Mindful Mamasitas: New Mom Mentality

Picture: Jennifer York and daughter taken by Nidia Nicet

As a new mama, your anthem could likely be Cypress Hill’s old school jam, “Insane in the Membrane.” Sound familiar? New motherhood is a smoothie of emotions, all blended into a gorgeous but steep learning curve and fluctuating feelings, ranging from sheer exhaustion, pure bliss, fierce frustration, euphoric excitement, unbridled chaos, and beautiful blessings. It’s as if we’re watching ourselves as reality show characters, but without the tropical setting, no hunky bachelors, or promises of a million dollar prize at the end. Based on the merry-go-round of sleepless nights, feeding frenzies, dirty diapers, and never-ending to-do lists, this blog offers some cheap, easy, and mindful tips to make your transition more realistic, healthy, holistic, and sane! Forget trying to keep up with the Kardashians and their entourage of nannies, chefs, makeup and hair stylists, and personal trainers to prevent them from looking like us in our new motherhood mirrors. Keep classy and try the tips in our MINDFUL acrostic, in no particular order:

M: Make Art:  Set aside a tiny trickle of time to journal, scrapbook, knit, doodle, paint, or anything crafty that activates your senses. We’re talking only 5-10 minutes. Get artsy fartsy because it’s truly therapeutic! For example, Begley’s (2016) article in Time reinforces how adult coloring helps by “Staying inside the lines, especially in more complex illustrations, takes a lot of concentration, which blocks out distraction. In this sense, coloring could be a species of mindfulness like meditation, which has been shown to reduce stress” (p. 58). You don’t have to be Picasso or enroll in a college art course. Swap one of your social media posts with something DIY, for starters. It worked for me, and I’m no Martha Stewart! Ready to transform into a DIY Diva? As featured in a recent spot at Studio 512 on kxan, check out how you, too, can easily create a Spring Fling gift bag with our super easy tips: DIY Video These handy dandy bags make affordable, easy, personalized and colorful Mother’s Day, birthday, bridal shower, and teacher appreciation portals!

Besides boosting your creativity, did the parenting books fail to mention how crafting and art could physically help new moms? Begley (2016) claims that we can actually reduce blood pressure and boost our overall immune systems from our artistic efforts. Make ME time a daily ritual and pair it with other mindful practices like lighting a candle, diffusing some relaxing essential oils, holding a restorative yoga pose, or doing a mini meditation. Try once a week for starters and then build gradually. Great advice from Whole Person Caring: An Interprofessional Model for Healing and Wellness reveals how by “Letting go of perfection and unrealistic expectations that we have held for a lifetime is not easy. Being understanding with ourselves rather than being harsh and judgmental are habits that take time to alter” (Thornton & Sigma Theta Tau International, 2013, p. 101).  Faith Hill’s classic is right: just “Breathe, so  as you exhale, “imagine that you are letting go of whatever is not useful to you—pain, tightness, a sense of being burdened , anger, frustration, sadness (p. 133).  Ready to OM out? 

I: Immerse in Colors: Just as Asian cultures favor feng shui, the Scandinavians have hygge, say holla for whatever adds color to your life. While prepping for that perfect hue for your baby’s nursery, did you forget about yourself? Paint fumes aren’t what we’re going for and no extreme makeovers, either! Spruce up your casa or townhouse with calming colors from subtle touches like a vase of flowers or a bright frame for the new family pic, especially in areas where you spend most of your time. Also consider your new mom’s (and baby’s) wardrobe as you reach for those yoga pants. Cahill (2018)’s article suggests that simply wearing brighter colors can uplift our moods (p. 26), so pay homage to Prince and grab a “Raspberry Beret” or rock your neon! Hook up your baby with our classic clothing all the way to age 5, perfect for transformations into scooting, crawling, walking, skipping, and cartwheels!

N: Nurture with Nature: Go green, new moms! Have a picnic outside with your little one. Our core values celebrate community and environment by showcasing our rock star network of seamstresses who work from home while we also advocate for the planet. Browse our sustainable collection and engage in upcycling via our heartfelt "Heirloom Collection." As we specifically honor the past generations through our kiddos, it’s much than just a blast from the past: in fact, it’s a great way to celebrate the circle of life! While we won’t sing the Broadway song because we’re far from American Idol ready, remember that Classic Childhood’s mission to create sustainable clothes with a fashionable European flair delivers the perfect nature/nurture balance. For more information, email us to hello@classicchildhood.com or call (512) 900-1324 for more details.

