Overcoming Guilt: Prioritizing Your Health and Wellness While Caring for a Newborn
Hey, hey! If you’re a new mom, I know how much you’re carrying right now. The exhaustion, the endless to-do list, the constant feeling that no matter what you do, it’s never enough.
But I need you to know this: prioritizing your body is not selfish—it’s survival. It’s not about “getting your body back” or bouncing back—it’s about feeling good in your body now, so you can show up as the strongest, happiest version of yourself.
So today, we’re tackling five mindset shifts to overcome the guilt of prioritizing movement as a new mom.
What I discuss:
Your baby needs a mom who feels good—not just a mom who’s physically present 24/7.
You are not losing time by working out—you’re buying it back with more energy, patience, and ease.
Movement doesn’t have to be alone time—you can integrate it into your day, guilt-free.
Movement is not a reward—it’s a basic need. Your body deserves it.
You don’t have to do it perfectly. Showing up imperfectly is still progress.
If you loved this episode, you’ll also love… Episode 491: 6 Steps to Embrace your Postpartum Body
https://www.juliealedbetter.com/embrace-your-real/6-steps-to-embrace-your-postpartum-body
If you want more from me, be sure to check out...
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Transcript:
Hey, hey, beautiful human, Can I steal five minutes of your time? I have something super important to share with you, but I promise I'll be really quick. You're listening to my weekly bonus episode of Embrace your Real with me, julie Ledbetter. I'm about to give you a quick tip for building your confidence, honoring your body and unconditionally loving your authentic self. Stay tuned If you're ready to embrace your real, let's get it. Let's go. Hello and welcome back to another episode on the Embrace your Real podcast.
00:34
If you're a new mom, I know how much you're caring right now. Like the exhaustion, the endless to-do list, the constant feeling like, no matter what you do, it's never enough. And when it comes to taking time for yourself, especially for movement, like hello guilt, it creeps in so fast. You are thinking shouldn't I be spending time with my baby? Shouldn't I be doing X, y and Z if they're sleeping? Shouldn't I be sleeping? Isn't working out selfish? I'll just wait until things calm down, if they ever do Like. If you've had any of these thoughts, I just need you to know that prioritizing your body is not selfish, it is survival. It's not about getting your body back or bouncing back. It's about feeling good in your body now so that you can show up as the strongest, happiest version of yourself. And so today we're tackling five mindset shifts to overcome the guilt of prioritizing movement as a new mom.
01:23
But first I want to share this review. It comes from Nicole Breedlove. She gave a five-star view and said authentic love, julie's authenticity, sharing her faith and helping women see the positive side of everything from their body, food and hard life things. I love this so much. Thank you so much for taking time out of your day. As we're talking about time being so limited and just prioritizing your time, I genuinely appreciate every single one of you guys taking time out of your day to send in their review. It really does mean so much to us and our team Just kind of know how the podcast is helping you. If there's a specific episode, we would love to hear it. So thank you for scooching over to Apple Podcasts and leave a rating interview. It really, really really does mean the world. Okay. So let's dive in to overcoming guilt and really prioritizing your health and wellness while being a new mom Number one, your baby needs a mom who feels good, not just a mom who's always there, and so let's talk about the guilt of even stepping away for a workout.
02:21
I know that a lot of moms feel like, even if they take 20 or 30 minutes to move their body, they're taking something away from their baby. But I want you to flip that like, because what you're actually doing is giving something to your baby. You're giving your baby more energy. You're giving your baby more patience, a less stressed mom, a body that isn't constantly aching from exhaustion. Because here's the truth your baby doesn't need you to be physically next to them every single second. They need a mom who's present. And guess what helps with that? Movement? Even five minutes of intentional movement releases endorphins, reduces stress and boosts your mood A happier, calmer, more energetic you. That directly benefits and impacts your baby. And so the next time you feel guilty about taking 20 or 30 minutes to work out, remind yourself this isn't for me, it's for both of us.
