Behind closed doors: The isolation of stay at home mums

Like a bucket of ice cold water splashed onto your face, there are so many shocking things that happen after having a baby in relation to your body, your relationships with your partner, your family, and social circle and your career.

You may find yourself at home with feelings of loneliness, unhappiness and isolation.

Motherhood is HARD! There is no doubt about it and the shift from your pre-kid life to one which is dominated by your children can be a huge adjustment.

If you enjoyed a thriving career pre-baby, you could feel restricted and like life has settled into a new monotony. You may feel envious of family and friends who work, or if they have children, seem to cope so well with being a stay at home mum (SAHM).

There are numerous surveys that show SAHMs are more likely to report feelings of sadness and anger than working mums and the general population. There are strategies you can use to help you cope with being a SAHM and overcome your feelings of loneliness and isolation.

4 strategies to help you overcome the feelings of loneliness and isolation

Turn OFF the screens & get out there

One of the most self-destructive things for a SAHM to do is to scroll through Instagram or Facebook looking at other mums with their staged moments presented as real-life.

Negative thoughts and depression sets in. Thoughts like ‘Why can’t you look like that two months after having a baby?’ or ‘Why can’t you make that 3-course meal AND clean the kitchen AND look effortlessly like you’ve barely made any effort?’ enter your mind and make it hard to see the positives.

While parenting comparisons are difficult to stop, know that what you see online isn’t real, it’s a small snapshot and you don’t get to see the rest of their lives.

Turn off your social media, put the babies in their prams and go outside for a stroll. It will help your brain by releasing feel-good chemicals like endorphins and it has the added benefit of helping you lose weight.

If you can, try to arrange a regular time to walk with a friend from mother’s group with their baby too so you can chat.

Join the Healthy Mummy community, where real mums like you share their stories and struggles. This is how we provide continuous support for you on your 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge journey.

Break the cycle by setting a goal

Monotony is a mood killer for SAHMs. You feel directionless and shut off from the day, you start disengaging from life by doing habitual activities. This can only contribute to feelings of loneliness and isolation.

Try to push yourself out of your comfort zone, challenge yourself and try something new. Whatever it is, set a goal to accomplish it so that you feel like you have a purpose. Joining the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge is a great goal to set your mind to if you are ready to lose weight post-pregnancy.

You can join the challenge now for just £1 for 28 days – find out more here. And there is a lot of support that goes with it thanks to the free support community. 

Yes, you gave birth to a baby and love it and your family more than anything but if you don’t engage in your life and practice self-care, you won’t be the best mother/partner/friend/sister/daughter you can be.

Try things like leaving the baby in the gym’s creche or with a trusted loved one while taking a yoga or boxing class, swimming a length or taking a dance class.

Whatever it is, break the sleep-eat-clean-parent-repeat routine you have going on. You’ll find yourself looking forward to this time and will create a social life separate to being a SAHM. 

Remember, it’s not selfish to invest some time in yourself! It’s necessary.

Want to try out some of the recipes from the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge? Grab our FREE recipe packs here, featuring delicious recipes suitable for the whole family.

Phone a friend

Reach out, catch up. The old you is still under that isolated and sad facade. Call a friend over for a chat or if you feel too embarrassed about the house and are too exhausted to clean, catch up over a coffee or at the park/beach.

Humans need social interaction and connection, we need to feel like we are part of a group to feel valuable and needed.

If we don’t have these connections, we can feel isolated and depressed. Studies show that people who have removed themselves from these social ties have a shorter lifespan.

If you find you don’t have anything in common with your old friends anymore, it’s time to start making new ones.

Join a mother’s group, an exercise group or a reading group. The Healthy Mummy community is full of like-minded and supportive mums from all over the country, join today and you may just find a new friend.

Communicate

Whether it’s communicating with your partner, a family member or a friend, let people know how you feel. The people in your life who care about you don’t want you to feel this way.

It’s perfectly acceptable to put your hand up and ask for help in raising the babies or taking a time out for yourself. 

Mums forget that parenthood should be a shared experience between parents or family members. If you have no one to call on for help, consider putting your child in daycare once a week or hiring a nanny so you can catch up on housework or practice self-care by reading a book, watching a movie or having a relaxing bath. You’ll be a better mum and person for it.

Some mums try a baby-swap with another friend from mother’s group. So you mind their baby one morning and another day they take care of yours.

If you feel depressed, have no inclination to do anything all the time and think of harming yourself or your baby, you may be experiencing post-natal depression. It is time to get help.

See your doctor to discuss your symptoms or visit the Association for Post Natal Illness or the PANDAS foundation website for confidential help and advice.

If you are wanting to get that bit of extra support in your journey to better health come and join our community of like-minded mums! Join us online now!

Are you ready to kick-start your weight loss?

Want to shift your baby weight but feel like you have NO TIME in your day to exercise and eat healthily? That’s where the Healthy Mummy’s 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge can help.

Our Challenge entails: 

• 28 days of at home exercise routines (no gym needed) – with video instruction
• Customisable and breastfeeding friendly meal plans
• Time-efficient exercises for busy mums – under 30 mins
• Challenge combines Pilates exercises with interval and circuit training (HIIT)
• Suitable for basic to advanced fitness levels.
• Home to thousands of EASY-TO-MAKE recipes.

To find out more about joining the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge for £1 click here.

PLUS – connect with THOUSANDS of other mums on the 28 Day Weight Loss Challenge by joining our free support community here.