[Amber Lion]

With so many wonderful ladies dealing with ppd, less than helpful Dh's, and other issues I thought it would be helpful to have a motivation thread about what we are doing for ourselves. I know it'd help me to put it out there and have a place to be held accountable so to speak. I really believe it's important for us to take some Me Time, to do things just for us, so that we can be the best Mommies possible.

My List of Things I Will Do For Myself:

*Start brewing and drinking my Pregnancy Tea again; it's great for breastfeeding too and I *knew* that and even bought enough herbs to have some for postpartum, I don't know why I just completely stopped drinking it.

*Walk for an hour everyday. Going outside has such a HUGE impact on my psyche, but I know that when I need it the most I stay inside. Also, the exercise helps me feel better too.

*Take a shower every evening when Dh comes home even though I don't "need" one; I need the alone time under the hot water!

*Eat 3 meals and one snack a day, even if they aren't healthy. Try for healthy, but just eat!! Even if it means putting Addie in the swing for a while with her paci.

These are pretty simple, reasonable things to accomplish every day and I know they'll make a difference for me. Come on ladies... what are you going to do for yourself?

 

[TaraRae82]

I don't have a list but as soon as DH gets home from his business trip tonight and gets settled, I'm giving him Ally Rae and I'm off to take a hot bath and drink a cup of hot tea! Ahhhhhh...............

 

[Baby_Cakes]

Mine are simple too, I think:

*FORCE myself (if need be, I haven't had to yet) to go work out 3 times a week.

*Eat 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, and DRINK MY H2O. The water is the hard one for me.

*Take 10 minutes every day (at least) and snuggle with DH, give him kisses, and feel loved. We are just not intimate enough anymore and it's taking it's toll on both of us.

*Shower and do my hair and makeup every day.

*Take all my supplements even if I don't feel like I need them. I do.

I'll try to come up with more, this is a great idea.

 

[Astrid1024]

I take a bath every morning.

I bought some really nice Dr.Hauschka makeup, cleanser and moisturizer and I use those every day. I feel so nice afterward.

I get to go to the co-op with L.O. and show him off. This may seem like it isn't much fun, but there is actually an awesome social aspect to the co-op that I look forward to whenever it is time to go. I purposely don't buy more than two days worth of food for this reason.

I go out for coffee with L.O. and a book. Most of the time I get out when it's his nap time, so I get lots of good "me time" without worrying about being away from my sweet baby for too long. The way I figure, I'll be back at work next month, so I want all the uninterrupted Lars Oskar time I can get.

 

[TaraRae82]

I'm so jealous of those of you who get to shower and do hair/makeup everyday! Ally Rae just will NOT lay by herself for any length of time. I washed my hair in the sink today while she was briefly sleeping in her bouncey seat because I can't get a whole shower in until someone is here to help with her. And often times by the time someone can be here to help me, I need to get my workout in and then Ally Rae needs to eat and wants me so I end up just washing my face and using a baby wipe to clean up. *sigh*

 

[lee1203]

Same here Tara! Well, except for the working out bit.

I'm not even going to confess to how infrequently I shower. Mind, even pre-kid I only showered every other day as doing so every day wrecks havoc on my uber-dry skin and hair.

Speaking of, that's what I need to do for me. Get my hair cut. It's about half way down my back right now, and that's just too long to be practical. I keep it in a ponytail at the nape of my neck, otherwise it gets in the way. And I'm sick of it constantly looking like crap, and being all frizzy and blah. But I can't figure out the practicalites of a haircut. My husband likes it long, so I'd feel guilty asking him to watch the babe so I can get it cut. And I would feel selfish asking a friend to give up some of her time to come with me. I've cut it myself in the past

, but again, she doesn't like to be left by herself really at all.

Oh, and I need to do better on eating, and yes, drinking water too. I'd be so mad at myself if my supply suffers because I was slacking in that department.

 

[Amber Lion]

I can't get a shower in when I'm alone with Addie either - and it's been an infrequent occurrence around here b/c of it. That's why it's on my list, and why it's after Dh gets home. I shaved my legs for the first time since I gave birth last night... well not that long, but it feels like it!

And I felt SO much better going to bed all clean with smooth legs.

