Starting our day by getting dressed helps postpartum depression. This might feel like a challenge, but the benefits of getting dressed will help you in your journey out of postpartum depression.
The Benefits of Getting Dressed
“Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.” –Proverbs 31:25
The needs of our babies are urgent. Often, this means that we neglect our basic needs as mothers. When struggling with postpartum depression, we can best help ourselves by getting dressed as soon as possible.
Getting dressed helps you with postpartum depression in many ways. First, getting dressed helps you get the most out of your day. If you have been a mama for very long, you know that the days can run together and feel repetitive. Getting dressed can signal your brain that it’s a new day. When you’re in fresh clean clothes, this will give you motivation to get a bit more out of your days. As a new mama, this could simply mean that you open the windows and enjoy time with your baby. Sometimes in the fog of postpartum depression, it can be hard to even do that.
Getting dressed can also make you feel better about yourself. Each time I’ve had a baby, I have felt like a “mombie.” I have a different body that I don’t recognise, my hair falls out, my hormones are a mess, and I cry for all kinds of reasons. When I decided to start getting dressed each day no matter how I felt, my outlook improved. It wasn’t perfect, but it did help me start to take steps toward healing.
How to Get Dressed Each Day
“She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.” –Proverbs 31:17
Getting dressed as a new mama is not about “dressing up” or wearing the latest fashion. This is about wearing clean and comfortable clothing and changing into a new outfit each day. Sometimes, as mamas, if we don’t get out of our pajamas at the beginning of the day, we will still be in those pajamas at the end of the day. If we start each day by getting dressed, an instant mood boost happens psychologically and prepares us for the day.
Don’t know what to wear? Consider adopting a “uniform” look to decrease decision fatigue and overwhelm. It could be your favourite stretchy jeans and a cute graphic tea. It could be a button up top that you can breastfeed in. Maybe it’s your favorite sweat pants and a cute hoodie. Whatever you’re comfortable in that is practical, consider investing in these favorites and wearing the same idea every single day.
If you need some great ideas for different looks or putting outfits together, Frumpfighters is a fantastic resource for capsule wardrobes. She has free resources and affordable paid resources. I have personally purchased the Women’s Essential Style Guide, The Complete Wardrobe for Kids boys edition, The Body Shape Cheat Sheet, and (just recently) The Virtual Color Analysis. These have been good value and I go back to them time and time again.
If you struggle to get going in the mornings, consider laying out your outfit the night before. No matter what you decide to do, getting dressed will impact your daily life for the better.
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6 things to do when you feel depressed series:
- Get Dressed
- Read Your Bible
- Go Outside
- Do one thing you enjoy
- Make your surroundings smell incredible
- Deep breaths
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