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Once I had my son, it was so easy to get lost in the mundane routines of everyday.
Eat, play, sleep, repeat.
I have found that trying new hobbies and spending some of my day doing something I enjoy, drastically improves how I feel. It gives me back some purpose and allows me to remember that while I love being a mom and it is a wonderful blessing- I am also just Kayla.
An individual outside of being a mom, with my own set of interests.
If you feel like maybe you’ve lost yourself a little (or a lot) in motherhood- try out some of these hobbies to help give life back to your days.
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Table of Contents
Crocheting
I started crocheting when my son was about 5 or 6 months old. My motivation for learning was that I wanted to crochet a set of food plushies for a play kitchen. Once I learned, it kind of evolved into crocheting whatever I felt like at the time.
I started with little stuffies, I crocheted my son’s first Christmas stocking, some Christmas ornaments, and several presents for family.
Most recently, I crocheted a large baby blanket for my niece.
(My apologies for the low-quality pictures. I had not started this blog when I took them, and I only intended them to be for personal use.)
I will admit, it has gotten harder as my son has gotten older and more mobile. I can’t sit and crochet while he plays on the floor much because he’s more interested in what I’m doing.
Truthfully, most hobbies aren’t super convenient once you’re a mom.
If I could give you one piece of advice, it’d be to try them anyways.
It’s important to take care of yourself. Taking time each day to do something you enjoy, even if only for 15-20 minutes, IS ✨self care.✨
You could crochet while they get some floor time, while they nap (what I do), or any time you have a few spare moments.
It’s an easy hobby to pick up and put down, pretty cheap to start, and relatively easy to learn! I learned well enough to make my first stuffed apple after ONE week. Granted, it was far from perfect, but perfection wasn’t what I was going for anyways.
There are so many different things you can crochet, and it’s quite a relaxing hobby! You could even turn it into a way to make extra money by selling what you make or writing your own patterns!
So, what do you need to get started?
💛A 5mm hook
💛Some yarn (Try to choose one that says it’s for a 5mm crochet hook as well)
💛A threading needle to weave ends
Check out this tutorial on YouTube, this is actually the first video I used that got me started on my own crochet journey.
There are TONS of projects you can make with just those 3 things.
Once you learn a few different stitches, it might be more cost effective to go ahead and get a set of crochet hooks, stitch markers, and needles versus buying them individually. I would personally wait until you decide you’re going to stick with it though.
This would be a great cost effective set that includes most everything you need!
I used several different kinds of crochet hooks before I was gifted this Clover set for Christmas.
When I tell you they make ALL the difference. They go through the yarn so incredibly smooth- it really makes a huge difference, and I will always choose to use my Clover hooks over any others I have.
It’s a bit of an investment, so save this post if you get into crocheting and want some of the best hooks on the market!
Reading
I love to read! I always have, but reading postpartum has been somewhat of a lifesaver for me.
Personally, I chose not to do any type of sleep training SO, there have been many times where I’ve been nap trapped.
One of my favorite things to do is pull up my Amazon kindle app and read while rocking my son (after he falls asleep). It helps me feel somewhat productive even though I’m not actually doing anything.
Reading saves me from the dreaded doom scroll.
I’m also a huge fiction reader. I applaud people who read mostly nonfiction or self-help books.
That’s not me.
I like to dive into hilarious romcoms or exciting romantasies (with some spice)!
If you’re new to reading or trying to get back into it here are some of my favorites!
The ACOTAR Series by Sarah J. Maas
This is a series that is not technically completed but reads as if it were. There are two different couples in the series so far, but their stories are completed. The next book will be a different couple.
It’s a great intro into (light) fantasy. I personally thought they were easy reads that suck you in immediately. It stays at the top of my favorites list. I have read it multiple times!
(It’s starts out relatively low on the spice scale but is pretty heavy by the last book).
Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros
Fourth Wing is not complete and ends on a cliffhanger, BUT there are 3 books currently. Honestly, I don’t usually love incomplete series because I like to binge them, but this one is so good and will help with your ACOTAR hangover (and give you a new one)!
