For many of her life, Maria Sharapova has thrived on routine. As a retired tennis professional who performed the game for 28 years, being ultra-disciplined in coaching and restoration helped her accomplish main objectives, like being ranked primary on the planet and profitable 5 Grand Slam titles.
When she grew to become a first-time mother in the summertime of 2022, Sharapova, 36, continued to lean on a constant, albeit extra versatile, mindset to attain one other objective—this time, to be her finest self for her son, Theodore. “All these classes I’ve gained throughout my profession, I’ve actually utilized into this subsequent chapter,” she tells SELF.
One, particularly, was the significance of consistency. For instance, in her son’s new child days, Sharapova dialed within the timing of his feeds and tried to match his nap schedule along with her personal in the course of the day, which helped her log sufficient cumulative relaxation regardless of interrupted nighttime sleep. She was additionally diligent in sustaining her milk provide, and frequently awoke in the course of the evening to pump.
Whereas welcoming a brand new child has introduced on a ton of change for the Unstoppable writer, Sharapova says being routine-oriented with some tried-and-true self-care practices has enhanced her strategy to motherhood. “Many individuals assume it’s all concerning the child, however to ensure that your child to really feel their finest, you additionally should deal with your self,” she says
Throughout a photoshoot close to her house in Los Angeles, Sharapova caught up with SELF to share the methods she makes self-care a precedence whereas navigating her new position as a mother. Right here’s what she’s realized up to now.
By no means underestimate the advantages of the fundamentals.
For Sharapova, sleep and hydration are important, particularly when she’s not feeling her finest amid the fixed calls for of feedings and diaper adjustments.
“As a brand new mother, it’s quite common to neglect about your self as a result of you’ve got this new being to deal with,” she says. “[The basics] are such refresher and so they’re easy, however that you must be constant with a view to have outcomes.”
Take sleep, as an illustration. As Theodore approaches his first birthday, he’s now snoozing via the evening—and he or she not has to get up at random hours to pump. However caring for a child is exhausting typically, so she’ll usually lie down for a brief nap whereas Theodore sleeps, much like her earlier routine on the professional circuit after robust coaching classes.
However she doesn’t stress herself to truly go to sleep: She’ll merely take the time to relaxation, put down her cellphone, and benefit from the calm, quiet area—a reprieve that gives a “nice increase of vitality,” she says.
Then there’s hydration. Particularly within the first few months after giving beginning, Sharapova prioritized ingesting sufficient water as a part of the postpartum therapeutic course of. “You’re giving your physique an opportunity to replenish,” she says.
That’s why Sharapova, an Evian ambassador, at all times has a water bottle close by—she wants quick access to fluids all through the day. “There’s at all times a bottle of milk for the newborn, and there’s a bottle of water for Mother,” she says.
Intention for a gradual, constant exercise and restoration routine.
After the huge effort of childbirth, Sharapova wished to provide her physique the time it wanted to heal, so she took her return to health slowly. When Theodore was about six months previous, she started a gradual buildup to energy coaching.
