Postpartum 101: Your Guide to Postpartum Recovery to Support Your Healing
This post has been generously sponsored by Majka, whose mission is to help moms feel their best so they can better enjoy early motherhood and thrive postpartum.
If you are a new or expecting mama, congratulations!
Growing and birthing a baby into the world is no small feat, and you have given so much of yourself in the process of expanding your family and your heart.
After months of planning, preparing, and doing all the things to ensure the best possible outcomes for you and your baby, you may be wondering - now what?
The truth is, even though your pregnancy journey may have ended and you have your baby in your arms, you still matter.
While it may seem like all the attention and care has completely shifted from you toward your baby, your well-being is still a priority too, mama.
It’s easy to pour so much of your time, effort, and money into creating the perfect nursery and birth plan.
But what about AFTER pregnancy?
It’s time to start the conversation about postpartum before you even have your baby.
Let’s talk about the postpartum phase of your motherhood journey so you can do your part to feel prepared as you enter this new chapter.
What is Postpartum?
First, what exactly is postpartum and how is this defined?
The postpartum definition is described as the 6-8 weeks phase that occurs post delivery, which is usually the amount of time needed for a woman’s uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size.
However, this time period fails to recognize the tremendous transformation that is happening in new mothers after having a baby: physically, emotionally, mentally, in relationships, definition of self, and so much much.
Along with this arbitrary timeline of when women are considered to be postpartum is the misconception that a new mother should be “back to normal” by the 6 week postpartum check up.
Indeed, many new mothers find themselves needing to quickly get back on their feet, returning to jobs or a career in the weeks after bringing their babies into the world.
However, this standard timeline by no means should create expectations for healing and recovery.
For the majority of women, postpartum recovery takes months, even years, to feel adequately restored in all the major areas of life.
It’s also important to recognize that there is no such thing as “getting back to normal”.
In reality, the woman that you were before you had your baby has now changed, and with that, all the aspects of your life and the way you relate to the world.
This speaks to why motherhood is a transformational process, one that is continually evolving us. If you’re constantly trying to get back to the way things were before you had your baby, you may feel frustrated and defeated.
This is another important reason why a postpartum recovery plan is essential to this part of your journey: it gives you space and permission to nurture yourself as you learn to settle into and embrace the full metamorphosis of motherhood.
Another way to look at this is through the parallels of adolescence. Adolescence is recognized as the phase through which a young person develops from a child to an adult. But what about when a woman develops into a mother?
This process, known as matrescence, is what is occurring through pregnancy and postpartum but is given inadequate recognition in our culture today.
Similar to adolescence, the process and length of matresence is dependent on the individual and will vary from woman to woman.
Matrescence is also a process that recurs with each new child that is brought into the world, bringing with it a new set of challenges and adjustments. For these reasons, it’s crucial to prepare for this defining phase of new motherhood with a postpartum care plan.
Why Do Mothers Need to Prioritize Their Health During Postpartum?
There are a host of changes specific to the postpartum journey of motherhood that can make a new mother vulnerable to the many challenges that she might face, including physical and mental health concerns.
The reality is that a majority of mothers feel unprepared for the different challenges that their postpartum journeys bring.
A large part of this is our society’s lack of care, support, and education around postpartum recovery. Culturally, we have become more isolated than ever during a time where we need the most support.
They weren’t kidding when they said it takes a village to raise a family, but the majority of women today are navigating their childbearing years in the absence of the care and support they need.
With lack of awareness, education, and resources to support new mothers as they enter into the postpartum phase of their journeys, it’s not uncommon for moms to struggle: physically, emotionally, mentally, and in their relationships.
In the current structure of the Westernized approach to perinatal care, the majority of a woman’s care is during her actual pregnancy, while the postpartum period typically involves 1 provider check-up about 6-8 weeks post-delivery.
This is inadequate for new mothers who are navigating the most transformative times in their lives and who are facing enormous challenges, physically and mentally, with minimal support.
Many new mothers will suffer in silence, unknowing that they symptoms or circumstances they are facing can be either prevented or minimized with adequate care and support.
For some new mothers, postpartum can bring the increased risk of severe mental and physical challenges that can be potentially fatal without professional support and intervention.
Sadly, without better screening and intervention techniques, many of these mamas can slip through the radar without the help they need to recover.