So far today I've eaten breakfast and lunch and taken my walk! Go me!!

 

[TaraRae82]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lee1203 Same here Tara! Well, except for the working out bit. I'm not even going to confess to how infrequently I shower. Mind, even pre-kid I only showered every other day as doing so every day wrecks havoc on my uber-dry skin and hair. Speaking of, that's what I need to do for me. Get my hair cut. It's about half way down my back right now, and that's just too long to be practical. I keep it in a ponytail at the nape of my neck, otherwise it gets in the way. And I'm sick of it constantly looking like crap, and being all frizzy and blah. But I can't figure out the practicalites of a haircut. My husband likes it long, so I'd feel guilty asking him to watch the babe so I can get it cut. And I would feel selfish asking a friend to give up some of her time to come with me. I've cut it myself in the past , but again, she doesn't like to be left by herself really at all. Oh, and I need to do better on eating, and yes, drinking water too. I'd be so mad at myself if my supply suffers because I was slacking in that department.

Totally OT but when I got my haircut on Tues, I just asked the stylist if she could do it while I wore Ally Rae. No probs at all. You might consider that if you're a BW'er.

 

[neveryoumindthere]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lee1203 Same here Tara! Well, except for the working out bit. I'm not even going to confess to how infrequently I shower. Mind, even pre-kid I only showered every other day as doing so every day wrecks havoc on my uber-dry skin and hair. Speaking of, that's what I need to do for me. Get my hair cut. It's about half way down my back right now, and that's just too long to be practical. I keep it in a ponytail at the nape of my neck, otherwise it gets in the way. And I'm sick of it constantly looking like crap, and being all frizzy and blah. But I can't figure out the practicalites of a haircut. My husband likes it long, so I'd feel guilty asking him to watch the babe so I can get it cut. And I would feel selfish asking a friend to give up some of her time to come with me. I've cut it myself in the past , but again, she doesn't like to be left by herself really at all. Oh, and I need to do better on eating, and yes, drinking water too. I'd be so mad at myself if my supply suffers because I was slacking in that department.

Lee, what about some pretty hair clips or hair sticks. I got so many ideas from longhaircommunity.com for updos instead of plain old ponytails.
I've had short hair for the past 10 years, last year I decided I was going to challenge myself and let it grow and it's about bra-strap length now. I finally got past that 'awkward' stage that I always hated and would promptly cut it again. lol

Maybe try some new styles before deciding to cut?

As for me, hmm What I'm doing for myself...let's see, that's a tough question.lol

I"ll have to think about it and come back to this thread later

 

[Amber Lion]

OT: I think I might win the long hair contest... it's past my bum crack.

And it's mostly just in a braid b/c I can't figure out anything to do with it, used to just wear it down, but now with Addie's death grip going I need it out of the way. I'll check out that site neveryoumindthere, thanks!

 

[CindyCindy]

Quote:

Originally Posted by TaraRae82 Totally OT but when I got my haircut on Tues, I just asked the stylist if she could do it while I wore Ally Rae. No probs at all. You might consider that if you're a BW'er.

I was going to suggest this after your other post about doing your makeup and hair. Just wear her!!! You can do all that stuff and more while your baby is attached to you.

 

[TaraRae82]

^I do wear her to put on makeup but I don't wear it everyday simply because there's no guarantee I can have time to wash it off.

My cleanser bleaches fabrics so I don't want to bleach my wraps or her clothes when the water drips down (I don't use wash cloths...too harsh on my sensitive skin). But, I dry my hair upside down so I can't do that while I wear her. I need to play around with getting my style w/o drying upside down. I have such fine hair, that's how I get most of my volume. We'll see!

 

[sonshine_rae]

I 'try' to get a shower every other day, even if it's at midnight while DH holds the baby lol. Getting dressed in the mornings can be tricky, but often if I wait long enough Samuel will go down for a brief nap (30ish mins) so I can throw my clothes on and eat breakfast (forget makeup.. and maybe dab some hair gel in my hair lol).

I have brushed teeth, styled hair (not washed), and done makeup while babywearing.. but I'd rather do it alone lol. I also don't get the chance to wear makeup everyday either. There's just not time, and it's just not as high a priority as food lol.

