SELF-CARE: A Momma Must-have

Every nursing momma, no matter how difficult her journey is, would always wish to nourish her little one for as long as she can. Difficult? Yes, but not impossible. Para matupad ang wish mo, it pays to do regular self-care, a deliberate activity that you do to take care of your emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. This can include, among many others, engaging in physical activities like yoga or dancing, eating healthy, journaling, practicing meditation, painting, getting a massage, and even reconnecting with friends.

Amidst your never-ending-list of duties, both at home and at work, mahirap talaga to practice self-care. Rest time siya, pero kailangan pa ng effort to make it happen. But don’t you worry, it will all be worth it. Taking time off to care for yourself is crucial as it allows you to breathe, refresh, and recharge. But remember, your self-care pause should be on top of your lactation breaks. Whether you’re busy working at the office or stressed sa kakawork-from-home, nurturing and nourishing your self will sustain you and help prolong your nursing days ahead. Here’s why:

Happy momma, happy baby

‘Pag pagod and stressed ka, you produce less milk. And when you do, you get stressed all the more. So how do you reverse this miserable cycle? By taking regular self-care breaks and letting go of your strains and pains.

Whether you use your time para magmeditate, brisk walk around the house, or bumisita sa ‘yong blossoming potted greens, your body will produce happy chemicals called serotonin. When you’re happy and not stressed, you produce more milk. And when you do, your baby will be happy, too! Kaya if and when you feel a sense of guilt about having your “me time,” remember that you’re not being selfish, you’re actually being generous to yourself and your little one.

Better weight watch

The first few weeks of motherhood can be very exhausting. When you use up your energy for your daily tasks, at lagi kang pagod, your tendency is to lose weight. ‘Pag nagtuluy-tuloy, bad news ‘yon because you can be prone to sicknesses. Buti na lang, doing self-care, like finding time to sit down and enjoy a full, nutritious meal, going through mindfulness sessions, riding a bike, or walking your dog, will help you recover and be more mindful of your health and wellbeing. As a result, you are better equipped to play your role as a nursing momma.

Nourished momma

Do you know that the body of a lactating momma will always prioritize producing healthy milk for the baby? Sadly, whatever nutrients are left after that, yun lang ang mapupunta sa ‘yo, momma. If you practice self-care, mas nabibigyan mo ang sarili mo ng priority to load up on nutrition. ‘Pag alaga mo ang katawan mo, you are better fit to care for baby.

As you say “challenge accepted” to taking MommaLove Yourself, your 30-minute self-care time, know that you can count on MommaLove to be there for you as well. And while you’re on pause, try a warm mug of Nestlé MommaLove, a lactation milk drink loaded with malunggay, calcium, iron, and folate to help nourish nursing moms like you.

Don’t forget about yourself, momma. Kaya mo 'yan!