Many more mothers are forced to return to work prematurely or aren’t given the time or space to heal from birth and bond with their babies.
WIthout adequate time and resources for healing and recovery, many postpartum mothers may be struggling in one way or another.
When women start out their motherhood journeys in this way, it can have significant implications for her whole family, including her baby.
If we want to help build up families and create a healthy foundation from which future generations will grow, it’s important to start with the mothers who are growing, birthing, and raising these babies.
When new moms have the support and resources they need to care for themselves through the demands of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, they will be better equipped to care for their babies and their families. A flourishing family starts with a thriving mother.
While we may not be able to instantly change the lack of resources and support for postpartum moms, you can be intentional to create a postpartum recovery plan for yourself that will support your transition into new motherhood.
As a new mother or mom-to-be, your life matters, and you can put a plan in place to ensure that you’re supported as you navigate the transitional season from pregnancy to postpartum.
New moms are faced with unrealistic standards when it comes to postpartum, and there is an expectation that after having a baby, you’re doing well if you can get back on your feet as quickly as possible.
Not only is this rhetoric damaging for new moms, it can be potentially dangerous for women who are trying to do everything and be everything to everyone while trying to care for themselves and their new babies.
You don’t have to chase after these unrealistic expectations and can put all of this unnecessary clutter and noise aside to truly focus on what matters most for you and your family.
Especially in our social media age, there’s a tendency to want to show other people a highlight reel that doesn’t exist or simply isn’t realistic.
At the end of the day, what matters most is saying yes to yourself and choosing to do what’s most important for supporting yourself and your family through this transitional time of early motherhood.
A Postpartum Recovery Care Plan Can Support Healing and Optimize Recovery
This guide is intended to help you formulate your own postpartum recovery plan that is customized for your own unique needs, concerns, and family life.
There is so much time and effort that goes into planning for pregnancy and birth, but there are hardly any resources that help you intentionally plan for the postpartum chapter of motherhood.
We want to change that, and the purpose of this guide to give you the space and resources you need to plan for an intentional postpartum chapter of your motherhood, so this can be a time for healing, bonding, and recovery.
As mothers ourselves who have lived through this, we truly believe that with adequate preparation and support, you can thrive postpartum as you welcome your new baby into the world.
Be sure to download your free PDF version of your postpartum recovery plan at the end of the guide to help you put together your own postpartum preparation plan.
So with that in mind, let’s get started, mama.
How to Use This Postpartum Recovery Guide
In order to help you feel better prepared, this guide will walk you through some of the major areas that may need more attention and intentional planning to help you be better prepared for navigating some of the common challenges that arise postpartum.
Ideally, this is something you can work on ahead of delivery, or during your pregnancy. It’s easy to pour so much thought, effort, time and money into things that won’t matter once your baby is here.
A large part of this is cultural pressures and a society that doesn’t support new mothers in the ways that women need to be carried. In planning and preparing for your postpartum journey, it’s important to shift your mindset about what is truly necessary to help you feel your best in early motherhood.
Anything you invest into your postpartum recovery plan, whether it’s time, money or effort, will come back to you ten-fold, as you’ll be empowered to face the challenges that often come with this transition.
As you read through each area, use the questions and prompts to formulate your own postpartum recovery plan.
Once you’ve put together your postpartum recovery plan, be sure to share it with the people in your inner circle who are part of your motherhood journey, including your partner/spouse, parents, close friends and family, and any professionals that you’re currently working with.
As you build your own village and community, it’s important for the people around you to know how they can best support you through this important time of your life.
Delegate or automate any outside tasks that you’ve identified you’ll need more help with in order to protect your postpartum recovery time.
Ready to get started, mama? Let’s dive in together.
Physical Healing: Postpartum Recovery Tips
Giving birth is a major feat, mama, and the process of bringing your baby into the world is taxing on your body. No matter how you birthed your baby, it’s important to give your body the space it needs to physically rest, recover, and heal.
A common misconception is that you can just get back to business as normal after a week or two from having a baby. Some mothers have no choice but to get back to their daily responsibilities.
Even if you feel ready to hit the ground running in new motherhood, your body may have a difficult time keeping up.