03:12
Number two you are not losing time, you are buying it back. Now, one of the biggest excuses and, let's be honest, a guilt trip in disguise is I don't have time. But here's what I need you to understand when you move your body, you are actually gaining time in the long run. How? Because when you feel good in your body, everything else gets easier. You have more energy, so you're not dragging throughout the day. You move better, so your back, your shoulders, your joints don't ache from holding and feeding your baby all day long. Your mood is lighter, so you're not snapping over tiny things or feeling over stimulated 24-7. When you don't move, the exhaustion does and will build up. The brain fog kicks in, the aches get worse and suddenly even the smallest tasks feel so much harder. And so, instead of thinking I don't have time to work out, ask yourself do I have time to feel sluggish, sore or overwhelmed all day long? Because moving your body, even in small ways, is the shortcut to making everything else in your life feel easier. Number three this is a huge one. I want you to listen up.
04:14
Movement doesn't have to be alone time. I know a lot of moms and this is myself included. You guys feel guilty because working out feels like something they have to do away from their baby. But here's the thing you can actually make movement, something that you do together. Lay your baby on a mat with some toys and do you know your exercises next to them, strap them in a carrier, do some squats, lunges, walk outside, use their nap time for a quick 10, 15, or even 30 minute movement burst, whatever it is Like. Again, you have to remember that it doesn't have to be this full blown workout session, it doesn't even have to be an hour long event, and it definitely doesn't mean that you have to choose between movement or your baby. Like. You can integrate movement into your day without guilt by shifting how you see it. So, instead of taking time away, think of it as showing your baby what it looks like to care for your body.
05:06
Number four movement is not a reward, it's a basic need. The mindset shift that will really genuinely change everything, in my opinion, is stop thinking of movement as something that you have to earn. Movement is not something you fit in if you deserve it. Like it's something that your body requires to function well. And so the next time that you feel guilty about working out, ask yourself would I feel guilty for drinking water when I'm thirsty? No, then don't feel guilty for moving your body when your body needs it. It's the same thing. Like you would never go a day without eating, drinking water, going to the bathroom, and you do those things without feeling guilty, right? Well, movement is one more thing that your body needs, just like the other basic needs. So freely give that to your body.
05:50
And last but not least, number five you can show up imperfectly and still make progress. New moms and this is myself included we have this all or nothing mentality when it comes to workouts. Like if we can't do the full workout, even if it's a full 30 minute workout, then we're like, oh well, it's not even worth doing it at all. But here's the secret. Please, please, please, hear me this, please, please, please hear me on this. Small imperfect movement is still movement. Yes, small imperfect movement is still movement. Five minutes of stretching that counts, squats while holding your baby that counts. A quick 10 minute circuit instead of the whole 30 minute workout that counts. It's not about doing it perfectly, it's about showing up consistently in whatever way you can, without the guilt. So if guilt tries to creep in, remember this imperfect movement is a hundred percent better than no movement at all. Let me repeat that again Imperfect movement is a hundred percent better than no movement at all.
06:45
All right, so let's run through those five key mindset shifts again. Number one your baby needs a mom who feels good, not just a mom who's physically present 24-7. Number two you are not losing time by working out. You're actually buying it back with more energy, patience and ease. Number three movement doesn't have to be alone. You can integrate it into your day guilt-free. Number four movement is not a reward. It is a basic need and your body deserves it. And last but not least, number five, you don't have to do it perfectly. Showing up imperfectly is still progress. Guilt does not get to decide how you take care of yourself. Your health matters, your energy matters, and when you move without guilt, you show up better, not only for yourself but, more importantly, for your baby.
07:29
If you love this episode, I know you will also love episode 491, six steps to embracing your postpartum body. So if you are postpartum, or if you know someone who's postpartum, or if you are going to be postpartum soon, I encourage you to bookmark this episode or even tune into this episode. Next, I will go ahead and link it in the show notes below, but that is all that I have for today's bonus episode. I it in the show notes below, but that is all that I have for today's bonus episode. I hope that you found this helpful and, mama, just know that it is not selfish to prioritize yourself so that you can become the best version of yourself for those around you, to serve those who you love in your best capacity.
08:03
Capisce, all right. I love you so dang much, but I have two things that I need you to do. First thing, if you are not already following me on the gram, be sure to do so. Julie A Ledbetter yes, it's with an a in the middle for that daily post-workout real talk, healthy tips and tricks and honest accountability to keep your mind and heart in check. The second thing be sure to subscribe to Apple Podcasts to never miss an episode. Thank you so much for joining me. It means the absolute world, and I'm going to leave you with one last thought. The most beautiful women that I have met in my life are the ones who are completely confident and secure in being authentically themselves. Remember that beauty goes so much deeper than the surface. So go out there and embrace your real, because you're worth it. You.