I need to come up with a list of things to do just for me, cause um I think the computer is about it right now..... sigh

 

[Bella Catalina]

Tara, way to go on making time to workout... I'd rather make time to shower

I need to:

*Make sure I make time to spend some quality one-on-one time with Adrian every day. It's too easy to get caught up in everything else, especially since Daddy is at home for now.

*Do my T-tapp BWO+ every day - it's only 15 minutes, so no excuses there.

*Get out of the house every day and go for a walk/get some fresh air. It makes a huge difference for me emotionally.

*stick to my WW points plan and aim for healthier meals/snacks.

*Have my hair cut

 

[audsma]

For myself:
* Be able to remember when I last showered (it'd be easier to remember if it was daily!)
* Cue up Netflix queue so I can watch interesting movies when I don't feel like reading instead of staring at LO-- I mostly do that during movies, but man, does my neck hurt!
* Make time with DH-- he doesn't seem to like to get up at 4 AM to be with me-- go figure!
* Eat my greens-- I feel so much better when I just buy "too many" and have them to eat every day!
* Play with DD outside-- it feels great, and what am I really getting done in the house anyhow?
* Make sure my book is nearby when I breastfeed.
* Ask for help when I need it (not likely)
* Go back through my pregnancy posts here and compose a pregnancy journal-- I'd love to remember being pg this time.
* Finish that checklist I made "pre-baby".
* Get my house in order and running smoothly so I can go back to work guilt-free in August.
* Take pictures with abandon-- this babe will only be young once.
* Get back to yoga on a regular basis.
* Spend time with other mamas locally and you all online-- I've not been able to read a weekly thread in 2 weeks!

 

[mkmb129]

I take a shower every day, even if I don't get time until later in the day. I try for the morning b/c it makes me feel better. It's hard to find the time with two kids, so I usually do it during A's nap and take Colin in with me.. not as relaxing, but I get clean and feel better at least.

I also take my supplements everyday.

Try to work out even a little.

Get the kids & myself dressed, makes me feel happier.

Keep the lights on when it's dark out because without the lights I get sad (silly, right?)

Try to drink enough water.

I also need to clean during at least one nap or else my mood is really affected by a messy house and I just get sad and weepy (however yesterday I did dishes with an awake baby in the BH and it wasn't all that bad!).

I really want to get back to sewing and/or knitting every once in a while to start feeling more normal.

 

[mamanurse]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes *Take 10 minutes every day (at least) and snuggle with DH, give him kisses, and feel loved. We are just not intimate enough anymore and it's taking it's toll on both of us.

I definitely need to incorporate this. Maybe even a half-hour rule if possible for me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bella Catalina *Have my hair cut

I'm desperate for a haircut

Quote:

Originally Posted by audsma * Take pictures with abandon-- this babe will only be young once.

For sheezy. I've been a little guilty of neglecting pics recently.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkmb129 I also need to clean during at least one nap or else my mood is really affected by a messy house and I just get sad and weepy (however yesterday I did dishes with an awake baby in the BH and it wasn't all that bad!).

I'm the same way. Believe me, I'm no Martha Stewart, but I sure need to have a somewhat tidy house in order to function. Otherwise, I get all anxious thinking about how messy my place is.

*I started a walking club with other moms in my neighb. Today (in 12 minutes) is the 2nd walk)
*Go out of the house with just Hazel and me at least twice a week.

 

[LemonPie]

I shower every day before DH leaves for work. My baby usually nurses around 6:30-7:00 a.m. and goes back to sleep for quite a while (she's still asleep at 10 a.m.), but my 3 yr old wants to bug her constantly so I don't dare jump in the shower unless DH is here to run interference. Hair and makeup I can manage after he leaves. Now, as you can see, I'm vegging out on the laptop. I should be doing housework.

I need to figure out a time to exercise. Maybe I'll put the baby in the sling and the girls and I can go to the mailbox later (1/4 mile down the road). My 3 yo DD loves it, plus she runs for most of it so I can keep a fairly brisk pace for myself. What I'd really love to do is plug myself into my iPod and go for a good power walk, but I guess I have to take what I can get

Something else I do for me/us--stick to a regular bedtime for my older kids. The baby is still having a fairly frequent fussy time in the evening, but it's getting better. She's not usually inconsolable--just wants to be held/rocked/walked constantly. At least we can watch TV together or something that way. She is starting to sleep more in the evenings though, so that makes it a little easier to get some things done or to find time for sex.