Many of the physical stressors on your body post childbirth include:
Blood loss in childbirth, including vaginal delivery bleeding
Wounds or tears (especially with a cesarean birth), including perineal pain, tears or an episiotomy
Breast milk production and the initiation of breastfeeding, which can contribute to achy/sore breasts,
Bone/muscle aches and soreness
Pelvic floor muscle tears/weakness
Internal organs shifting
Any potential post-birth complications
Giving birth can arguably be one of the most traumatic and physical demanding things your body goes through, and research has found that women can take eight months or longer to heal from pelvic injuries sustained during childbirth.
Many traditional postpartum practices around the world enforce 40 days postpartum recovery (or a 40 day “lie-in”) for new mothers, where a new mom isn’t allowed to do anything outside of staying in bed recovering and feeding her baby while her support system helps care for her and her family. Sounds nice, right?
How long does it take to recover after giving birth?
So what is a reasonable postpartum recovery timeline?
While laying in bed for 40 days post delivery may not exactly be realistic, it is important to shift your mindset about what you can reasonably do and the space that is needed to help your body recover.
The more you can intentionally rest in the immediate days and weeks post delivery, the easier things will be for you in the long run. Remember that you might have days where you are feeling good and may be excited to jump back into something you used to do, especially for a sense of normalcy.
Keep in mind that the physical effects of childbirth may take some time to manifest. For these reasons, it’s important to not engage in any type of activities that might be strenuous on your healing body.
Most importantly, be sure to listen to your body and respond accordingly to how you’re feeling. You might do activities that you think will be okay for your body, like going for a walk, vacuuming the house, or grocery shopping.
However, if you notice any symptoms that feel abnormal, pay attention to these cues as a sign to slow down. Remember that even if you’re feeling well, it’s important to proactively slow down and minimize any stressors on your body to support your recovery.
The individual circumstances you experienced around your pregnancy and childbirth experience will play a role in how long it may take you to recover after giving birth. The best thing you can do is to not put a timeline on your own recovery.
This can help you manage your own expectations and give you the space and time you need to heal. Remember that this will look different for everyone, so try not to compare your healing journey to another new mother (either in real life or on social media).
If you create the expectation that you will recover by a certain amount of time, that can make the process harder and more frustrating, especially if certain aspects of your physical healing are taking longer.
Postpartum Healing Tips
While every woman will experience different postpartum symptoms, these are some areas that can support your postpartum physical healing:
Help manage aches and pains: You will likely experience varying degrees of aches and pains throughout your body, from your perineal area to your breasts and more. Gentle movement, stretching, heating pads, hot showers, massage, and rest will all help your body recover. For more severe pain, your provider may recommend medication management to help ease the pain you may be experiencing.
Support perineum healing: Whether you’ve had a vaginal or cesarean birth, you will likely experience perineal pain. Witch hazel pads, ice packs and sitz baths can all help reduce swelling and pain in your perineal area. Avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time to take pressure off the perineal area. If you have tears or stitches, be sure to gently cleanse the area with a peri bottle after peeing or with witch hazel pads to promote healing. Promote postpartum tear recovery with a combination of sitz baths, witch hazel, ice packs and anesthetic sprays.
Postpartum cesarean recovery - care of incisions: If you’ve had a cesarean birth, or a belly birth, it’s very important to care for your incision wound. Follow the home care instructions from your healthcare provider, which typically includes gently cleansing the incision with soap and warm water once per day. Your provider may also instruct you to apply a topical antibiotic ointment to the incision area to prevent infections. You don’t want to lift anything heavier than your baby and want to avoid carrying a majority of things until your doctor has cleared you to do so. Be sure to notify your provider if you’re experiencing any pain or tenderness around the incision area or if you develop a postpartum fever, as these may be signs of infection.
Breast support: After delivery, your breasts will begin increasing the volume of milk for your baby, which can create some discomfort or pain. Be sure to wear a comfortable nursing bra, preferably without underwire. If you’re experiencing engorgement, you may try alternating between hot compresses and ice packs. Applying a warm compress or heating pad to the breast for about 5-10 minutes before feeding can help support your milk flow. After a feeding, applying a cold compress or ice pack to your breast can help reduce any pain or inflammation in the breast area. Be sure to apply lanolin cream to your nipples after feeding to prevent and reduce cracking or sore nipples.
Prevent postpartum constipation: Eating well to promote regularity can help prevent constipation, which can keep any unnecessary pressure off your perineal area. Avoid straining when possible. Eating a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help add fiber needed to ease postpartum bowel movements.
