The Women's Initiative provides vital mental health services for women during times of challenge and change, including all the ups and downs of parenting.
C-VILLE Weekly's Mother's Day cover story includes voices of three of our staff discussing the need for emotional support for new moms and those transitioning back to work.
To complement the story, we put together a ...
Self-Care List for Working Moms
- Be gentle with yourself and other moms: Often, we are our own worst critics. Set realistic expectations, let go of trying to do it all perfectly, and challenge cultural myths about “supermothering”
- Prioritize sleep, healthy eating and healthy movement: These can be the first things to go when moms do everything for everyone else first, yet these basics are essential to your ability to care for yourself and others.
- Lean on your support system: Foster connections with family and friends so that you can ask for help (for both practical things and emotional support) when you need it.
- 5-minute stress reduction: Decompress throughout the day, and especially when transitioning from home to work and back. Try: Singing along to a favorite song, doing chest and shoulder stretches to open your heart, taking a short brisk walk, or eating a mindful snack.
- Advocate for systems-level change: Speak up for improvements that move us toward equity in the workplace and parenting roles. If you can, encourage workplace innovation such as flex time, parental leave benefits, and childcare subsidies. Question assumptions about who holds the most parenting responsibility in the family.
- When in doubt, reach out: Talk to your doctor, come to The Women’s Initiative free walk-in clinic or seek other professional help for emotional support.
Free support groups for moms at TWI
- Moms With Babies Discussion Group: Support and community for moms with newborns to one-year-olds: Mondays, 10-11 a.m. 1101 East High St.
- Mothering Circle of Charlottesville: Connect with other mothers, support each other, and share your stories in a safe, nurturing environment. Fourth Wednesdays of every month, 7-9 pm. 1101 East High St.
Click here for a full list of free groups and social support offerings at The Women's Initiative