5 Tips to Avoid Postpartum Motherhood Burnout
As a mom, have you ever had the experience of looking in the mirror and thought; “wow, I look tired!” And not, “I just spent a night out with friends drinking and dancing” kind of tired but more like “I don’t recognize myself anymore” tired. It’s a kind of exhaustion that you can feel in your bones. You try to figure out when it all caught up to you. You are officially experiencing postpartum motherhood burnout!
Being a parent is hard work but it doesn’t have to make you feel defeated.
Here are 5 Strategies to Help Manage Motherhood Burnout:
1) Maintain Your Social Connections
When you are busy raising your kids, your social relationships (outside playgroups and playdates) tend to take a back seat. It is so important to keep our social connections active sans children. Friends provide us with the support, fun and escape that we all need to recharge our batteries. Whether it's grabbing a coffee, going for a walk or even a chat on the phone, friends can help throw us a life preserver when we feel like we are drowning.
2) What Have You Done For Yourself This Week?
It is a concept that is often repeated time and time again but for important reasons. How can we best take care of our children, be a committed partner and maintain our sanity without first taking care of ourselves? Choose something that you actually enjoy and try to do it at least once a week. Some people find working out to be an unbelievable stress reliever. Others feel that going to the gym is more of a chore. Think about what provides you with an outlet and a break from your everyday stresses. Secure childcare and just do it. You and your family will be happy you did!
3) Practice Self-Compassion
We are our own biggest critic. Constantly judging ourselves and our parenting can take a huge toll on our confidence and self-esteem. As humans, we all make mistakes. Sometimes we have no idea what we are doing or sometimes things don’t always go as planned. Maybe you turned your back on your toddler for one second and they fell and hurt themself. Or, after a stressful day, your children have pushed you too far and you lose your temper. Try to be kind to yourself and give yourself a break. You are doing the best you can and that's okay.
4) Reclaim Your Self-Identity
What are you passionate about? What provides you with drive and happiness? For some people, this is an easy answer but for others, it can be more difficult. Take that time to figure out who you are and who you want to be separate from your identity as “mommy”. It is not uncommon that during maternity leave a lot of mothers start to question their current career choices. Take some time to ponder what brings you happiness, devise a plan and take action. Nothing is more exciting!
5) Recognize The Signs Of When You Are Heading Towards Burnout
It is not uncommon for people to not even notice when they are starting to stretch themselves too thin. We are all guilty of this. You are going through the motions of your daily routines while trying to keep your head above water. Many women end up in my office when they start to notice that their stress is now taking a toll on their emotional and physical health. They are more unhappy and irritable, feeling tension and strain in their marriage and relationships and feel that their life is spinning out of control.
What are some warning signs that you are heading towards postpartum burnout?
More irritable and have less patience.
Feeling tired all of the time.
Going through the daily motions of everyday life without much enjoyment.
Feeling disconnected from your partner and other important people in your life.
Lack of motivation or general unhappiness.
It’s so important to try and recognize the signs that you might be burning out as a mother. When you start to notice that you are heading down this road try out these 5 tips to avoid postpartum burnout or reach out to us at Midtown Toronto Therapy. We are here to help and look forward to meeting you.
