The art of mothering yourself!

| 4 min readMa… Mom… Mommy… This word completes our world! Isn’t it? A mother’s love is priceless and is a true blessing for all. Our mothers nurture and care for us through her entire lifetime ceaselessly. Wouldn’t you agree that a mother is one who will move the biggest mountain and swim the strongest wavy seas to bring a smile on our faces? Acceptance, tolerance, bravery and compassion are the qualities which a mother portrays throughout her life. From the immunological tolerance of foetus during pregnancy to a parental tolerance of a child’s defiant behaviour a mother faces it all with a smile and utmost care. But have you ever thought why a woman sacrifices so much once she becomes a mother? The answer is an astoundingly simple. From their thoughts to their actions, they are completely occupied with only one statement – my family comes before me. Nothing is on her priority list other than her family with her children topping the list always. She forgets what if something happens to her? Who is going to take care of her if she falls sick? Who is going to be there for her 24/7 if she can’t move from bed? If she is fortunate then kids or grandkids might be there around to take care of her. If she is unfortunate to be alone, probably a caretaker or worse, NO ONE! To all the mothers out there in the world fighting the toughest battles to bring the happiest smiles, why you want to be a victim of such unforeseen circumstances? Till the time you have health in your kitty do start taking care of yourself and avoid being taken for granted. I’m listing below few preventive measures for all the adorable mothers reading this article so that their aging becomes healthy and graceful and cherished. 1. Happy would-be mommies Brace yourself for this beautiful journey indeed but a few preventive measures are a must. One should start folic acid, iron and calcium supplements to take care of baby’s neural cord which develops within first month of pregnancy. •    Try Garbh Sanskar classes (an ayurvedic therapy for pregnant females) or indulge in any activities like Pilates, yoga, swimming, etc. which helps you to control weight, improve circulation and boost your mood. •    Try kegel exercises (squeeze your pelvic muscles as if you are stopping the flow of urine, hold for 3 second and relax for 3 second) which strengthen the pelvic muscles and can help in making your delivery easier. •    Stay hydrated as it prevents constipation, UTI and also supplies essential nutrients to the little one inside. •    Eat frequently and a well-balanced meal enriched in leafy vegetables, millets, lentils, fruits and proteins. •    To boost serotonin aka your happy hormones, eat banana or apple. 2. Post Natal Care for Moms Balance is the key post-delivery to have a good healthy you for your baby and yourself. Postpartum massage helps in healing and repairing internal organs of a mother and baby. Eating frequently in controlled portions is the key to optimise health during this phase. Avoid spicy, oily and junk food to prevent any complications post-delivery. Shatavari (Asparagus) is one herb which helps to boost breast milk production and also prevent postpartum depression. Include ghee in diet to improve digestion and evacuation of bowels. In the lactating mothers if milk production is less one can try 8-10 almonds soaked overnight blended with milk and one teaspoon ginger powder, cardamom, two strands of saffron and a teaspoon of date sugar. 3. Mommies round the clock Whether a mother is working in a corporate or as a homemaker it doesn’t matter. Her clock is ticking for her family. For such mothers my word of advice is an effective and smart planning before time flies. Planning every minute detail of your day-to-day activities like from your meal timings to workout time, from your sleep timings to your menstrual cycles. Everything needs to be on your calendar so that you don’t miss your being while running behind your family chores. Most important is your ‘Me’ time daily for an hour where you should adapt new hobbies or revamp your old passion or give your body some spa ritual to calm down your nerves.  Isn’t that a wonderful idea? Also keep an alert for your routine health check-ups. To stay fit and happy feed your need not your greed. Avoid overindulgence in any addiction – let it be smoking, drinking or unhealthy food. Sleep deprivation can lead to weight gain and hormonal imbalance so give your body time to rest to recharge and replenish those asking muscles bones and hormones. 4. Menopausal Mothers Menopause is the new beginning for a mother. Why? As that makes her feel special because she is able to give some time to herself finally. Besides facing an array of different symptoms like hot flushes, mood swings, osteoporosis a mother also falls in the trap of heart diseases, diabetes, thyroid, tumours, cancer. So, it’s a final call for her to take care of herself. Most important is to include Calcium and Vitamin D rich foods like yogurt, milk, spinach, beans, fish, etc. to prevent bone loss which occurs quite frequently during menopause. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, sugary and spicy foods to prevent triggering the menopausal symptoms. Stay active whole day as regular exercise alleviate anxiety, fatigue and weight gain. Include high quality protein to prevent loss of lean muscle mass e.g., eggs, fish, nuts, legumes and dairy. It’s a natural part of life unlike menarche so enjoy this phase with your loved ones and stay positive always. The indomitable never-say-die spirit of Mothers reigned supreme to face all odds and achieve strength to carry on through this epidemic to mark this year as one of undefeated tolerance against all odds to even out life. Time to rain check the odds of health and get set go.

Be a mommy for yourself and take care of the little child inside you. She needs ceaseless love care and your 24/7 attention too… Love yourself completely!! Mother yourself too.

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