照顾自己和母乳喂养

你为人父母后，很容易忘记那些可以帮你生活得更好、改善身心健康的兴趣和爱好。你可以能会经历一段像是自己处于次要地位的时光，但与此同时，你也在不断进化，并开发和创造出照顾自己的新方法。在最近的《新起点》脸书页面上的一次讨论中，我们请一些父母分享了他们是如何在养育孩子的同时，为自己腾出时间。我们希望你目前无论处于人生旅程的哪个阶段，你都能在这里找到一些对自己和家人有用的小贴士。

当宝宝还是个新生儿，而你忙得不可开交的时候，照顾自己可能要从点滴的小事做起。也许你有喜欢的零食、小吃或饮料，可以在给孩子哺乳的同时给你带来满足感。触手可及的小零食可以让疲惫的父母重展笑颜。也许几次正念深呼吸可以帮你在很短的时间内照顾好自己。轻松的音乐有助于调整你自己和任何年龄的孩子，从最小的婴儿到较大的孩子都行。照顾自己不一定需要做大事。有时一些小小的有意安排的时刻会给最忙碌的日子带来平和。

威内玛·L讲述了她带孩子时怎么照顾自己的经历。她的窍门是什么？婴儿背巾！“我习惯于用背巾抱着孩子，把我要编织的东西放在有提手的包里，这样我能把包挎在胳膊上，然后一边编织一边在森林小路上漫步(用环形针编织一些简单织物)。我会同时戴着耳机听有声读物。我感觉在用三种不同的方式滋养自己，而我的宝宝也非常快乐。有时我会背着宝宝，带上我的吉他漫步。我也曾在聚会上用背巾，直到孩子们长大到主动要下来，一般是在三岁左右。这意味着我往往不得不一直站着，但我并不孤单，因为要追着我学步的大孩子。婴儿背巾或许是我滋养孩子和自己的最大工具。”

共同滋养（滋养孩子和自己）是一个很棒的概念。在孩子还很小的时候，父母可能需要努力尝试平衡好滋养孩子和自己，这样你同时满足了孩子和你自己的需求。在这段孩子对你有强烈依赖的时期，创造力和灵活性是找到自我照顾片刻的关键。

罗伯塔·N分享说，婴儿背巾是让她回到喜爱的活动中的一个重要帮手。她告诉我们，“我把孩子放在背巾里，给他们喂奶，然后去修理草坪(用一种老式的滚轴割草机!)或去烤面包!”

许多父母还发现，当孩子安全地躺在另一个照顾者的怀里时，他们可以为自己挤出一些时间来。凯莉·P叙述了适合她家人的安排：“我是一个有很多照顾自己的方法和兴趣爱好的人。什么都会……但什么都不精！当孩子还年幼时，我一边抱着睡着的宝宝，一边试着花时间去冥想、深呼吸。随着他们长大，我们可以一起散步、做瑜伽。我发现可以让孩子们参与到我的很多爱好中，比如烘焙和自制意大利面。一旦他们独立一些了，我就重新捡起了钩针和搭乐高积木，他们晚上上床睡觉后，我就开始断断续续地忙活。我的爱好已经是不可或缺的了。在充满挑战的日子里，我发现自己在大自然中享受欢快的音乐或时光有助于调节我和孩子。这对我来说绝对是一种成长!”

如果你目前照顾自己的时间很少，只要明白很多父母也这样，并不止你一人。学习如何平衡你的小孩子的需要、工作需求、做家务、其它职责以及你自己的需求，要做出重大的调整！

我们希望你会受到启发，这个星期找到一小块时间来自己享受享受——也许是一点小奖赏或是几次静下心来的深呼吸。你的需求很重要。你所在地区的国际母乳会小组或线上的支持可以帮助你在为人父母和母乳喂养之间游刃有余。

如果你也有照顾自己的经验和故事，欢迎留言分享给大家。

Self-Care and Breastfeeding

While you’re parenting, it can be easy to lose track of those hobbies and interests that can help you live well and improve both your physical health and mental health. You may experience seasons in life when it feels like self-care is on the back burner, as well as seasons when you are evolving and creating new methods of taking care of yourself. In a recent discussion on the New Beginnings Facebook page, we asked some parents to share ways they make time for themselves while raising small children. We hope that wherever you are today in your life’s journey, you’ll find some tips here that work for you and your family.

When you are in the thick of the newborn days, self-care may be found in very small things. Maybe you have a favorite treat, snack, or drink that brings you satisfaction while nursing your little one. One-handed treats that you can look forward to can bring a smile to a weary parent’s face. Maybe a few mindful deep breaths can help you care for yourself in a quick moment. Relaxing music can help regulate you and your children of all ages, from the youngest nursling to the older ones. Self-care does not have to be a big thing. Sometimes small intentional moments bring peace to the busiest of days.

Winema L. recounted her experiences of self-care with her nurslings. Her trick? Babywearing! “I used to put my baby in a sling, put my knitting in a bag with handles I could throw over my arm, and walk slowly on a forest path while knitting (something simple on circular needles). I would listen to an audiobook on headphones at the same time. I felt like I was feeding myself in three different ways while my baby was perfectly happy. Sometimes, I would put my baby on my back and walk the path with my guitar, instead. I also used to babywear at get-togethers, until my kids were big enough to ask to get down, which was usually around three years old. It meant I usually had to stand the whole time, but I wasn’t isolated, running after a toddler on my own. Babywearing was probably my biggest tool for co-nurturing.”

Co-nurturing is a wonderful concept. For parental self-care in the early years, you may be trying to strike a co-nurturing balance, where you meet the needs of your children and yourself at the same time. Creativity and flexibility are key to finding little glimmers of self-care throughout a time when your children need you so intensely.

Roberta N. shared that babywearing was also a key helper for her in getting back to the activities she enjoyed. She told us, “I put mine in a sling, plugged them onto the breast, and went about tending the lawn (old-fashioned reel mower!) or baking bread!”

Many parents also find they can carve out moments of time for themselves while their baby is safely in the arms of another caregiver. Kylie P. described what worked for her family: “I am someone who has a lot of self-care outlets and hobbies. Jack of all trades…master of none! When my babies were very little, I tried to take time to meditate and take deep breaths while holding my sleeping nurslings. As they grew older, we could go on walks and do yoga together. I found I could include my toddlers in many of my hobbies, like baking and making homemade pasta. Once they gained a bit more independence, I picked up my crochet needle and LEGO sets again and started working on projects in spurts after they had gone to bed in the evenings. My hobbies have become a lifeline. On challenging days, I find myself looking to upbeat music or time in nature to help co-regulate all of us. It has definitely been an evolution for me!”

If your self-care windows are slim right now, just know that many parents have been there and you are not alone. It is a major adjustment to learn how to balance the needs of your young children, work demands, household upkeep, other responsibilities, and your own needs! We hope you’ll feel inspired to find a tiny block of time this week and enjoy something for yourself – perhaps a little treat or a few deep, thoughtful breaths. Your needs matter. La Leche League Groups in your area or online can support you in juggling parenthood and breastfeeding.

If you have experiences and stories about taking care of yourself to share, feel free to leave a comment.