Action Items:
Here are some action steps to help you create time and space for your postpartum physical healing:
Identify any chores or tasks that you currently do around the house that you might be able to delegate to a family member or friend temporarily to give your body more time to rest. This can include housework, running errands, caring for older children/pets, cooking, etc.
Outsource, delegate or automate any of the tasks you’ve identified above: This may take some creativity and effort, but remember that you are investing in yourself AND your family by making space for your physical recovery. Examples might include having a housecleaner come to help with heavy duty cleaning, delegating errands or home chores to your family/friends, getting a dog walker or babysitter to help with the kids and pets, or having your groceries delivered. These things might seem simple, but it all adds up. Having help with these things can take physical pressure off your body and create more space and time for you to rest.
Exercise: You may want to jump into your regular exercise routine, especially to have some sense of normalcy in your life post-baby. While physical activity can certainly be beneficial, especially for your postpartum mood, it’s not necessary for your exercise activity to be vigorous or strenuous in order to be effective. Move your body in ways that feel good and that are gentle on your body. This might look like gentle yoga, stretching, or walking. Be sure to get cleared by your provider at your postpartum checkup before returning to any other forms of exercise.
Gentle plans to care for your body: Remember that childbirth puts your body through the level of intensity that most endurance athletes face - like running a marathon. Find gentle ways to help your body recover. This might look like a warm shower or bath to help soothe sore or achy muscles. Sitz baths can be helpful if you have any swelling, tearing, or stitching in your perineal area.
Rest: It may seem impossible to rest during a time that is both mentally and physically intensive but this is a crucial component to your healing and physical recovery. Recruiting help in this area ahead of time can help you be intentional about prioritizing rest. Check out our sleep section for tips to get the rest you need, even with your newborn!
Items for Postpartum Recovery Checklist: Having certain products on hand in anticipation of your postpartum recovery can help support your physical healing. Consider making yourself a postpartum recovery kit with the essentials you might need to help your body recover from the after-birth effects.
Here are some best postpartum recovery products that you might want to have in stock before that sweet baby comes; use this list to help you put together your own postpartum recovery care kit:
Witch Hazel Pads: This natural astringent can help keep your perineal area clean and promote healing, especially if you have any stitching or tearing post childbirth. You can also use witch hazel pads in combination with ice packs to ease any perineal pain.
Perineal ice packs: Your hospital or birth center may be able to provide ice packs shaped for your perineal area, which can help reduce swelling and pain after birth. You can also make your own by saturating maxi pads with 3-4 Tbsps of witch hazel, storing in a Ziploc bag and freezing. These can also help ease your perineal area and promote postpartum healing.
Maxi Pads: Whether you’ve had a vaginal or cesarean delivery, you’ll like continue to bleed for about 2-6 weeks after delivery. Having several packs of maxi pads on hand can help you be prepared for this post-delivery period. It’s important to use maxi pads, rather than tampons, as nothing should be inserted into your vagina while you’re healing postpartum (or until your doctor clears you). Consider having a few varieties of pads on hand, as your blood flow will begin to lighten the farther you get post-delivery.
Perineal squirt bottle: As your perineal area heals, a squirt bottle can help you gently clean before and after urinating.
All cotton underwear/briefs: Now is not the time to be ashamed of granny panties, mama. Getting all-cotton underwear can help you not only keep your perineal area dry and comfortable (which can help promote healing), but these panties can also better hold maxi pads, ice packs, etc.
Comfortable nursing bras or camisoles: Having a couple of non-underwire nursing bras can help support your breasts as they adjust to breastfeeding and milk production. You’ll also find it easier to breastfeed when wearing a nursing bra or camisole.
Nursing pads: In the first few weeks or so postpartum, you may notice that your breasts are leaking with milk between feedings or during the night. While this may subside as your milk supply stabilizes, keeping nursing pads in your bra can help prevent any unwanted leaking through your bra/shirt.
Lanolin: Applying lanolin to your nipples can be an easy way to help prevent and/or treat nipples that are sore or cracking. It’s also safe to apply to your nipples while you’re breastfeeding. (For severely cracked nipples that are bleeding or don’t seem to heal, please see your care provider or lactation consultant immediately).
