The Bump and Beyond
Posts
💆‍♀️ Wellness Wednesday

💆‍♀️ Wellness Wednesday

5-Minute Self-Care Rituals That Can Shift Your Entire Day

Naomi Knight
May 28, 2025

Self-care Isn’t a Spa Day (unless you want it to be)

It’s a practice of presence. It’s how we mother ourselves while preparing to mother someone else.

Hey Mama!

Let’s just say it—self-care has a branding problem.

We see the phrase and instantly think: spa day, $60 pedicure, elaborate face mask routine, or a 3-hour bubble bath with a eucalyptus branch overhead.

And listen—I love a good bath.
But when I was pregnant with my first, I didn’t need a “treat.”
I needed relief.
I needed permission.
And I needed a way to feel grounded and safe in my body—without rearranging my entire day or spending a bunch of money.

So let’s reframe self-care as something sacred, simple, and repeatable.
Just like brushing your teeth.

5-Minute Micro-rituals

Here are a few of my favorite 5-minute micro-rituals that helped me feel like me again during pregnancy—without guilt, and without needing a nail appointment.

🧖‍♀️ 1. The Washcloth Reset

Soak a washcloth in warm water with a few drops of lavender or peppermint oil. (warning: dilute the peppermint oil into the water first, don’t drop it right onto the washcloth or your eyes will burn!)
Place it over your eyes and lie back for five minutes.
That’s it.
Let your mind float. Breathe deep.
Your nervous system will thank you.

📖 2. Morning Check-In (Journaling or Voice Memo Style)

Ask yourself:

-How am I feeling today?

-What do I need?

What can I let go of?

If writing isn’t your thing, open your voice memo app and talk it out like you’re leaving a message for your future self.

☕ 3. Drink Something Warm Sitting Down

Not while scrolling.
Not while pacing.
Just you + your tea (or coffee or broth or pregnancy-safe cocoa).
Let it be a moment of stillness.
Feel the warmth as it moves through your body. That’s care.

🧘‍♀️ 4. The “Release Everything” Sigh

Try this right now:
Inhale through your nose for 4 seconds.
Hold for 2.
Exhale through your mouth with a deep sigh.

Bonus if you add: “I release anything that’s not mine to carry today.”

Repeat three times.
That’s a full reset, mama.

🌸 5. Slow Lotion Moment

This one’s simple.
Take a bit of your favorite belly butter or body lotion and rub it into your hands, arms, or belly slowly—like a mini massage.
Say something kind to yourself while you do it.
("My body is growing life. My body is enough.")

You don’t need the perfect lighting or spa music.
Just attention.
Just love.

These aren’t indulgent.
They’re intentional.

And I’ll be honest: I’m thinking of turning this into a live session in the Facebook group—something cozy, affordable, and totally doable for any mama who needs help slowing down, a meet up time with other pregnant woman, a few good journal prompts and space to write in her pregnancy journal and starting a self-care ritual that feels right for her.

Would you come? Let me know in a reply 💬

Because self-care isn’t about checking out.
It’s about checking in.

You got this mama,
Naomi