I've had my haircut recently, and I've run out for a few pedicures when the baby sleeps and DH is home (can I say it's fabulous to have a baby who naps A LOT--my second child didn't nap regularly. EVER. ). I desperately need to get out and get some new clothes, but I'm hoping to lose 5 or 10 more lbs first.

 

[crosscat]

Thanks for starting this thread OP!

I'm doing a good job of eating healthy and drinking water. Yay me! I do okay on getting showers and if nothing else I get a bath with Calla each night (I don't use soap on her every night, but she just likes to get in the water and play and we're trying to establish bedtime routine).

The house stays pretty tidy mainly because I have sequestered us into the family room at the back of the house. That means only one room needs to be straightened up!

The kitchen, bathrooms, and bedroom aren't too hard to maintain.

Here's what I need to do:
* Get out of the house! I'm turning into such a shut-in. I'm intimidated by holiday shoppers so I don't ever want to go out, but I could at least go out for walks with Calla. She would probably love being out now that she notices her surroundings.

* Do some outings without the baby. It sort of makes me feel guilty to contemplate this, but DH was suggesting that I go to the movies (I'm a movienerd and really miss going to the movies - especially movie theater popcorn) this weekend. Also I think my in-laws would probably love to watch baby for a few hours while DH and I go out together.

* Pump every day for fridge or freezer to facilitate outings.

* Get my hair done! I stopped getting highlights a year ago thinking that I wouldn't want to bother with maintaining them once I had a kid. I'm just feeling really blah with my mousy hair, though. Maybe just a hair cut would be good enough.

* Start exercising. I've been super lucky that breastfeeding has melted off so much of the baby weight quickly. I need to tighten up my tummy, though.

* Get back into a yoga class. This would be really good for me.

 

[Amber Lion]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baby_Cakes *Take 10 minutes every day (at least) and snuggle with DH, give him kisses, and feel loved. We are just not intimate enough anymore and it's taking it's toll on both of us.

Oh, good idea! I'm definitely missing intimate time with my Dh.

Quote:

Originally Posted by audsma * Make sure my book is nearby when I breastfeed. * Ask for help when I need it (not likely)

I need to start reading again while bfing too. For some reason I was feeling guilty, like I needed to be looking down at her and not ignoring her... but I'm starting to think that's silly and my neck hurts!

As for the asking for help... I'm terrible at this! Really, truly terrible. Thanks for the reminder!

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkmb129 Keep the lights on when it's dark out because without the lights I get sad (silly, right?)

Not silly AT ALL! Yesterday was a freezing fog all day, just really dark and gray and cold. So I turned on the lights and instantly felt better.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mamanurse *I started a walking club with other moms in my neighb. Today (in 12 minutes) is the 2nd walk)

This is a great idea. I've a friend who is having her baby at any moment, another with a 6.5 month old, and a couple in the middle of their pgs... gotta see if they'll go for walks with me!

Quote:

Originally Posted by crosscat I do okay on getting showers and if nothing else I get a bath with Calla each night (I don't use soap on her every night, but she just likes to get in the water and play and we're trying to establish bedtime routine). * Do some outings without the baby. It sort of makes me feel guilty to contemplate this, but DH was suggesting that I go to the movies (I'm a movienerd and really miss going to the movies - especially movie theater popcorn) this weekend. Also I think my in-laws would probably love to watch baby for a few hours while DH and I go out together. * Pump every day for fridge or freezer to facilitate outings.

I was wondering if it's too early to start a bedtime routine. Right now it's just low lights, nursing, and Mommy rocking/bouncing/shushing when I know she's ready to go to bed.

And I think I need to start getting out of the house on the weekends, even if just for a walk by myself. It'd be good for Dh to have some time to really have to deal with Addie w/out the option of passing her off... and I need some alone time too! Great idea, but I get you on the feeling guilty thing. I felt guilty when we went to that concert... but once there I realized I really needed that time and it was awesome.