Medications: Your provider may make recommendations for medications and pain relievers to help with pain management or constipation prevention (to prevent any unnecessary pressure on your perineal area). Be sure to follow your provider’s instructions as necessary.
Sitz bath: This is a small tube designed to clean the perineum area and can help reduce pain and inflammation.
Heating pad/ice packs: Heating pads and ice packs can help soothe aches and pains that you might experience postpartum. A heating pad can be especially helpful over your lower abdomen for any postpartum contractions. Similarly, ice packs can help soothe any aches or pains in your breasts. You can also keep bags of frozen veggies on hand, which can also work well over your breasts between feeds.
Postpartum belly wrap: A postpartum belly wrap can be a gentle way to help support the shifts you may be feeling in your abdomen after delivering your baby. Postpartum belly binding has been a part of traditional postpartum practices in many cultures, where a postpartum women’s belly and hips are wrapped with soft cloth or binding to help create physical support and aid the recovery process after birth.
Follow up with your Healthcare Provider: It’s important to stay connected to your healthcare provider and follow-up for your scheduled postpartum check-up. If at any point, any of your postpartum physical symptoms feel abnormal, or you’re experiencing unmanageable pain, please reach out to your OB/GYN or midwife immediately. You don’t have to wait until your scheduled postpartum visit to see your healthcare provider and should never ignore symptoms that don’t feel right. On the other hand, when you do go in for your postpartum visit, remember that just because you’ve reached this point in your journey that you should be totally “healed” and recovered. Your body will likely still very much be in the healing and recovery phase. Speak with your provider about any concerning aspects of your physical and mental postpartum recovery.
Mental Health, Therapeutic & Emotional Support, and Self-Care
Of equal importance to your physical health and recovery is your mental health. The combination of stressors that new mothers face, including the physical, emotional, and social changes, can create the perfect storm for maternal mental health disorders, including but not limited to:
Postpartum Depression
Postpartum Anxiety
Postpartum posttraumatic stress disorder
Postpartum psychosis
Postpartum obsessive compulsive disorder
Even if you’re not at risk for postpartum mental health disorder, preparing yourself for the transition will help support your overall health and wellness.
Mental health is a crucial part of your overall well-being, and if you may be struggling mentally, this can manifest in many different ways.
It’s also of utmost importance to develop effective coping skills for managing stress in ways that will be helpful to you and your baby.
It goes without question that new mothers face a host of stressors during postpartum that can wear on mental health.
Self-care practices, adequate rest and nutrition, and professional support can all help manage stress and promote overall mental health.
When thinking about your mental health, it’s first important to be aware of and identify any potential risk factors.
Having awareness can help you be more proactive and prepared to take steps to help yourself during your postpartum journey.
While postpartum mental health issues are influenced by a wide variety of factors, there are certain situations that can increase your risk.
Some potential risk factors for postpartum mental health issues may include:
Having complications during pregnancy or childbirth
A past history of depression, anxiety or perinatal (pregnancy or postpartum) mental illness
Family history of mental illness
Stressful life events during pregnancy and near delivery
History of sexual abuse
Social isolation
Unsupportive spouse/partner and/or family members
Vulnerable personality traits
As mentioned, postpartum mental health conditions are influenced by a combination of factors, including some things which aren’t necessarily in your control, such as your genetic make-up.
In addition, your body is experiencing a huge hormonal shift, which can also contribute to emotional and mental changes.
However, there are several things you can do to help decrease your risk of experiencing a postpartum mental health condition.
Action Items:
When preparing for postpartum, keep the following things in mind to help support your overall mental health as a new mom:
Nourish your body well: How you feel mentally if often closely tied to how you’re caring for yourself physically. Research has found that women are especially vulnerable to the effects of poor nutrition intake on mood, particularly during pregnancy and postpartum when nutrient needs are increased. Eating a nutrient dense diet can help support your overall mood and mental health, especially one that provides needed micronutrients that affect maternal mental health and well-being. Making sure you’re eating adequately and enough of the right foods can support your postpartum mental health. Having freezer meals prepared ahead of time can be a practical way to have food available during the busiest months of caring for your baby. Be sure to check out the nutrition section below for more in-depth information to optimize your postpartum nutrition to support maternal mental health.
