatal, Omega 3, and energy drops.

I had been pretty good about taking my prenatal postpartum, but then when I was traveling for a month (when Sage was 3 1/2 months old), I ran out and never picked new ones up. I quickly started to feel really crappy without the backup of essential vitamins and nutrients my body needed while breastfeeding. Luckily, Anya sent me a package with their postnatal, Omega 3, and Energy drops and I have been feeling so much better. Use the code ESPERANZA15 to save 15% on Anya’s postpartum essentials!

2. Adding collagen and protein to smoothies.

While I was pregnant, I made a smoothie nearly everyday with all of these amazing things for baby and I. But in that postpartum whirlwind, I fell out of the habit because I just didn’t feel like I had the time to make one. I am back to making that same smoothie for the past several weeks, only now I am adding protein to it! I am using a Gainful protein blend with collagen in it and I also add Force Factor Smarter Greens, a little apple cider vinegar, almond milk, yoghurt, chia, flaxseed, and hemp seeds.

3. Eating protein filled meals and snacks.

After a few months of breastfeeding and constantly feeling exhausted and depleted, I realized I just wasn’t getting enough protein in my daily diet. I make my own breakfast which is usually toast with avocado and egg, but lately it’s been whole grain toast with blueberries, almond butter, and yoghurt because it’s easier. Then lunch and dinner are whatever my mom happens to be making which doesn’t always include protein. So now I’m counting how much protein I am getting each day and eating snacks like Chomps beef jerky sticks, a CLIF bar, my smoothie, cheese sticks, etc. My goal is to get about 75 grams of protein which is good for a breastfeeding mama and more if I can because I am working out as well.

4. Drinking 84 oz of water or more and adding electrolytes.

During my pregnancy, my goal was to drink 2 and a half of my 42 oz water bottle. That it still my daily goal, because hyrdration is very important for breastfeeding since most of breast milk is water. Plus if I don’t drink enough water, I just end up feeling like crap. Electrolytes help keep me hydrated too! Especially in Arizona since it gets so hot and I’m still not acclimated. I like to add about half of a packed of Force Factor Liquid Labs to my water bottle in the morning!

5. Exercise: running 3–4 times a week, 2-3 days of weight training, plus abs daily.

Exercise is very important for stress relief and it’s a great form of “me time”. I love how great I feel after accomplishing a run or a workout. I had to wait to start doing any kind of physical activity for 6 weeks after my c-section other than walking. As soon as I was cleared, I started jogging while pushing Sage in his stroller. My parents bought me these amazing Hoka shoes for running because the Nike ones I had during my pregnancy were more for just walking. Now that it’s so hot, I get up at 6 am on the days that I go running, while Sage is still sleeping. If he wakes up my mom will watch him while I finish my run/shower! I was trying to run 5 days a week but now I am doing 3 days and doing 2 days of “weight training” with Sage as my weight lol. I am trying to get back to my pre-pregnancy weight and I still have around 10 pounds or so to lose. Running has always been the way I see the biggest change in my body, but while breastfeeding it was just to hard on me to go that many days. I also recently learned how important strength training is for your body, especially as you age, so the perfect way for me to work that in is with Sage. He actually loves it! I also like to stretch everyday which I usually do in the evening after Sage has gone down while I am watching a tv show with my parents. I really prioritize stretching because my body will feel so tense and achy if I don’t. I also like to combo that with an ab workout I found on YouTube specifically for diastis recti and the “c-section shelf”. It has made such a difference in the appearance of my stomach, especially because that area was so swollen from the operation. I would love to try more pilates soon too!

6. Yoga and meditation.

I used to love doing yoga before I was pregnant. Then once I was, I started doing a stretching routine that incorporates yoga movements that I am still doing now, but I would love to get back into a proper yoga practice. I still need to find the time to work that back into my routine! As for meditation, I find the best time to do that is after Sage has gone down to bed. Then I take a shower, do my night time skin care routine, and right before I go to sleep I’ll do a 10 min mediation. I have been following mediations from Boho Beautiful for the past several years now and I find that it really helps with my stress levels. I did pregnancy mediations while I was pregnant by Hypnobirthing with Anja. I was so sleep deprived the first few months postpartum but I’m so glad that I have been able to work so many things back into my routine like meditation. It really helps calm me down and keep my emotions in check!

7. Hot/cold therapy.

I recently learned about the benefits of hot/cold therapy for the nervous system in one of my wellness podcasts and ever since then I have been taking a hot shower like usual but then ending it with cold water for a few minutes. It’s like my version of a “cold plunge”. I think it’s the perfect thing for winding down right before bed!

