Healing both mentally and physically after having your baby is one of the hardest things in the world to do. The only way you can care for your new baby and your other kids is if you take care of yourself first. Here are 6 tips (from mamas who have been through this recovery process more than once...) that will help you on a realistic and healthy road to recovery!

1. Get a “nursty” (aka humongous water bottle w/ tons of ice and a straw).

2. Use Tubby Todd All Over Ointment anywhere skin is feeling extra dry.

3. Make padsicles: Freeze thick pads + Tucks. Change your padsicle EVERY time you go to the bathroom. This keeps the inflammation down and soothes any healing stitches, tears, etc.

4. Take lots of Sitz baths. (Basically just warm shallow baths for your lady parts.)

5. Get skin-to-skin with your newborn: It helps you heal, bonds you to baby, and is super yummy. Let yourself just die a little over that newborn smell. (Crying a little here just thinking about it.)

6. Take a break NOW: Sit on the porch, lay on a blanket in your backyard, take a walk around the neighborhood (or to your mailbox), call your mom and cry while driving to get a gallon of ice cream. But promise me you’ll leave that baby with someone you trust for 5-20 minutes as soon as you’re ready to get a little breather. Newborn crying, poop, new-mom anxiety, birth recovery, and utter exhaustion are beasts, and you’ve got to be proactive to keep your head on straight. Don’t try to be a hero.

You might not feel like tip #6 is necessary or even available to you, but it is something every mama needs to do!  Breaks, when you allow yourself to have them, are so necessary and fun and it's just what you need to get back to feeling like your old self.

*This is an excerpt from our book, You've Got This, Mama.