Make Sleep a Priority: There’s a common assumption that because you’re a new mom, you’re going to have to sacrifice sleep. While that might be true to an extent, it’s important to understand that sleep is still a crucial component to your mental health and recovery. Planning ahead for ways that you can get support in order to get longer stretches of sleep can be a helpful part of your postpartum recovery plan. What’s even more important is to get into the habit of an effective sleep pattern before your baby arrives. This means developing good sleep habits now to help you get to sleep easier, which can carry you over once your baby is here. Be sure to check out the section below on Sleep Hygiene to help you build better sleep habits.
Develop your support network: There’s a reason it’s said that “it takes a village to raise a baby”. Bringing a baby into the world is an enormous responsibility, one that you are not meant to do alone. So keep in mind that recruiting help, even for small tasks, is not a sign of selfishness or weakness, but rather, a step of strength for you and your family. Having others in your life that you can rely on during this time will make this transition easier for all of you. To support your recovery and mental health, identify the people and relationships that are a positive part of your life. Who can you rely on to support you during this time? It’s important to both identify these people and communicate with them ahead of time about the extra support you may need from them in your postpartum journey.
Movement and Sunshine: Getting fresh air, sunshine, and moving your body can all do wonders for your mental health, especially after just having a baby. Studies have actually found a link between lower vitamin D status and depression during pregnancy and postpartum. Remember that sunshine is a primary way your body can absorb Vitamin D, which can naturally help elevate your mood. Make it a part of your postpartum recovery plan to get outside (weather permitted!) - even if it’s just for a few minutes each day.
Self-care activities: Make it a practice to engage in activities that are both therapeutic and that help you decompress. This can seem like a tall order when you have a newborn. Just remember, it doesn’t have to be a day out at the spa to be helpful (though that would be nice!). Brainstorm a list of a few activities that you engage in to help with stress management during your postpartum recovery. Some examples might include journaling, reading, listening to music, meditating, seeing a counselor, stretching/yoga, talking with a friend, deep breathing, or unplugging from social media.
Know your red flags and have resources ready: Sometimes, the most effective form of self-care is getting help, and in many situations, professional help may be warranted during postpartum recovery. Remember that there is no criteria for getting help. If anything seems off to you or you feel like you need more support, please reach out to someone you trust. Be sure to bookmark the Postpartum Support International, which offers a confidential hotline, as well as local/virtual resources for new mothers.
Building Your Postpartum Community to Support Recovery
You know that old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child”?
Well, it takes a village to raise a mother, too, and it’s important to build a supportive network of family, friends, and professionals you can help guide you through this part of your journey where you’re entering new motherhood.
Ideally, if you’re able to build your support circles and nurture important relationships ahead of when your baby is born, this can help you ease into your postpartum transition.
No matter what your current situation might be, you were never meant to do motherhood alone, mama.
It can also be helpful to identify the people in your support network that can play a role in your postpartum recovery journey.
This may involve family members or friends who can support you with a meal train, who can help you with errands or tasks around the home, or who can check in with you on your mental, physical, or emotional state.
What’s necessary for you is to map out your network ahead of time and to have conversations with the key people in your support circle to ease your postpartum transition.
Even if you only have a few key people in your close network of support, that is okay!
Nurturing these relationships before baby comes can be a helpful way to build these bonds and your “village” in preparation for becoming a mother and bringing a baby into the world.
These people and relationships will also likely play a key role in raising your baby, and that can start now, by supporting you in your pregnancy/postpartum journey.
Remember that the relationships we care about the most are often nurtured in person and through connection.
Put your phone away for some quality in person time. Building those bonds now will help make things easier when you add a new baby to your life.
Establishing and Respecting Boundaries
Another critical part of building your postpartum relationships and community is to know when and where you need to establish healthy boundaries, for yourself, your family, and your growing baby.
Part of building a village and postpartum support community is also knowing where you need to let go of any potential toxic relationships or unhealthy environments that bring about negativity in your life in any way.
It’s amazing how becoming a parent can quickly shift your priorities and bring a new sense of clarity about what’s really important to you, including what you value in your support circles and relationships.
Developing and nurturing healthy relationships are going to be a key part of your overall mental health and well-being postpartum.
You don’t want to invest energy, effort, or mental space on relationships or people that are not a key part of your support network, or that don’t add to your postpartum healing.
This may also include setting boundaries for those distant friends and relatives who may want to come visit once the baby’s here but may not want to play a part in your postpartum recovery.