8. Daily affirmations.

My plan is to work affirmations into my mornings first thing when I wake up, but for now I have found the best time for them is as I am falling asleep. I will repeat affirmations I have set for myself like “I am strong”, “I am worthy of love”, etc., while doing some deep breathing. The power of the mind is very strong and right before bed is a great time to do them because it can improve mental health and sleep, which I definitely think it is!

9. Phone calls with friends and family.

Another form of self care for me is having conversations with friends and family. I have a few girlfriends that I try to to catch up with every week or bi-weekly. I also talk to my sister several days a week and Sage and I Facetime with Schyler, Sage’s dad each week. It’s a great time for me to vent, get advice, have a laugh etc. It can be hard to work into my busy routine but that social hour is very good for me since I spend pretty much all my time with a baby lol. It can be a little stressful working around Sage if he is being fussy but we manage!

10. A face mask in evening or morning.

I have always had a hard time squeezing in a good face mask session for whatever reason. But since I noticed my skin had been looking pretty lackluster after months of not making my skincare a priority, I decided I need to make a change. Now I try to make sure to do a moisturizing face mask a few times a week, usually after my morning run after I have rinsed my face and then I take a shower after. I have been using the Kiehl’s avocado mask mostly. I also use this resurfacing Versed mask once a week in the evening after a shower. Taking care of your skin is such an important self care practice that I’m glad I have been better about doing because as a hardworking mama, I deserve it!

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11. Dry brushing my skin each evening.

I’ve known about the benefits of dry brushing for years now and to be honest, I’ve never been able to prioritize it. It’s amazing for draining the lymphatic system and now that I have been doing it consistently for several weeks, the look of my cellulite has definitely minimized. Not only that, but I feel like it really helps exfoliate my skin since I have been getting a lot less ingrown hairs, especially on my legs which I have had an issue with lately. I usually dry brush after applying all my skincare following my evening shower starting with my arms and working my way down each section brushing downwards twice. I’ll apply a layer of Aveeno Daily moisturizer afterwards.

12. NuFace tool at night and applying nipple balm & scar balm.

The last steps in my night time routine are applying nipple balm, scar balm on my c-section scar, and using my Nuface tool! It’s a facial toning tool that uses an electro magnetic wave to help boost collagen production. I stopped using this during my pregnancy because I wasn’t sure it was safe to use and then forgot about it. My face was really needing some help when I remembered I had this tool and after working this into my routine every night for a few weeks, I have noticed my skin looks so much more youthful. It’s such a great thing to prioritize for myself.

13. Tongue scraping and oil pulling.

Another habit I had during pregnancy but fell off during the newborn/postpartum whirlwind, is tongue scraping! I started using a tongue scraper to get rid of the horrible taste/residue I had on my tongue from the pregnancy hormone, progesterone. That was the only thing that would help! I have now added it back into my routine after hearing a wellness podcast about how important oral hygiene is. Did you know that we have stress hormones in our mouth in addition to other bacteria we don’t want stored there. That’s why keeping it clean is so important! In addition to tongue scraping, I’ve been oil pulling with coconut oil while taking my evening shower (so about 15 min). It’s so much healthier than swishing your mouth with chemicals. I want to switch out my floss with a clean version too. Ever since making these switches in my oral hygiene routine, I have noticed my breath has been so much fresher and my gums have been much less sensitive.

14. Taking a nap during one of Sage’s naps and getting enough sleep. 9 pm-6/7 am 

Even though I should have been taking naps during the newborn stage, I can only count on one hand how many times I actually did. This is because as someone who is self employed, there is no maternity leave lol. I was so behind after being stuck at the hospital for a week after a c-section and Sage in the NICU. So naps weren’t something I made a priority (even though I was so sleep deprived) until around 3 months once I started figuring out Sage’s nap schedule a little more. His nap times are crucial for me to be able to get work done but I now try to prioritize taking one nap when he does daily if I can. If I am very busy with work I don’t but I have been so much better about it. I also try to make sure to go to bed early. Sage goes down for the night at around 8 pm so I like to try and be in bed by 9 pm so I know that even with night feeds, I will get at least 8 hours of sleep by the time Sage wakes up at 6 am.

15. Taking Magnesium before bed.

I started taking magnesium during my pregnancy for achy bones and restlessness which my doctor recommended. I started taking it again recently after hearing about the amazing benefits on one of my wellness podcasts. I really wish I would have remembered to add it my supplement routine sooner as the benefits are so necessary when I am working out, breastfeeding, and holding my baby all day. It’s very wearing on the body and Magnesium helps ease that. It’s great to take before bed!

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XOXO