Self-care can be defined as anything that helps improve our physical, emotional, or mental well-being.
Take the Pacific Post Partum Support Society’s short self-care quiz to see if you’re making enough time to prioritize yourself.
There are 14 questions in this quiz where you answer yes or no to, and if you have a low number of “yes” answers, it might be an indication that you need to spend more time on yourself.
The Reproductive Mental Health program at BC Women’s Hospital & Health Centre developed NEST-S which defines the key pieces of self-care:
Nutrition: Make it easy to enjoy nutritious foods throughout the day by prepping snacks ahead of time (e.g. veggies and dip).
Exercise: There is considerable research on the benefits of regular exercise for improving depression.
Sleep and rest: Sleep is very important for both physical and mental health but it can be difficult with a newborn. Even sleeping or resting for a short time can improve your mood.
Time for self: This is an area that new parents often neglect and can be especially detrimental for new parents who are depressed and/or experiencing other mental health concerns.
Support: Social support plays an important role in helping new parents adjust to life changes. Healthy relationships can help prevent depression and other mental health disorders, and are also an important factor in recovery.
Start by choosing one of the above NEST-S components and ask yourself, what could I do to improve my _____? Then ask yourself, what can I do in the next _____ minutes?” to help determine what is realistic for you and your schedule.
Homewood Health Self-Care Starter Kit (with self-care planner template)
Pacific Post Partum Support Society: Journey Resources
(scroll down to Self-Care)
Set an alarm for yourself at a time of day when you are more likely to have 10-15 minutes to practice self-care.
Start small: brush your teeth or get dressed. Small acts like these might spark more energy and motivation.
Drink water: make sure you’re drinking enough water and eating regularly—you can forget these things when you’re worried about taking care of others!
Download an app: set prompts for your daily activities.
Aloe Bud
Set gentle self-care reminders