Self Care Ideas For Moms That Aren’t Just “Take A Nap”

Are you looking for self care ideas for moms that are more than the regular “take a nap, bathe, eat, etc.” advice?

It’s quite annoying actually when people dish out that list, as I find they’re just basic activities you need to survive as a human being.

Self care activities are more than just the usual essential undertakings that you do to function decently or to treat yourself.

They are necessary pursuits to help you feel refreshed, re-energized, and rested.

Engaging in self-care activities helps reduce burnout, stress, depression, resentment, anxiety and can increase our happiness, motivation, fulfillment, and overall health, perspective, and mood in general.

Now that we’ve established that self-care activities for moms are essential, let’s go first to how we can actually make time for it.

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How To Make Time for Self Care Activities

Ask for Help

This is the best way to enjoy your kid-free time – to ask for help.

Be it from your spouse/ parents/ in-laws and any trusted relative or friend, just ask them to look after your baby for a few hours. 

Or days, if you’re going for a luxurious self-care activity.

Let it be your Birthday or Christmas gift

For luxurious self-care activities such as a “momcation”, I’m sure your spouse or other loved ones won’t be able to say no if you ask for it as your birthday or Christmas gift.

Hire a Babysitter

If you know anyone reliable, why not hire them to look after your baby? 

Assuming we still live with covid around, just remember to have them make the necessary steps in ensuring that they’re a-ok physically, to take care of your baby.

Book a Class For Your Kid

If you have the budget, you can also book an age-appropriate class for your little one. 

Programs like My Gym and The Little Gym offer classes for babies up to elementary kids.

Certified and highly trained teachers will make sure to take care of your children while also making it an educational and fun experience for them.

Take Advantage of Naptime/ Night time/ Car time

If can only squeeze in some quick and easy self-care activities, do it when your kid is napping or sleeping at night.

Or when you’re alone in your car. 

You can eat your favorite food while listening to your favorite podcast or music, you can take a nap, and do some quick and easy “me-time” activities.

Use Baby Gears

Cribs, pack n plays, baby bouncers, baby rockers, baby swings, baby gyms, whatever works as an entertaining “baby jail”, utilize it.

Related Article: Bouncer vs Rocker vs Swing (Differences, Pros and Cons)

Use also a playpen and put in some safe, age-appropriate toys in it to entertain your children.

So you can have your hands free to do some self care and you know your baby is safe in their “baby jail.” 

Utilize Screen Time

Sometimes our kids won’t be content with being surrounded by toys inside their playpen or being entertained by their baby activity center or other baby gear.

They’d always prefer you. So get something more entertaining than you.

The television! Turn it on and let them watch Cocomelon or other educational tv shows on Netflix. 

And they’ll completely forget about you, long enough for you to do some “me-time”!

Take Your Kid With You

This is your last resort if you really can’t find anyone to look after your kids.

Don’t be too stressed out though as you can still have some form of self-care activity while bringing your baby with you.

Say for eg. going hiking.

Put your baby in the baby carrier and go hiking, while you listen to your favorite podcast. 

Other examples of self-care activities while bringing your baby with your is exercising with them, dancing and singing with them, going for walks with your baby in the stroller, etc.

Basic Self Care Activities For Moms

These undertakings might seem a given but we tend to forget these as we are too busy taking care of the needs of our baby and our family.

So momma, remember to do these basic self-care activities, for your sanity:

  • Bathe regularly
  • Eat right
  • Drink enough water
  • Nap or at least get 3-4 hours of sleep
  • Go out for fresh air
  • Interact with other people, other than your baby
  • Unwind at night 

Now let’s go over a list of actual indulgent, relaxing, engaging self-care ideas for moms below. 

Self Care Ideas For Moms

Quick and Easy Self Care Ideas for Mothers

Worth The Time Self Care Ideas For Moms

Luxurious Self Care Ideas for Moms

Life-Changing Self Care Ideas

Self Care Tips For Moms

Never feel guilty

This is the number one problem most of us have when we get away from our kids and family to do some “me-time” – we instantly feel guilty about it.

But think about it, everyone needs to unwind, everyone needs to take a break, have a vacation.

We can’t take care of others if we can’t take care of ourselves first. 

It can even be dangerous to keep pushing our limit without having any breaks in between.

If you’re lacking sleep, you might accidentally do something that might hurt your baby.

If you’re feeling hungry, you’ll feel cranky and you’ll easily snap at your husband which might lead to a big fight.

If you’re feeling tired, you may not remember important things that could be significant to your kid’s life.

So we all need to rest momma. It’s a need, a requirement.

So never feel guilty for giving yourself a break.

Be in the moment

This is also a common issue and we’re all guilty of this from time to time – not being in the moment.

For eg., I’ll be doing my self-care activity and my head would be filled with all the worst-case scenarios that can happen to my kid.

I can’t relax, I keep checking my phone and the whole self-care activity is ruined.

So as much as possible, enjoy the moment. Learn how to compartmentalize. 

Leave your mommy duties at home when you’re doing your “me-time” activity. 

So you can fully engage and you’ll get your time and money’s worth on the self-care activity that you chose.

Roll with the punches

Sometimes we’ve scheduled our self-care activities, then our kid suddenly comes with the flu, the babysitter is a no-show, your spouse has a last-minute meeting, etc. 

Anything can happen which might ruin the very limited time that we can actually do some self-care!

And we can’t really do anything about it but choose between getting frustrated and spending the rest of the time angry and resentful over the things we have no control over.

OR, give a big disappointed sigh, complain a bit then squeeze in some moments to do some quick and easy self-care activities.

We have to roll with the punches or else, we’ll end up getting frustrated and disappointed all the time.

Takeaway on Self Care Ideas For Moms

Remember that you are the most important person in your baby’s life. And if anything happens to you, no one can ever love and take care of your kid, the way that you do.

That might have sounded a bit creepy and scary but the bottom line is, it’s highly essential to take care of yourself. So you can be healthier, happier, and hopefully live longer.

And be with your kid longer.

Your kids also need to see a mom who’s happy with her life and is most of the time, adapting well mentally, emotionally, and physically.

So look over this list of self care ideas for moms, pick a couple that will suit your time, budget, and personality, and just go for it. 

Make the time to take care of yourself from now on.

Julie