We also know that when mumma gets sick she doesn’t get to just go to bed for 3 days. She still has to look after her family and make sure everyone is fed, going to school, not destroying anything and so on.
For the last week my family and I have been plagued with the flu. It’s been a rough week. Because motherhood usually means that when mumma gets sick the household falls apart.
However, it is important to look after ourselves as best as we can through sickness because we may feel like we need to be invincible, but we’re not. And we don’t take care of ourselves, the way we would our families, we will end up more sick, and feeling less strong.
With this in mind I wanted to share my top tips for getting through sickness as a mumma.
- Showers. Take lots of hot showers. The water is soothing, the heat loosens the muscles and it does help to feel fresher.
- Grooming. I know that shaving your legs and armpits while you’re sick is like the last thing on your mind but trust me. After a few days of illness the upsetting thing often isn’t the illness itself, but the reaction you get when you look at yourself in the mirror. You think ‘oh great, now I look like a yeti.’ Taking 5 minutes to shave and moisturise and wash your hair will help you bounce back faster and with more confidence.
- Lower your standards. When you’re sick you have limited energy stores. If feeding your kids fish fingers and not bathing them two nights in a row allows you the energy to drive them to school then so be it. Just ask yourself- ‘will this really matter in 10 years’ time?’
- Communicate. It seems obvious but I bet many of you are guilty of keeping your needs to yourself. When you’re are ill it is not the time to suffer in silence and then resent others for not being supportive. Let people know that you’re unwell and that you can’t keep up your usual routine until further notice. People will live.
- Slow down. Like really slow down. Give yourself permission to not move quickly, to go and get a coffee by yourself, to go to the Doctor and to take naps. And I know that you’re reading this thinking ‘that’s a really nice fantasy Rach but I live in the real world’. But guess what, you create your real world. So go back to step 1 and read through again. I mean that with love.
So now that I’ve written this I’m going to go and quietly curl up in a corner for an hour. Or so.
Take care mummas,
Rach
About Rach Wheatley, Project: Breathe
Rach Wheatley is a proud mum and wife who juggles day care drop offs, collecting pretty things and getting sweaty via a range of fun/crazy fitness adventures. Rach loves working with women who want to live a more meaning life and thrives on helping women live out their life purpose by developing the business of their dreams. She does this through her business Project: Breathe. Her online business and blog provides consultation, workshops and tools to help women build a meaningful business and life.