A Not So Meet Cute by Meghan Quinn
I love Meghan Quinn’s writing. It is inevitable that when I’m reading her books, I will at some point be actually cackling out loud.
This particular book is a fun rom com with lots of hilarious moments and some serious spice.
🌶️🌶️🌶️
**Fair warning I like my books with spice, so if that’s not your thing then probably avoid taking my recommendations on what to read**
Did I say spice too many times? Oops.
TikTok is a great resource for finding books to read.
Already like to read? Let me know your top 3 recommendations in the comments!
I’m always looking for new recs!
Crafting
One of my favorite things to do postpartum has been make crafts that include my baby.
Sometimes it’s a bit of hassle, but I’m always so glad I did it, specifically for the memories.
Three of my favorite crafts I’ve done so far that I love:
Christmas Dough Ornaments
These are so easy to do, and you likely have everything you need right at home! Even if it’s not Christmas time, you could always go ahead and make them to hang on your tree later!
Check out the TikTok tutorial I used!
Floral handprint
This one was fun to do and not nearly as hard as it looks!
I used these frames and flowers:
All I did was trace my son’s handprint on paper, lay the glass over the top, and glue the flowers onto the glass where I wanted with mod podge! Simple as that!
Shadow Profile
For this one I did use my iPad, Canva, and the Procreate app- so definitely more involved.
If you have an iPad with an Apple pencil and want a more in-depth tutorial, let me know!
I love crafts because they help me get out of my regular daily routine but also allow me to create memories with my baby.
There are also tons of easy crafts you could do that don’t involve baby.
Here’s a blog post on pressed flower bookmarks that I thought were SO cute!
Bonus: You could use your leftover flowers and mod podge from the floral handprint frames!
Blogging
Full transparency, this one is not the quick and easy hobby I thought it was going to be! It definitely took quite a bit of research and trial/error to get my blog up and running. People like to say that you can get your blog going in 15 minutes… I did not find that to be true.
This is also not a success story about how I’ve made thousands of dollars in my first month, because I haven’t.
With that said, I love it. I enjoy having a creative outlet to talk about whatever I want to. To hopefully encourage other moms and maybe one day have a community that can come here for support through motherhood.
As a new mom, there have been many days where I felt completely alone.
Yet somehow, even if no one even reads them, making these posts make me feel a little less alone. If I even help one person, then that’s enough for me. Because that one person could’ve been me.
🤍The me that was pregnant and feeling like no one understood what I was going through.
🤍The me in those early days after my baby was born when I felt like I was hanging on by a thread.
🤍The me who was learning to find myself again, as a new person. A mama.
So, if you’re considering starting a blog, do it! You may never make a dollar but the purpose and fulfillment it offers makes it worth it!
If you need a little more encouragement, check out the She Dreams All Day blog. I love her writing style and encouragement to just try it out! (I’m not affiliated with her, I just like her blog)
If you have specific questions about getting started, let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer them!
Gardening
I live in an apartment so having a big garden isn’t an option for me, but another low maintenance option is an aero garden!
I bought my mom one and she absolutely loves it! So much so that I have been looking into buying one for myself!
This is the one I bought her and she had sprouts within a month of setting it up! Now it has full on growth and has even produced some little tomatoes!
If you’re interested in growing some fresh herbs, cherry tomatoes, or even some fresh strawberries to eat but don’t have the space for a full garden- this could be the perfect option for you!
Bonus: They look super cute!
All of that aside, if you feel like you’ve lost a little bit of yourself since you became a mom, don’t worry you’re not alone.
These hobbies didn’t suddenly make me feel like my old self again- but they helped me not get lost in motherhood.
Having a child has been the greatest blessing in my life, and I’ve found that investing in myself and my own mental health does nothing but make me a better mama.
So, wherever you are in your journey, remember to give yourself grace and spend a little time on you, okay? 💖
