Ah Mummy Treats, either bringing with it great excitement or great guilt and in most cases unfortunately both! Either way Mummy Treats need to happen, in the form of however you see fit, food, beauty, exercise, time out and course the ultimate, a holiday (if you are brave enough) I'll be the first to admit I am still perfecting this, this whole treating yourself and then treating yourself nicely, food probably not so much, I think I'm good at the food treats part! No but seriously, I am one to be very hard on myself, I strive to be better, to be more and I am aware this is also my downfall. I don't give myself enough time or enough credit and I'm sure to the heavens that I am not the only one.
When Henley was super little, I did none of this, being a first time mummy I was highly strung to the max and I left no room for myself to make mistakes or rather let myself go unpunished when I felt like I was making mistakes. I needed to be perfect and my physical body sought to that otherwise, lack of sleep made sure I was running at maximum anxiety and minimal coming down, minimal growth. I experienced my first ever realities of depression, and then worse I had to admit to having post natal depression and although I wouldn't label it or say it often, looking back, I did. I know that now. I know I needed support, help and above all to take care of myself, to be gentle, and so slowly but surely (still learning) I made myself go against all I've ever felt and put myself first. I talked, I hate talking about how i feel, and allowed people who loved me to help to me. But the easiest thing I could have done and now implement are my mummy treats, they are small but they are important and they leave for massive healing and massive balance. They give you a start at happiness, at finding yourself again.
Here are my top Mummy Treats, growing a little more as I do, please enjoy, and please let me know if they help you too...
With love,
Jarns
Hot Chocolate:
I was on a super super super strict diet when Henny was little, due to re-flux, tongue and lip ties, us being so sensitive. So i was constantly craving treats. My go to was this healthy Hot Chocolate. Enjoy babies!
1 tablespoon organic cacao powder
1 tablespoon sweetness - maple syrup, honey, stevia, raw sugar
Fill bottom with boiling water and stir
Froth milk (your preference) i use coconut milk or organic full cream milk or lactose free milk
Pour on top of the chocolate water
Sprinkle with cocao
Meditation:
My go to mediation, it isn't hard and you might do it already and not even know you are doing it. So i close my eyes, take a moment to calm my system, sometimes putting essentials on beforehand, i do this by taking a few really deep breaths and on the out - i push as much of my emotions outward through my breath. Then i consciously focus all of my attention on how i am breathing, making it slow and deep breaths. I create an intention in my head for example, only feeling love, or peace, calming down, i breath out all my worries and my intentions with it, sending them all around me imaging them outward reaching the ends of the earth, my breath in then takes with it all of those intentions that have been put into the world by other people. I am both giving energy and taking it equally. I do this a few times, a few minutes and open my eyes. I often find myself doing this when i am rocking Henny to sleep.
Connecting with a similar soul:
For me there was one friend, one girl, one mother that was always there when I needed her, had a question, or just needed to cry and tell her all my demons. She always calmed me down, see she had a baby around the same age and we were first time mummies together, she always knew how I felt and the right things to say. She was my treat, my safe space and my constant. I think everyone needs that, that similar soul... The one that just gets you. If you don't have that similar soul in the ways you think you need, reach out anyways, you may just find them, or have someone who fulfills other needs not on a mummy level but whatever your description, connect with your similar soul. Tell them all your hopes and dreams. You know who you are and i love you
Having a nap:
My lord, if you have a chance to nap, girlfriend, nap!!!!! Switch off, wind down, breathe, forget and f*cking nap!! This was my favourite treat (didn't get many) but it was my favourite and most rewarding. When I gave this to myself, oh the joy it gave me, how proud of myself I was when I said enough, someone else take over, I am napping! Napping when your baby does, resting and taking those moments of just you, even for a minuscule moment in your chaos.
Pamper days:
Take days where I make sure I am making time to wash my hair, actually do my hair, my makeup, you know days where I make sure I do face masks, my nails, sun-bake, make myself an extra yummy lunch, massage myself or have a bath.
Shopping:
Mmmm good ol retail therapy, obviously I don't encourage unhealthy fulfilment or any addictions! Lol But I think a really good mummy treat of a physical item can go a long way in helping you feel really nice and bringing some excitement into your day. My suggestion, a really good quality piece of clothing (or 2), online, for your new and wonderful mum bod. Being comfortable was key for me, looking nice and being comfortable, which actually I'll be writing a blog about!
Exercise/getting outside:
Making time for you or even if you prefer with your bubba or kids, just being outside is a treat for the soul. It's fulfilling, beneficial, stimulating and healing. My favourites being, a morning walk with Henny, the gym on my own, going outside in the backyard watching Henny explore, going to the park, going to a cafe for a really good quality coffee, anywhere near the water and I haven't got back to it but yoga classes.
