A lot of questions get tossed around during your pregnancy about how you want to your labor and delivery to go. Are you at home or the hospital? Do you want pain relief? If so, what kinds, like an epidural or laughing gas? Are you getting induced, either by getting your membranes stripped, water broken, or something stronger like Pitocin? Are you taking a birth class? Did you hire a doula? What is in your hospital bag? Are you buying a cute swaddle and birth announcement placard?
There is no doubt that the birth process leaves a lasting imprint on you the Mom and your baby. It is a physically and mentally transformative event, whether you felt every surge and contraction or you opted for an epidural. And now your baby that you grew inside of you for 40ish weeks is finally here!
Now you have finally entered the fourth and final trimester of pregnancy. Postpartum is defined as being anywhere from 6 weeks after your baby's delivery to 3 months to even 9 months. While there is no doubt we should plan and prepare for the birth of our babies, it is just as important that we plan and prepare for our postpartum periods as well. The birth isn't the end of the motherhood journey, it is just the beginning. How you are able to rest and heal during the immediate time after your baby is born sets you up for success in your physical and mental wellbeing.
A mother that feels taken care of is more likely to feel less struggles with postpartum mood disorders. A mother that feels taken care of is also more likely to allow her body the time to rest and heal properly, so that she isn't dealing with unwanted symptoms down the road, like organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction, peeing during jumping, coughing ,or sneezing, or painful intercourse.
Our society puts a lot of emphasis on the magic and beauty of being pregnant and a lot of excitement on the baby's arrival, and then very quickly the mother gets pushed to the wayside as the focus gets put on the baby. If you have ever had a child, you know that a lot of the questions you get once they arrive pertain to the baby; how are they doing, how are they sleeping, how they are feeding, etc. Very rarely does the mother get asked how she is doing, and even then, how often does the mother actually share if she is struggling?
Having been there myself, I want to change the conversation around postpartum. I created a free mini course and accompanying guide with questions (located under Client Resources) to walk you through the basics of preparing for postpartum. It is not an in depth dive into all the things postpartum (that is in the works, and coming this fall!) but it will help you lay the groundwork to have a hopefully better postpartum experience. Some of the questions in the guide may feel irrelevant to you but I urge you to think about all of them and have conversations with your partner and/or loved ones regarding your plan.
If you have any questions or want more postpartum resources, please reach out!