Who: Bridgette S., 31; healthcare worker and mom of two; Orange County, CA 

Surprising Oura insight: As a new mom, Bridgette turned to her Oura data to ensure she was getting enough sleep and staying active. After giving birth, Bridgette was pleasantly surprised to find that her Sleep Score improved, thanks to Oura’s insights. 

Before giving birth, Bridgette had “zero experience” with children. “I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, whether I was doing the right thing, and I didn’t feel the ‘rainbows and sunshine’ that other moms talk about,” she says. A combination of factors led her to experience postpartum anxiety (PPA).

About six months into her postpartum journey, Bridgette got an Oura Ring as part of her commitment to improving her health and managing her anxiety. “Along with using Oura, I also started therapy and began taking an SSRI (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) to cope with my postpartum anxiety,” she tells us. This helped her get back to her positive self in time for baby #2!  

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How do you prioritize your health as a new mom? 

Oura’s clear insights into how I sleep, how much exercise I get, and how my body responds to various habits have been really beneficial. 

I’m always on the go — I work full time, and when I’m not working, I’m in mom mode. As a new mom, Oura reminds me to give myself grace. Now, when I have a low Sleep or Readiness Score, I try to take it easy. As a result, I’ve slept better with two babies than I did when I was pregnant! 

Whenever I feel stressed, whether it’s from work, tiredness, or looking after two babies, I’ve learned to pause. I try to focus on my breathing, and I sometimes follow the guided breathwork or meditation practices in Oura’s Explore content.

Member Tip: If you see your stress levels spike in the Daytime Stress feature, try some of these stress-busting strategies, sourced from other Oura members and backed by science.

READ MORE: Practice Mindful Parenting with These Guided Meditations for Mothers

How have you used Oura and Natural Cycles to plan for pregnancy? 

I use the Natural Cycles and Oura integration to track my cycle, so I know when my fertile window is. This helped me get pregnant the second time after trying for only two months! I recently gave birth to a healthy baby boy. 

Oura also helped me stay positive during my second pregnancy. During my first pregnancy, I worked from home and didn’t have a toddler, so I was able to be more active. During my second pregnancy, Oura helped me feel better about not working out as much — I could see on the Activity tab that I had still gotten in 10,000 steps just running around after my toddler! 

It was reassuring. Instead of giving way to anxious thoughts, I’d remind myself that I’m growing a life and doing my best.

Bridgette’s Advice for Other New Moms

1. Have a safe person to talk to.

I feel grateful to have my husband and friends who I trust and know will not judge me. It’s so essential for moms to have people they can talk to if they have doubts or aren’t feeling good. That’s partially why I created a social media community for other moms who may not have anyone to talk to.

2. Prioritize your health.

Many moms are sleep-deprived, vitamin-depleted, and not drinking enough water. You have to take care of yourself! For me, that looked like starting medication and therapy, and using Oura to make sure I was sleeping enough and staying active.

3. Give yourself grace. 

Remember, you’re caring for a new life! Remind yourself that you’re okay, you’re doing great, and you can keep doing it. Take it day by day, and give yourself the love that you’re giving to your baby. 

RELATED: Sleep 101 for New Parents

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