My plans of becoming a mommy who didn't 'let herself go' failed right from my pregnancy days. I always thought I was going to be the type of mom who is able to be on top of her self-care game as I was before getting pregnant. But as soon as I was two months pregnant, I couldn't keep up with my self-care routines and tips. I was too sick for that.

Right until now that I have had my baby, self-care is still a struggle for me. but with time, I have come to learn how to care for myself by putting myself first.

There are many ways to put yourself first and as a mom, it can happen in the simplest ways. It's a way to frequently remind yourself that you also have a life and you matter. Sometimes motherhood takes the most of you and you lose your identity. You are no longer identified as you but only as somebody's mom. Every joy or pain you know comes from or hides behind motherhood. your needs are left behind. If you feel this way, then you need some self-care.

Putting yourself first isn't a bad thing. Kids are fragile and need to be taken care of but their caretakers need to feel taken care of as well.  You need to feel worthy too. Your needs matter. Your feelings matter. Your desires matter.

5 ways to take care of yourself by putting yourself first. 

1. Attend to your basic needs first

This one goes especially to my new mamas out there. When you've got a new baby, doing basic things like eating, sleeping and showering for yourself feel like such a luxury. In fact, it becomes a real luxury because you barely have time to do these things.

It is easy to forget yourself or put yourself behind while taking care of your baby. You may feel overwhelmed and don't know how to go about it. But the best way is to think about it this way. You need your basic needs like showering, eating and sleeping to be met so that you can be a better mother to your baby or kids.

So you have to put these needs first. I had a hard time doing this but on the days I did, I felt so good about myself and the day was easy to manage. Find a way to eat and shower first then make sleep a priority by going to sleep while the baby is sleeping. I know you may have lots of work you need to do while the baby is sleeping but you can take just a few minutes to rest mama. It will do you a lot of good during the rest of the day.

Eating first gives you the energy to take care of your child. You may run out of energy because it takes a lot of it to be in top form for your kids. So eat well and make sure you don't skip meals. When you find the time to eat before them, then do so. Feeding a child can be so energy-draining so you need to be well-armed.

Also when you shower early, you feel clean, worthy and ready care for them. There are fewer fears of transferring germs to them or anything like that. I used to feel that way a lot when I have to breastfeed my baby before I shower.

Acts as little as these make you feel cared for and it really makes you feel good about yourself.

2. Work on your career, passion or hobby

To sum it all up, find something you love and do it. If it means going back to your career then find a way to do it. Find a passion that makes you feel fulfilled or a hobby that makes you happy.

These things will energize you and give you a break from your routine of motherhood.

3. Love yourself as much as you love your family

Love yourself that much. You need to love yourself and show yourself that you love yourself. That's a great way to care for yourself. Loving yourself is offering the best to yourself and putting yourself first.

4. Take care of your mental health

Motherhood is beautiful. But being a mom keeps your mind thinking for so long that it can drive you insane. You need to take care of your mind and protect it from depression. Take out time to relax and destress. Alone time will be fantastic if you can get some.

5. Work on improving yourself

Improving yourself is one of the best ways to care for yourself. personal development is important and should be high up on your list. It's important to improve and be the version of yourself that you will be proud of.

So work on yourself to be a better person just like you work hard to become a better mom.