It’s okay to say no so you can prioritize time and attention for those individuals who are playing a supportive role in your healing.
Community Support
As a new mother, you may feel more isolated than ever before as you learn who you are and redefine relationships while caring for a new baby.
The postpartum experience can be isolating, but remember, you don’t have to do this alone.
When you’re tired and overwhelmed with all the transitions you’re facing, the last thing you might want to do is put yourself out there with other new moms.
Postpartum is an especially vulnerable time, and it might even feel like you’re further exposing yourself by going out in the community.
However, joining with new mothers can be both refreshing and encouraging, particularly as you connect with other women who are also experiencing the highs and lows that you are facing in this postpartum phase of your journey.
This is where community resources can come in handy, and thankfully, there are a plethora of resources for new moms, both virtually and locally.
Do the research ahead of time to see what community support postpartum resources might be available in your area and make the connection.
This can include resources for:
postpartum mental health
breastfeeding support
parenting/baby bonding classes or groups
self-care resources for new moms
sleep support for mothers and babies
local church groups
postpartum nutrition classes, and so much more.
Getting plugged in ahead of time can make all the difference in building your postpartum community and your own village for new motherhood.
This may involve having some necessary conversations with certain individuals or establishing healthy boundaries with others that may not play a role in your postpartum journey.
Action Items:
Here are some key action steps for you to focus on:
Build your close support network: Identify the individuals in your life that you consider part of your close support network. Remember: it’s not so much about the quantity of people but the quality of the relationships that you have in your support system.
Make time to nurture close relationships: Once you’ve identified who is part of your core support system, make sure to invest time and effort into nurturing these relationships. If you are currently pregnant, this can be an especially helpful time to nurture your support system, as you may not have the time to prioritize this once baby comes.
Establish healthy boundaries: Are there any relationships or environments that are not currently serving you or your growing family? Are there healthy boundaries that may need to be set with certain family members, friends, or acquaintances? If this is a difficult area for you, consider recruiting help from one of your core support relationships. Having healthy boundaries in place can create a more positive environment for you and your family to thrive.
Identify resources in your community for new moms, such as support groups, local mommy and me gatherings, breastfeeding groups, etc: Take some time to research community resources that may be available locally in your area. Connecting with other moms who may be in a similar place can help you build new relationships and feel less isolated on your own journey.
Postpartum Nutrition to Support Healing and Recovery
Feeding yourself appropriately and adequately can be one of the most overlooked and important pieces of your postpartum healing and recovery.
Nutrition plays an important role in both physical healing and your postpartum mental health, but it’s one of the quickest things to go to the wayside when a new baby comes into the picture?
Why is that?
Challenges With Postpartum Nutrition
For obvious reasons, feeding yourself can become a whole lot trickier when you now have a new baby to feed and care for. But through all of these transitions, try not to think of feeding yourself as something that is an option, but rather a vital necessity.
Eating is one of the most valid forms of self-care for the postpartum mother, and it’s crucial to have a plan in place for how and what to feed yourself in order to prioritize your postpartum healing.
There is also a tendency to think that because your baby is no longer growing in your body, it’s not as important to stay on top of nourishment and how you feed yourself. This problematic mindset can make it harder for you to prioritize eating well.
The truth is that even though your baby may no longer be growing inside your body, your baby may still be depending on you for physical nourishment. If you are breastfeeding, your body is continuing to work even harder to produce sustenance for your baby.
In fact, breastfeeding is more energy-demanding on your body than pregnancy, which means it’s crucial to feed your body well.
With or without the physical demands of breastfeeding on your postpartum body, remember that your body is physically recovering from the 9 month process of building, growing, and birthing a baby.
It’s easy to assume that once your baby has been born that this process is over, but your body requires intentional nutrient repletion to be restored and to function optimally.
A good way to think about this is like a bank account. Imagine that the proactive steps you take to care for yourself in pregnancy are like making deposits into your bank account.
You may be intentional about eating well, taking your prenatal supplement, getting rest when you can, etc. All of these positive things allow you to build up a nice safety net or “cushion” in your bank account.
