Health and Wellness Magazine • 41
you're taking a shower and thinking about
everything else, that's not a break."
She advises new moms to designate
time throughout the day to slip away for a
short stroll or yoga class. Use these inter-
ludes to quiet your mind, be present and
breathe deeply.
Treating yourself to personal time
might feel indulgent, but self-nurture has
a trickle-down effect.
"Parents who report the most life
satisfaction set their priorities as self,
relationship, then kids," Kripke says.
"Relationships benefit from healthy indi-
viduals, and children benefit from solid
parental relationships."
Stacey Melito, a certified childbirth
educator and founder of Natal to Nest, a
pre- and post-natal education and well-
ness center in Highlands Ranch, says it's
difficult to express how profoundly a
baby changes your relationship.
"That's why it's so important to make
time to sustain that connection with your
partner," Melito says.
S h e r e c o m m e n d s s c h e d u l i n g a
formal date each week and finding time to
bond during the day over a cup of coffee
or household chores. And don't forget
acts of affection.
"A simple kiss and a hug can go a long
way," she says.
