Yes, I’m aware that getting time for yourself with a wee one can be challenging. Or maybe you feel guilty or selfish when you take time for yourself? Maybe there’s a pile of laundry or a list of errands you feel that you should be doing.
What if you thought about the benefits for you and others (including yourself and your baby or children) when you take a break?
Then consider who might be able to support you to have some time for yourself?
I’m very grateful for my mother in law who took my son for a few hours yesterday. This allowed me to go to a maternal mental health networking event in Edinburgh. Most importantly, I took the train all by myself (twice!) and got to just look out the window. I had a more sedate smiling photo but wanted to share my genuine wild eyed excitement with you. The other main benefit was that I was a more engaged parent when I got home as I felt more resourced.
If you don’t have childcare immediately available or your day is particularly busy, is there a way you can carve out a space for yourself (even 5 minutes)?
Sometimes when my son is feeding, I take the time to do a quick body scan to check in with myself. In this scan, I take time to briefly notice how each part of my body is feeling from my head to my toes. I maybe invite some areas to relax but try not to get too caught up in the outcome. The bonus is that my son relaxes too.
And once you’ve found a way to carve out this time, how are you going t
o use it? What do you need right now?
Notice how you feel before and after having a break (even a short one) where your needs are met.
If you find that you consistently struggle with making time for yourself and want to make a change, get in touch to talk about how I can support you.
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