Supporting Mums

19 Jul

Supporting Yourself in the Season You’re In

I remember wise words from my mother’s group, 10 years ago….’this too shall pass’. And another bit of wise advice for parenting ‘things don’t get easier, they get different’. At every stage of your child’s development there are beautiful things and there are also the challenges.

Mothers carry a large mental load of the family and the parenting responsibilities. I see many clients, mothers, with high stress levels and hormones out of whack as a result. Saying to my client’s to up their self-care can seem like an impossible thing for them to hear, and I know this from personal experience. How to fit more into an already bulgingly full schedule? Sometimes it feels like as the mother, your needs come last. It’s a season of giving to others. But how can you give to yourself?

The thing is, to give to yourself, IS giving to your loved ones…a joyful version of you, an energised version of you, a calm and resilient version of you. It’s what you would have wanted to see in your mother as a child. But the issue is, how do we do this? How do we find the time, and the energy?

Naturopaths have a great toolkit for supporting clients during this season of life. Sometimes taking herbs and supplements to help your body (nervous system) feel safe and resilient can be the first step towards making some goals like those listed below. When we’re in fight/flight/freeze mode without a break, it’s hard to get clear on how to improve things, how to improve energy or even what our needs/wants are.

It’s important to find the quiet moments to rest and reflect (calming your nervous system) - some examples:

Saying no…when it doesn’t feel like an absolute yes.
Switching off your phone to stop the scrolling.
Be in the boredom that comes up, feel the discomfort and come through the other side with epiphanies, inspirations, dreams and goals.
Book in a yin yoga class. This is basically mindfulness and meditation while stretching for long periods of time, holding the same pose. It’s restful and rejuvenating. There’s warm blankets and comfortable bolsters. Nothing is an effort at a yin class.
Book in a meditation or breathwork class. This calms your nervous system and tells your body that it’s safe, taking you out of fight/flight/freeze mode that busy parenting can put you in (sometimes without you noticing).
Head to nature, be in nature, walk in nature, sit in nature.
OR lay in bed if you need to, at any time of day, without distractions, without sleeping, but nap if your body needs to. Just resting is enough.
Get enough sleep, at least 8 hours, your battery needs to be full, go to bed early.
Finding a great counsellor to talk through the challenges with.

Investigate the Options that are available to you. Check out timetables, or what’s close by. What’s missing from this list that you enjoy?

Investigate. Plan. Take that step. Book that thing.

Natural Support is Available!

Sometimes clients come to me with a bag full of supplements because marketing has told them these products will help increase their energy, balance their hormones, reduce their stress. And for many people these products can be helpful.

But if there’s deeper health issues going on because of long term stress there won’t be much relief. Often, I see clients with symptoms such as IBS, low iron, low B12, low thyroid hormones, high oestrogen, adrenal burnout. It’s a state of depletion, and this takes time & guidance to repair.

Listed below are some helpful herbs and supplements that I prescribe to clients, but it’s not a one size fits all. It’s best to come and get some advice and direction and take your healing one step at a time with the guidance of a qualified health practitioner that you trust. Email the store if you have any questions or book a Naturopath appointment here.

Supplements: