Maternal Mental Health: Self-Care for Black Moms

Nourishment

Make a meal plan – planning in advance definitely takes the stress off later. Having to think about
what’s for dinner (or breakfast or lunch) everyday can be stressful and possibly lead to less than
nutritious options. Taking the time at the beginning of your week to plan out your meals and perhaps
even meal prep will save you time and do wonders for your maternal mental health.

Ask your family to help in the kitchen – this can be fun as well as a bonding moment while taking the
load off of just one person doing all the work. Get your household involved and knock off the kitchen
work in record time!

Start a garden – putting your hands in some dirt can be therapeutic. You won’t just be getting a little
dirty, but also producing what could be literal fruits of your labor.

Maternal Mental Health

Journal/Free-write – doesn’t matter if you journal with a purpose or free-write to clear your mind. Get
those thoughts down and see how freeing it feels.

Pray/Meditate – whether you take some quiet time in the morning, before bed or sometime during the
day, make it impactful.

Read – this is a great way to escape without physically travelling. Let your mind getaway. Whatever
your preference of genre, pick what fits your mood and block out the world around you.

Binge – I love a good binge-watching session. Nothing wrong with some entertaining content to get lost
in occasionally.

Do something crafty – get lost in making something pretty, useful or even a craft to give as a gift. You’ll
feel proud after you’ve completed your project too.

Take a bath – grab your favorite bubble bath, oils and or bath salts and soak your cares away (while
moisturizing your skin). Take it up a notch and light a beautiful smelling candle, put on some music to
vibe to and maybe have a glass of your beverage of choice nearby.

Clean/organize your home – it’s been said that a cluttered room leads to a cluttered mind. You might be
surprised how much your mood improves once you tidy up or organize your space.

Listen to an inspirational podcast – sometimes all you need is to hear an encouraging word. You can
even combine this one with cleaning or taking a bath if you’re feeling froggy.

Looking for maternal mental health support in the form of an organization, check out this article showcasing orgs for black moms by black moms!

Social Health

Call a friend – that’s it. Catch up, walk down memory lane, talk about frivolous topics. Whatever you feel, instant mood booster.

Plan a friend date – friends, good conversation and perhaps food, what’s better? Don’t put it off any longer, book that date with your good girl friend or friends!

Take a class at the local community college – have you always wanted to learn photography or want to practice creative writing or just want to get some advance skills? For a fairly low cost, you can pick up a class at your local community college and feed that interest.

Join a club – gardening, reading, walking, biking… the list goes on and on. I’m sure you can find a club that fits you. Whether it be in person or online, join that club and engage with others who share that interest or hobby.

Volunteer – does serving others give you warm feels? Look into volunteer opportunities in your area. Whether you enjoy helping people, animals or just want to assist behind the scenes, there are lots of organizations looking for volunteers. Do your googles.

Physical Health and Fitness

Nature walk – fresh air, pretty foliage and nice weather makes for a mood improving walk. Bonus points if you can take a walk near some water. Take in those nature sounds and enjoy the light exercise at the same time.

Take time to stretch – I’ve read that stretching before bed can improve your sleep. Stretching doesn’t have to precede or follow a workout. It’ll feel good either way.

Make time to exercise – working out is a great way to shake up those endorphins. The benefits go beyond looking good here, that’s just a plus.

Take a yoga class – if you’re more of a low impact exerciser, yoga could be the way to go. Gently work your joints, improve flexibility, tone those muscles amongst many other health benefits.

If you still need more options, Munchkin offers some other ideas in self care during pregnancy for you to explore.

What are some different ways you have practiced self care during your pregnancy? Or which of the ways listed is one that you love to incorporate? Share in the comments!