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Being a Mom = Stress
Being a New Mom = LOTS of Stress
Being a (New) Mom + Pandemic = MASSIVE Stress
Congratulations on being a mom.
Being a parent is truly the best and the hardest job in the world. Being a mom brings a vast amount of stress with it. After all, we are now in charge of meeting the physical and emotional needs of a tiny human.
Add to that, being a new mom adds even more stress. It is funny, though that I didn’t realize how anxious I was when I was a first-time new mom. But I realize now that I was quite stressed and anxious.
Add to this, being a first-time new mom during a pandemic… And, and, and… I don’t know if there are even words to the amount of stress I would have if I were in this situation. I know how much stress I am currently under being a mom of 8- and 10-year-old little girls.
And I have a ton of tools to help me manage my stress. Literally, I have spent much of my 20+ year career talking to patients about managing stress.
Stress literally affects everyone. (Or maybe there are one or two people who are not affected by stress? 😉)
Especially now. All you have to do is watch the news or jump on the internet and even if you were feeling good, you probably feel a shift in your energy.
SO, for all of you new mamas out there, I want to tell you that I see you. You are not alone, and I can only imagine how hard all of this feels right now. Let me honor the fact that being a new mama is difficult. You are sleep deprived. You are exhausted. Your body is still recovering from your pregnancy and your delivery. And your life is now focused on keeping your baby as happy and healthy as you can. This is not an easy thing to do during any time. But during a pandemic... I can only imagine the thoughts that likely run through your mind.
I’d like to remind you that you matter too.
Your body, your health and your recovery are important.
I am excited that my colleague, Ellicia, and I are getting ready to announce an offer for a new opportunity for your postpartum self-care. This can literally change your body's health trajectory for the rest of your life and ward off long term pelvic and back consequences for decades to come.
It is not quite ready as I am working on pulling together more amazing content and Bonus opportunities to bring other postpartum health care specialists to you. The value of this opportunity will be life-changing.
Do you want a sneak peak?
Ok. But please know that the page is not yet finalized and I am in talks with those specialists... so please have an open mind when you enjoy this sneak peak into this amazing opportunity...
In the meantime, I'd like to remind you of your breath and how using your diaphragm to breathe can be so helpful.
(This is an excerpt from a previous blog post) Diaphragmatic breathing is one of many tools that you can use to help pull your autonomic nervous system (ANS) out of fight-or-fight or freeze mode? (The autonomic nervous system is the part of our nervous system that we have no conscious control over and that oversees the function of many of our organ systems.) Engaging the diaphragm with your deep breathing will help decrease the amount of cortisol (stress hormone) that is released in your body by activating your ventral vagus nerve. This is a cranial nerve that regulates your autonomic nervous system.
Here are few tips to keep in mind when practicing your diaphragmatic breathing to help you feel better and to pull your nervous system out of fight-or-flight or freeze and to help you gain the most benefit:
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Breathe slowly in and out of your nose.
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Allow your lungs to gently fill (you may feel your abdomen move out with your inhale, but don’t push your belly out)
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Your breathing must be gentle and non-forceful.
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The key to calming and feeling better is prolonging your exhale.
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It can also be helpful for you allow your body to pause between the inhale and exhale and between the exhale and inhale.
This is a wonderful exercise to do on a daily basis. I use it every night as I am falling asleep. This is also an extremely helpful tool to use if you are feeling triggered or stressed. In this case, give yourself five to ten minutes and take note of how you feel after! Honestly, even just 3-5 slow, gentle, deep diaphragmatic breaths will bring you back into your body and help you feel calmer. You will notice that your heart rate slows down. You will notice the heart beats won’t feel as strong.
As this is occurring, you are increasing the oxygen in your body. You are improving your blood pressure. You’ll notice your respiratory rate slowing down and if you are exercising, it will help your body recover faster. This is also a helpful tool to assist you in releasing fear and stress or concerning thoughts that may be taking over a lot of your brain space.
Breathe.
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