You Deserve Rest, Mama
You Deserve Rest, Mama
Your permission to rest
When I was pregnant, I would nap all of the time. I took luxurious, middle of the day, afternoon sunlight dappled naps like it was my job. And to be honest I considered it to be just that. Taking care of my body, which included getting a lot of rest, was something that I took very seriously while I was pregnant.
For many women, pregnancy is the first time they give themselves permission to take care of themselves in a way that can otherwise feel unrealistic (or worse, selfish).
And I get that. Taking a nap in the middle of the day is not always possible (especially after your baby makes its way earthside).
But I’m here today to restore that permission & to tell you that:
You Deserve Rest, Mama
Rest may not look the same way it did while you were pregnant, but you are still just as deserving. Your body may not be physically growing another human anymore, but the work of mothering is still an incredible feat. You are lifting, loading, squatting, jogging, crawling, packing, planning and holding ALL of the time.
Take a moment today to remind yourself of all of the work that you do. Celebrate all that you achieve on a daily basis. And give yourself permission to rest.
Here are my three favorite ways to take a moment of rest - all under 10 minutes:
Reset your nervous system with three deep breaths (2 minutes) - Find a comfortable seat. Close your eyes (if possible). Sit up tall. Relax your shoulders down. Beautiful. Now take a long, slow inhale in through your nose. Exhale out on a sigh. Inhale again counting to six. Hold at the top. Exhale out on a sigh. Take in one more long, slow inhale and exhale all the air out on a sigh. Notice what has changed (if anything). Blink your eyes open. Well done!
Rub your own feet (5 minutes) - Find Seated Cobbler’s Pose / Bound Angle Pose by sitting down on the ground and bringing the soles of your feet together. Let your hands wrap around your toes, your ankles or your shins. Sit up tall. Take a few breaths here to relax. Now bring your thumbs to the arches of your feet and begin to massage, pressing the thumbs into your skin and/or pulling your thumbs from the center of your feet out. Continue breathing deep and rubbing your feet for at least three minutes. Enjoy.
Do a body scan (8 minutes) - Lay flat on your back (or find a position that is comfortable for you). Imagine a tiny circle of light on the very top of your head. Looking to warm the body? Imagine that light is a golden, honey color. Looking to cool down? Imagine that light is shimmery & white. Bring your attention to that tiny circle of light. Now imagine the circle growing a bit bigger, covering the top of your head, your ears, the sides of your face, your cheeks, your mouth and eventually your neck. Allow the light to travel down your shoulders, your chest and your belly. Let it spill down your hips, your quads, your knees and your shins. Finally, the light travels over the tops of your feet & your toes. You are now bathing in that sweet, soothing light. Relax your whole body. Stay for three breaths. Then slowly (very slowly) roll to one side & blink your eyes open. Push yourself up to your seat. Take one final long, slow inhale in and exhale out. Wonderful job.
And if you happen to find yourself with time for an afternoon nap, even for just 15 or 20 minutes, here is me telling you that you definitely (definitely) deserve it.