Welcoming a new child into your life is an exciting journey for parents, but the ongoing pandemic has forced many new parents to spend more unexpected time at home to protect the health of their growing family. Although staying home helps reduce the spread, it’s also important to note a few health considerations that new mothers stuck at home might be facing during this time. Read below to learn more about a few of these challenges and how new moms can better invest in their own health moving forward.

Not getting enough ‘me-time’

Late nights and early morning caring for a new child, while rewarding, also leads to lack of sleep and a sometimes unpredictable schedule. In fact, a study conducted by Motherly found that 62% of respondents claimed that in the last day, they had less than one hour to themselves outside of work or family obligations. For many moms, this can mean they are neglecting to get enough alone time to practice self-care or even have a moment away to take a deep breath.

Unfortunately, because many families are actively practicing social distancing, this means a typical trip to the spa or weekend getaway may be out of the question. Luckily, there are still ways to enjoy some rest and relaxation from the comfort and safety of your own home.

One way to accomplish this is to try out a mom’s care package subscription from Ecocentric Mom. Not only does all the supplies you need to unwind and pamper yourself get delivered right to your door, but you won’t have to worry about going out and finding new products to love as your subscription will bring a plethora of fun items to try each month. Remember, although your baby’s well-being is important, so is your own sanity.

Disregarding smaller health concerns

New moms have a million things going on all at once, so it’s understandable that it doesn’t seem like a big deal to put off a few smaller appointments. Especially considering the many checkups that are important for newborns to attend, you may feel inclined to push off certain appointments for yourself that don’t feel urgent enough.

Take your vision care needs, for example. Ironically, one study found that more than two-thirds of parents worry about their children’s eye health more than their own, although vision typically gets worse with age. Fortunately, many doctors are offering virtual eye exams, which can be especially convenient for moms wanting to stay home with their newborns. Additionally, you can order prescription eyeglasses from home, through companies such as Warby Parker, where you have the ability to test multiple frames to help you find the best style before committing to one without having to visit the store. Not only is it obviously important to have an up to date prescription with a new child around the house for safety reasons, but comprehensive eye exams detect many different kinds of health concerns in addition to any changes in vision.

Valuing seemingly smaller health concerns is an important task to implement while your child is still young as it helps you develop good habits of prioritizing your health needs in order to age gracefully.

Lack of social interaction

You’ve entered the world of dirty diapers and fussy babies—so where does that leave time for your social life? As it’s common for new mothers to feel isolated or lonely postpartum and disconnected from friends who may be in different phases of life, this remains especially true today considering the social distancing efforts in place.

If you find yourself needing extra support during this time, try joining a motherhood support group to fit your specific needs that will allow you to connect with other mothers in the same situation. Finding other families to connect with online can help you share tricks or tips about being a parent to a newborn and form long-lasting relationships. Additionally, if you are separated from family members or friends because of the pandemic, take some time to schedule a virtual visit or playdate.

Postpartum depression

Whether this is your first child or you’ve added another kid to the mix, every new arrival of a baby will switch up family dynamics and force everyone at home to slightly change the way they operate on a daily basis. For some women, they may find themselves struggling with postpartum depression.

While this has the ability to affect everyone differently, some common side effects of postpartum depression include anxiety, sleeping difficulties, sadness, and changing moods. With anxiety and a sense of coping with a “new normal” due to the pandemic, it can be critical for mothers dealing with postpartum depression to seek resources to help them cope. Reaching out to loved ones and professionals to have an open conversation about your mental health isn’t always easy, but understanding that there are support systems available can help give you comfort during these difficult times.

Although these are unprecedented times, welcoming home a new child should still be an exciting moment for families. New moms can take some of this advice in order to best plan for their personal health needs and figure out the best way to operate their growing families with extra time at home.