How To Maintain Your Mental Health As A New Mom

Congratulations— you are a new mother! Now, it's time to embark on the journey of motherhood. However, the truth is you have been through a lot, both mentally and physically, to this point. Throughout your pregnancy, sufficient attention has been given to your physical health. But what about your mental wellbeing? The changes your body and mind have endured throughout your pregnancy can often make feeling good about yourself difficult. According to the National Institute of Health, about one in seven women develop postpartum depression. Paying more attention to your mental health as a new mom is important. Below are five effective ways of maintaining your mental health as a new mom. 

1. Reduce your social media usage

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There are several benefits to using social media. For example, these platforms provide an affordable and easier way to communicate and learn about the world around you. However, social media can be harmful, especially to your mental health. As a new mom, you may be dealing with several new changes. From changes your body has endured to changes in your daily life. Social media becomes a negative influence as you see your life before your pregnancy and encourages negative emotions. Additionally, social media can cause you to compare yourself and your baby with those of others. This makes you feel worse about yourself and breeds negativity. Taking a digital cleanse would do your mental health some good as a new mom.  

2. Practice self-care

A common problem most, if not all, moms have is taking the time to give themselves a much-deserved break. As a mom, the thought of putting yourself first seems like selfish. After all, their core responsibility is ensuring their family is safe and sound. However, to do so effectively, you must take the time to care for yourself. Practicing self-care is great for your mental wellbeing. It helps you manage stress, increase energy, and lower your risk of disease. Therefore, take some time each week to do something you love. You can binge-watch your favorite show, go to the movies, see some friends, or read at home. If you feel antsy about going out, you can shop online to get items you love. You should also treat yourself! Get a massage or that stunning yellow gold lab-grown diamond jewelry you’ve been eyeing. You could even spend the day out shopping or sitting back and shopping while enjoying a coffee and looking at boutique items that you would like to treat yourself to. Self-care as a new mom is something that you cannot afford to miss out on, even if it is as simple as taking 10 minutes to do some online shopping.

3. Surround yourself with positive people

Taking care of a newborn can be overwhelming. You wouldn’t be able to deal with it all alone, and that’s okay. Trying to juggle all aspects of being a new mom is impossible and negatively affects your mental health. Therefore, be open to receiving support from friends and family. Most importantly, be sure that these are positive people. Such people support you, encourage you, help you reach your goals, and help make life as a new mom easier.

4. Know the signs

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To effectively maintain your mental health as a new mom, you must know the signs of a problem. If you know the common mental health issues new moms face, you can identify the symptoms and consult a doctor for immediate treatment. Therefore, be more mindful of your mental health and research to learn more about new moms' mental health issues.