Top 10 Tips for Post-Partum Healing
And when I say healing, I mean mind, body and soul. This isn’t just a list of the best way to keep your stitches clean! The post partum period is a complex time when we are trying to adjust to a completely new role and family dynamic. This is a time to take care of yourself and be kind to yourself! So here are my top 10 tips for the post partum period.
Batch Cook Wholesome Meals
In the weeks leading up to your due date, you’ll get some sudden bursts of energy and the urge to clean, tidy and prepare baby’s new space (we call this nesting). Use that energy to batch cook lots of wholesome, nutritious food and put it in the freezer. Having loads of meals pre-prepared that you can just whip out of the freezer is honestly one of the kindest things you can do for “future you”. Not only will the nourishing food help your body to heal from birth, but it will also save you so much time and effort which are in short supply when you’re taking care of a newborn!
Put Boundaries in Place for Visitors
It’s really common that as soon as you announce your birth, you will have a long line of visitors knocking at the door wanting new-born baby snuggles. Inevitably what happens is that visitors hold baby while Mum rushes around making hot drinks for everybody or getting chores done. (I mean…what?!) If you’re okay with this, that’s great. If you’re not okay with this, put those boundaries in place. Announce ahead of time that you will not be welcoming visitors for XX amount of time (a few days, a week, two weeks, whatever time you like) and that people that turn up unannounced will be turned away. This isn’t just important for post-partum healing but also for establishing breastfeeding. When baby is being handed around like a pass-the-parcel, essential feeding cues can be missed.
Consider Safe Bed-Sharing
Bed sharing is a controversial topic, however some times it is one of the only ways for Mum to get a decent stretch of sleep. Baby is fresh out of the womb, in a brand new, scary environment and all they want is to be close to Mum. So trying to get baby to sleep in a moses basket or crib can be really hard (because biologically that’s not what babies expect, have a little look at the Fourth Trimester). While there is some advice out there that says bed sharing under any circumstances is dangerous, this isn’t helpful to the sleep deprived new mum, desperately trying to stay awake who ends up nodding off and dropping their baby off the side of the bed. You are far better off preparing your bed for safe bed sharing (no loose bedding, pillows out the way, no bedsharing if you’ve been drinking or smoking etc), and lying down with your baby to feed.
Pee in the shower
If you required stitches or have any small grazes or tears that are common and absolutely normal with vaginal birth, peeing may be a bit stingy for a couple of days after birth. Using a jug to pour warm water on your vulva while you wee can relieve the stinginess, or just go ahead and pee in the shower like I did!
Light Exercise (when you’re ready!)
Fresh air is really REALLY good for all recoveries as well as improving your mood. So whenever you feel ready, put baby in their stretchy wrap or pop them in the pram and go for a short, gentle walk. Then slowly build up your exercise. Try not to overdo it though! Slow and easy is the key!
Un-follow any unhelpful social media accounts
As new mums we are STILL bombarded with adverts from accounts trying to sell us tips on how to lose the baby weight quickly. Whenever a celebrity gives birth, there are articles within a few weeks about how they “bounce back” and lose the baby weight as quickly as possible. This is so toxic and unhelpful. Your self-worth does not lie in how smooth your stomach is. You grew a baby inside you and birthed them. You did heroic things. We should not be championing how quickly we can get back to the way we were before pregnancy, because we’re not that person any more. With the birth of every baby comes the birth of a mother. So yes, please unfollow any social media accounts that talk about “bouncing back”.
Hire a cleaner (if possible)
You and your birth partner are going to have a lot on your plate as new parents so if there is money in your budget, hire a cleaner for 2-3 hours a week for a few weeks after birth and have them do the more physical bits of cleaning like scrubbing the bathroom, pushing the hoover round etc. Some cleaners may even do laundry services. Or if your budget can’t stretch to hiring somebody, do you have somebody in your life who would be willing to take on those jobs for you for a few weeks? I was extremely fortunate to have my Mother In Law come and stay with us for a few weeks who did the bulk of the house work - although I appreciate that not everybody has that same relationship with their mother in law. Failing this, do a deep clean of the house just before baby arrives and write off the housework for a few weeks. There are more important things to be focused on right now.
Join a local Breastfeeding Support Group
In the modern world, we have lost the support of our “village”. Hundreds of years ago, we would have been surrounded by women who would assist us with tasks in our post partum healing period, teach us all the nuances of breastfeeding and support us on our journey to motherhood. But nowadays, mother hood looks different, and it can be a bit isolating. So research ahead of time any support groups in your area. Breastfeeding support groups are great places to meet other new mums, and share your stories (they’re not just a place for talking solely about breastfeeding!). There are also baby yoga groups, baby massage groups, buggy walks and a whole host of activities aimed at new mums with small babies.
Research what is “Normal”
There are a LOT of things that we just don’t get told about the post partum period, such as post partum hair-loss. Lochia. Hormone fluctuations and extreme mood swings on certain days. (I don’t want to keep banging on about the “village”…but seriously, this is why we need a village"). So when we experience them, it can be scary or embarrassing. So do your research on what sort of changes you can expect within your body in the weeks and months following your birth. And remember that if there’s anything you’re unsure of or concerned about, you can always speak to your Midwife or Health Visitor.
LISTEN to your body
This right here is the most important tip. It’s really easy to want to jump straight back into life and do everything. But listen up Mama, your body has just done something phenomenal, so give it a chance to rest! Spend as much time in the first few days lying or sitting down as possible. When you feel ready, by all means get up and potter about, but as soon as you start to feel tired or experience pain, listen to your body and take a break. The more you push yourself, the longer your post partum healing will take.
I hope you find this list useful in your post partum journey!
Ellie
xxx
PS By the way, if you found this list helpful, you’ll LOVE my e-book Nurturing the New Mother! Click the link below to check it out!
