Mental Health in Mothers: How to Cope with the Overwhelm
Mothers work a 24/7 job that takes time away from getting rest, eating well, and having time to themselves. While you are a mom who loves your child(ren), it’s important to consider how the toll of mental health in mothers can impact your life and your family. Trying to be someone who does everything for everyone, but never getting that option to care for yourself is a recipe for a shaky mental health.
This isn’t a post about prioritizing self-care like getting a mani/pedi or spending a day at the spa. While that sounds super dreamy, it’s not realistic for all moms to be able to participate in that. Instead, you can take daily steps in your home now that can help you overcome the overwhelm in motherhood.
If you are ready to make a positive change in your mental health as a mom, consider the tips laid out here that can change the way you do life from here on out. You don’t have to put yourself at the bottom of the list. Mental health in mothers is an important aspect that needs to be considered for everyone in the family.
What is Maternal Mental Health?
Mental health in mothers is also known as maternal mental health. When a woman has a baby, her brain undergoes a tremendous change as well as her body. As a mom, your role also changes in life meaning you are now caring for something that is completely dependent on you. This can take a toll on your mental health.
Maternal mental health specifically refers to the mental health of a woman who has children. This goes beyond postpartum. Read more about maternal mental health, including looking for the right therapist to help you get back to a healthy mental state.
5 Ways to Cope with Motherhood Overwhelm
Mental health in mothers matters. Take a small step in your mental health journey by implementing some of these ways to cope.
Communicate
The only way you can make your needs known is by communicating with your partner and your support system. When you are overwhelmed, it is best for your mental health to communicate with others when you are feeling this way. Sometimes it could be as simple as getting it off of your chest that makes you feel better.
Other times, your communication with others can help implement a plan for ways to receive help. Things like having friends send meals, family coming over to help clean, or your partner taking more time with the children in your care. Whatever you feel is contributing to your overwhelm, making a plan with others is the best way to cope.
Set a Routine
Depending on the age of your child(ren), setting a routine can be challenging. However, if you can set a routine for yourself that helps you be able to predict the next thing happening in your day, this could alleviate some of the pressure you feel. When you have to think in the midst of duties and figure out what to do next in your day, this can become too much at any given moment.
Set intentional times in your day where you get to have your coffee, tea, or water. Make it a priority to get outside time with your children. Establish good eating habits with predictable meals and the time of day when they should occur. Your routine can help you feel at ease in motherhood.
Find a Therapist
A therapist is one of the biggest tools for setting positive mental health in mothers. Therapists are trained and skilled in helping others untangle the mess of thoughts, anxieties, and overwhelm that come with life as a mom. You don’t have to be diagnosed with anything specific to see a therapist. If you partner with a therapist, you can actually help prevent or lessen the impact of mental health disorders.
A therapist like myself can be someone you come to for support, encouragement, and actionable steps. Your mental health is my priority. We can partner together to get you into a better head space surrounding life and motherhood. Overwhelm can be enough to drive wedges in relationships and other pieces of life. Don’t wait too long to receive proper mental health care.
Ask for Outside Help
There are times when spending a few dollars to have a babysitter come over for an hour or two is the best decision you can make. Regardless if you can afford to do this often or just every once in a while, you need a break from motherhood duties. A sitter could be the perfect outside help you need.
Simply go for a drive, talk a walk, or sit under a tree in your neighborhood and read a book. This time away without anyone needing anything from you can work wonders. You don’t have to fill this time running more errands. Just take some time to breathe and catch up with yourself.
Non-negotiable Quiet Time
No matter if you have older children or little ones, a non-negotiable quiet time designated each day is helpful for mental health in mothers. The amount of noise that comes from children being in your home is underestimated. Have your children go down for a nap or request them to do a quiet activity in their room for at least an hour while you take this opportunity to have a quieter home space.
This is a time for you to feed yourself, drink some water, or take a nap yourself. Your brain needs time away from the noise so that it can relax from the overstimulation. You and your brain will thank you for this quiet time each day.
A Mother’s Mental Health Matters
Before you became a mom, it’s likely you didn’t consider all of the mental changes and stimulation you would face raising children in your home. Mental health in mothers has been put on the back burner for decades. It’s time to consider yourself again as an important member of your family who deserves to have their mental health a priority as well as everyone else’s.
Start with simple changes you can implement in your day to improve your mental health. You don’t have to make big life changes now. Try out what works and what doesn’t work for you. Don’t forget to schedule your free consultation with me, a maternal mental health expert, to help you make a plan for the long-term for your mental health. Your family will thank you for it.