For any mom in 2021, taking care of yourself is nothing short of a radical act. But making your health a priority must take precedent—and if the pandemic taught us anything , it’s to be more intentional about how you care for yourself.
That’s why Parsley Health partnered with HeyMama to bring together three powerhouse women: Dr. Darcy McConnell , lead clinician at Parsley Health, Katya Libin , co-founder and CEO at HeyMama, and Rachel Mansfield , cookbook author, recipe developer, and podcast host to unearth actionable solutions for the complicated issue of how moms can take care of themselves. Because as most moms know, carving out time for ourselves feels nearly impossible while also caring for the entirety of the family’s emotional, social, mental, and physical wellbeing. (We’re looking at you, children.)
During the event, Parsley Health lead clinician Dr. Darcy McConnell offered holistic strategies for integrating a science-backed self-care regimen into a life of too many demands and not enough time or energy. Missed it? Don’t worry, you can still use her tips and tricks for prioritizing self-care, which are good for your health but also a profound act of self-love.
Asking a parent to add one more thing to their endless to-do list may seem unrealistic, but it pays off in the long run. Moms often report higher levels of fatigue and stress and rate their overall health as worse than women without children. A study published in Preventative Medicine also found that for each child a woman had, her risk of obesity increased 7 percent. There are many factors that can be at play with symptoms like fatigue and weight gain, including postpartum hormonal changes , which are common but should be addressed to prevent health issues down the road.
Hypothyroidism can also develop postpartum due in part to certain immune system changes that occur. Because moms undergo so many physical, emotional, and mental fluctuations during childbearing years, it’s important to be cognizant of holistic means to care for yourself.
Dr. McConnell explains, “There’s a difference between self-care and science-backed self-care. An example that I can think of is the ‘relaxing bubble bath’. What I would recommend is cutting out the alcohol, remove the iPad in the bathtub, and add some Epsom salts and lavender essential oils—those things are science-backed—and I can get behind them.”
Simply put, science-backed self-care is healthcare and it should be non-negotiable. Here’s what you can do:
Self-care should not be a radical act. It’s also not something you can do once. You need to continue showing up for yourself. As Dr. McConnell reminds us, “When we’re not feeling good physically, we’re not going to be feeling good mentally and emotionally.”
And vary the activities you rely on for self-care, she says, because oftentimes typical self-care means engaging extensively with one thing. But there’s power in variety. Especially when it comes to what you are doing for physical care. Dr. McConnell tells moms to “mix it up” because if you focusing only on one movement (ie. running or cycling), there’s a greater chance you’ll injure yourself.
Take a good look at your daily activities and routines. Who inhabits your world? How do you interact with your community? Dr. McConnell calls it the bio-psycho-social model. “It’s our environment that’s also so important. It’s where we are; it’s who we spend time with; it’s what we do with our lives; what we’re passionate about; the place we occupy; the people that we have relationships with; and it’s the community we spend time with,” she says.
Dr. McConnell uses this model in her work with members at Parsley Health : “When we ask about your health, we’re asking about your physical health and your mental health, but we’re also asking about your social health—how you are doing in a community, what support you have. And I think for moms, that is more important, really, than anything else.”
Dr. McConnell reminds us: “Would you let your little one stay up on their devices until 1 a.m.? Of course, you wouldn’t. Would you deny them a healthy habit? Of course not. But the same goes for us, as moms. I think of it as shining this nurturing, empowering light that we are always granting to other people—we’re teaching them, training them, loving them—and we have to turn that back internally to ourselves.” Because remember, high levels of stress can impact you and your children . So it is imperative to your health to prevent burnout before it becomes an issue.
Part of self-care is also having an expert medical team around you to support and guide you when you need it. Dr. McConnell suggests: “Find a doctor you can really trust. You want to find someone you can be in a collaborative relationship with. That they will listen, hear you, and work toward common health goals .”
Bring up the smallest issues to your healthcare team because it may be a clue into your health. “Ask for testing,” says Dr. McConnell. “At Parsley, we do diagnostic testing —a deep dive into bloodwork to make sure we see more than the average baseline labs at a standard care practice. We run a full nutrient panel, thyroid and hormone testing, heart health, a deep dive into lipids, and metabolic markers (like glucose and insulin). And inflammatory markers, too, for data-driven healthcare .” Make sure your doctor is on board with your goals.
Dr. McConnell tells us to: “Recognize expectations and stand up for yourself! I felt sorry for myself for too long—it appeared everyone else was having more fun in life than me. But we need to recognize that we put expectations on ourselves. We burden ourselves to be the only nurturer, to stay in complete control, of not wanting to let go, not wanting to let others assist. But everyone else was getting nurturing, and I didn’t get any myself.” Create a routine that sets the tone for your every day. Go for a daily walk, set aside an hour for yourself to spend doing whatever you want, make choices that serve you in addition to your family. Commit to rituals and sacred time for you.
And also, be careful when, where, and how you expend your energy. It’s ok to say “no” as you advocate for your time and wellbeing. We are all doing the best we can, so let go of the guilt of being everything to everyone.
Because at the end of the day taking care of yourself as a mom has to come first. Dr. McConnell reminds us: “When I’m with a patient who is a mom, I talk about how moms are excellent at other care but not so great at self-care. And that’s why it’s a radical act, to turn that around.”
Brooke Klauer is a freelance writer and editor in the lifestyle and wellness space. She’s worked for various publications such as The Fold, The Chalkboard Mag, The Everygirl, and Honest History among others. She has an undergraduate degree in English from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree in education from Loyola University Chicago. When she’s not working or chasing down hugs from her three children, you will most likely find her in a cozy nook with her nose buried in a book.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation call to learn if Parsley Health is right for you.
Our clinicians specialize in functional medicine and get to the root cause of your chronic health issues so you can finally feel better.