I'm smack dab in the middle of what I think of as the 6-week postnatal cocooning period. We're living off of frozen meals that I made back in December and other yummy, warmer meals from generous friends. Our other sustaining staples are chocolate chips and almonds because grocery trips are erratic. House cleaning happens one room at a time if at all. This week I cleaned the bathroom. I should be more specific...the half bathroom. Okay. Really I just sprayed Windex into the air.
The first one point five months are special and trying for both mom and baby. Time simultaneously crawls and flies. Accomplishing the smallest task feels like reaching the summit of Everest. These snow storms have added a dose a coziness to the whole experience and I am actually quite content to be in this cocoon with Eleanor and Charles during the deepest part of winter. And despite feeling like a slowly deflating balloon with wonky hips, I am treating this time as a sort of retreat from normalcy and the day-to-day grind. Rachel, a Boston-based blogger, wrote this beautiful reflection on "self care" and I thought, what an appropriate way to describe the tiny efforts I am making to preserve these 6-weeks--a time of self care. I do some small, refreshing thing each day to help myself transition into the new role as mom of two. Each of the following takes no longer than 10 minutes to do because finding even 10 minutes can be a challenge.
Read the Psalms. I never thought I would say this, but "I have this great app..." Anyhow, I find that the ESV app version of the Bible on my iPhone is the perfect way to read the Word in the wee hours of the morning while I'm feeding Charles.
Cut and file nails and take a few extra minutes applying lotion. For some reason, this process feels luxurious to me.
Do some yoga and breathing. I discovered this tension relieving sequence and guide to reverse breathing and it is truly fantastic. Very gentle and safe to do even before the 6-week mark. I would not do the abdominal sequence until I got the okay from my doctor.
Shower with the lights off and maybe light a candle. I leave the bathroom door open a bit so that I'm not showering in the dark. There is something so soothing about taking a hot shower in dim light.
Make a smoothie. I was never much for smoothies, but I have to tell you that drinking a green concoction makes me feel like I am doing something really good for my body. A plus is that Eleanor has been enjoying them too! Kale and spinach taste delicious when tempered with apple and yogurt. Here are two of my favorite recipes:
KALE, APPLE & GINGER (no dairy)- Blitz all of the following in a blender
1 cup of kale leaves, torn
1 apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 inch piece of shredded fresh ginger
2 tablespoons of lemon juice
1/2 cup of water
1 1/2 cups of ice
squirt of agave
SPINACH & STRAWBERRY - Blitz and enjoy!
1 cup of spinach leaves
8 frozen strawberries
1/4 plain yogurt (I use Greek yogurt to up the protein)
1/2 banana
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups ice
Both recipes adapted from Giada's Feel Good Food.
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