Taking care of yourself after birth could help you nurse your baby better #Beststartinlife

As soon as the baby is born, many mother's cease to take care of themselves and draw all the attention to the child. In the end, mothers feel drained and tired and this affects the way they take care of their babies. The fatigue may sometimes result into an illness.

If you're like most new moms, it may seem nearly impossible to find time for yourself with a new baby in the house – but only by taking care of yourself can you give your baby the best possible care.

Try to carve out a few minutes each day for caring for yourself. Not only will that help you be less easily frustrated, irritable, and self-critical, you may even protect yourself from postpartum depression.

Here's a list of suggestions for self-care. You may not be able to follow every single one, but simply reading through them may help you recognize all the ways you need care, too.

  • Take care of yourself physically. Rest, eat right, exercise.
  • Develop a support system. Make sure you have other new parents to talk to and make a point of talking to them or seeing them at least once a week.
  • Express and accept your negative feelings. It's normal to feel bad sometimes when you're adjusting to a new baby.
  • Focus on your positive feelings. Look for ways in which you do feel good and pay attention to those, too.
  • Take breaks by yourself, with your partner, or with another adult. No one can work at a job nonstop without some time off every day.
  • Keep your expectations realistic. No one can do it all, let alone do it perfectly. Work toward reasonable, achievable goals, whether dealing with feelings, doing housework or losing your pre-baby weight.
  • Nurture your sense of humor. Try to laugh daily, whether at yourself, your situation, or something outside of all this.
  • Structure your day. Plan loosely how you'll spend your day, designating time for all the items on this list. Keep the plan flexible and realistic so you can stick to it.
  • Postpone other major life changes. Avoid taking on a new job, a new home, or a new partner until you feel more settled in your new role of mother.

-Babycenter