12 tips for a healthy motherhood
New Delhi, Aug. 25: The birth of a baby challenges a mother in many ways. You are likely to feel exhausted, excited and worried — all at the same time — about the baby and that is why you tend to be stressed.
Dr Sushma Tomar and Dr Fabian Almeida of Fortis Hospital, Kalyan give some simple yet significant stress- busters for the new mothers:
Rest and sleep well: Sleep adequately and as often as you can, because sleep deprivation will make everything seem worse.
Maintain a healthy and balanced diet: Eat healthily and on time to keep up your energy levels.
Make time for yourself: Giving time to yourself is vital for your emotional well- being. Take a hot bath in the evening, take an hour or so to read a good book, watch a movie in the middle of the day, or get your nails done.
Be prepared for the unpredictable: Realise that there will be days when you feel overwhelmed, and other days when it feels like you're not doing anything else.
Get some help yourself: New parents can count on their extended family members to help in taking care of the baby. That's not always a possibility, so you might have to find help in other places.
Mind magic: It is true that the mind can be mastered to render magic! The age- old wisdom of meditation, coupled with insightful introspection, helps us to sort out the pieces within our puzzled mind.
Add to that, the art of autosuggestion — reassuring the self with positive affirmations like “I can, I will, I must” — serves to be a perfect stress- buster.
Brain gym boosters: Training our body at the gym is great — and we can similarly train our brain too.
Play- therapy: Playing with your kids is the best form of exercise for the child and the parent.
Zestful Zumba: Sign up for a Zumba class or copy the steps and style from the internet, and experience the flexibility and freshness that comes from music, dance, and exercise.
YouTube Utopia: YouTube videos work as a great stress- buster because you can find answers and images to just about anything you need to; be it some pep talk via TedTalks or, your favourite songs and scenes from yesteryears.
Creative chaos: It is healthy to involve yourself in creative activities like art, craft so that this forms a part of a stress- busting experience.
Notching up novelty: Trying out something new has its own charm. Break the routine, stop the stereotype. — ANI