Nature also boosts your vitamin D, the sunlight vitamin, as you stroll, walk, hike, or jog with your bundle of joy! Any physical movement can balance our minds, bodies, and spirits, thus improving our energy levels and decision-making ability” (https://www.amerihealthcaritas.com/news/2019/011719-winter-blues.aspx). As a military mom, I love that my local YMCA offers an amazing military discount, so I use the 90 minutes of free childcare a few times a week while burning my buns. Bhangra Masala or country heat, anyone?

D: Dos Amigos/Las Amigas: No, we’re not advertising a new Tex-Mex chain. We challenge you to connect with 2 friends, family members, neighbors, colleagues, other parents, or community members this month, preferably face-to-face. Hsieh (2015) describes how new mothers “experience a near-immediate shift, thanks in part to the hormones involved in giving birth and nursing. Fathers' brains tend to change in different and more subtle ways. New research cites how the first months of parenting can affect mood and cognition” (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283938927_Motherhood_Can_Be_a_Lonely_Place). Feeling a bit like Katy Perry’s “Hot N’ Cold” lyrics? Without proper social support, many new moms struggle and try to fake it till we make it! However, “For many new moms, however, the first months and years can be a lonely place” (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283938927_Motherhood_Can_Be_a_Lonely_Place). As a both a new mom and virtual/remote worker, I totally get the isolation battle, so all tips are mom-approved! ET phone home!

F: Fuel Your Body: Put down that candy bar and fuel your body with natural and organic goodies by indulging in a healthy smoothie, wholesome snack, herbal tea, etc. Emulate Snow White and tap into those naps. For optimal sleep, research from Muscle & Fitness advocates powering down all devices “an hour before you turn in, and use your bed only for sleep or sex” (2018, p. 58). Hey, you’re snoring!

U: Unleash Perfection: The child prodigy Grace VanderWaal’s “Perfectly Imperfect” is true! Cissna-Heath & Weber (2015) convey how the work-family balance is challenging, so let go of the guilt associated with the demands of dual roles and women should not take things personally (p. 139). Quit comparing yourself to Gwyneth Paltrow and Queen Bey, as even the young Frozen females recognized! Let it go! Embrace your whole self as a new mom: pimples, stretch marks, under eye bags, and all! Because "There's a lot of pressure to be the perfect mother, and women are afraid to say they're not coping” (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283938927_Motherhood_Can_Be_a_Lonely_Place), proactively confide in your medical and mental health providers, seek comfort and advice from religious or spiritual advisors, and be honest with your family and yourself. You matter, so check yourself before you wreck yourself!

L: Live La Vida Local: My sanity saver is consistently cultivated by actively immersing myself and my two lil ladybugs in the freebies at the local library, such as mommy and me yoga classes, book baby story times, art classes, pajama reading events, hola ninos, parenting courses, etc. Studies praise new parents’ involvement in local activities since "Parents and caregivers learn about child development by interacting with and observing other babies at other developmental stages. Parents learn from other parents, and babies learn from playing and watching other babies" (“Nurturing New Parents,”2017, p. 26). You can also build networks for future play dates. Make Ricky Martin proud as you’re “Livin La Vida Loca and Local!” Support local and check out all that we offer at Classic Childhood!

In closing, we encourage you to “love yourself,” without using the cheesy Biebs’ lyrics. Classic Childhood will playfully and sustainably get your kiddos European chic in no time! New moms raise children so bold, well-rounded, aspirational, and empathetic; you make our world so bold, strong, beautiful, bright, diverse, resilient, and intelligent!

References:

AmeriHealth Caritas. (1AD, Spring 2019). Get Out and About to Kick the Winter Blues. Business Wire (English). Retrieved from https://www.amerihealthcaritas.com/news/2019/011719-winter-blues.aspx

Begley, S. (2016). How Coloring Inside the Lines Came Into Fashion. Time, 187(9), 58–59.

Cahill, Grace. (2018, November 15). Winter blues & pinks and lilacs…. Daily Mail, p. 26.

Cissna-Heath, K., & Weber, M. J. (2015). Women in Leadership and Work-family Integration. Newcastle upon Tyne: Cambridge Scholars Publishing.

Fight Fatigue. (2018). Muscle & Fitness, 79(12), 58.

Hsieh, E. (2015). Motherhood Can Be a Lonely Place. Scientific American Mind, 26(5), 7–8. Retrieved from https://www.researchgate.net/publication/283938927_Motherhood_Can_Be_a_Lonely_Place

(2017). Nurturing New Parents. Library Journal, 142(18), 24–27.

Thornton, L., & Sigma Theta Tau International. (2013). Whole Person Caring: An Interprofessional Model for Healing and Wellness. Indianapolis, IN: Sigma Theta Tau International.