Now imagine that you’ve transitioned into postpartum. The demanding process of childbirth, increased stressors on your body, blood loss, lack of sleep and breastfeeding have all pulled from your bank “stores”quickly dwindling the positive balance or cushion that you once had in your account. If you didn’t have a very high balance to begin with in pregnancy, or if you have added stressors on your body (such as carrying multiples or back-to-back pregnancies), you might quickly find yourself in the red or with a negative balance.
Many postpartum moms don’t realize that without intentionally caring for themselves, especially with adequate nutrition, can be the same as trying to pay your bills with a negative balance in your bank account.
It just doesn’t work and can create a snowball effect of more problematic issues. Suddenly, your checks are bouncing, the balance on your bills are escalating, etc.
What does this mean postpartum?
If you’re not intentionally replenishing your postpartum nutrient stores, this can have a host of negative ramifications that will affect you in many different ways, especially physically, mentally, and emotionally.
This can lead to a state of postnatal depletion, which can make your transition into postpartum much more challenging and difficult.
The good news is that there are proactive ways to avoid this by creating a postpartum recovery plan, specifically around nutrition and how you will feed yourself.
Postnatal Depletion Definition
What exactly is postnatal depletion?
Postnatal depletion can be characterized by unpleasant side effects resulting from inadequate postpartum nutrition and the compounding stressors of new motherhood.
Symptoms of postnatal depletion may include:
Fatigue, exhaustion
Memory loss
Brain fog
Hair loss
Mood swings
Poor immunity, and more.
Postnatal depletion can be triggered by the accumulation of stressors that occur during pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and parenthood (physically, mentally, and emotionally).
How can postnatal depletion be avoided?
While many of the stressors that modern day mothers experience are more of the result of a lacking systematic approach for prenatal/postpartum care, there are some steps that can be taken to decrease risk of postnatal depletion.
This includes adequate nutrition, rest, and support for postpartum recovery.
Focusing on these areas as part of your postpartum recovery plan will not only aid your physical healing but your overall mental health as well.
Pressures with Postpartum Dieting and Weight Loss
Lastly, another challenging aspect that often interferes with adequate postpartum nutrition is the overemphasis that is typically placed on postpartum weight loss.
New mothers face surmounting pressure to lose weight and “bounce back” to their pre-baby bodies.
First, it’s completely understandable why this idea may seem enticing.
Finding some sense of normalcy in your body, especially when everything around you seems chaotic and out of control, can seem like a tangible way to ground yourself.
However, it’s also important to understand the risks that are involved with intentional postpartum weight loss and dieting.
Inadequate nutrition and intentional restricting can not only affect your postpartum mental health and body image but can hurt your breastmilk supply as well.
Other risks associated with postpartum dieting may include:
Postnatal depletion
Poor self-esteem and body image
Increased risk of mental health illnesses, like postpartum depression
Breastfeeding difficulties
Prolonged physical healing
Mood swings
Hormonal imbalances
Malnutrition
While postpartum dieting is the norm in our society, we’d like to give you permission to approach food in a different way; one that allows you to feel grounded, have a more positive body image and feel fueled to thrive in new motherhood.
Nutrition to Support Postpartum Recovery
The process of bringing a child into the world and all that it entails is an experience that is unmatched. Physically, emotionally, and mentally - the process of becoming a mother is a selfless investment and giving of oneself to this labor of love.
As mothers, there is never a more important time to start with you, ensuring that your child is receiving the very best start in life as a result from your own self-care and wellness.
During a time that is saturated with change, transformation, and selfless day-to-day sacrifices, it becomes all too easy to put your own needs on the back-burner.
However, it is precisely during this time that self-care and nurturance is of the utmost priority.
Dieting puts immense pressure and added stress on changing your body, and it also doesn’t allow you to take up the space you need to recover and heal.
It’s important to give yourself time to recover from childbirth, and nourishing your body can help facilitate your postpartum recovery.
It takes approximately nine months to grow and develop a baby, and the process of recovering from the radical changes occurred over this time period should be expected to take just as long - in most cases, even longer.
Physical and emotional healing from the creation of life is no easy feat, nor is it something that should be expected in a matter of days or even weeks.
Proper nutrition is a crucial element to restoring your body and maintaining your overall wellness, allowing you to not only heal from the experience of pregnancy and childbirth, but in serving as a key foundation to your ability to flourish as a mother.
Adequately feeding yourself can seem nearly impossible in the midst of diapers, sleepless nights, appointments and more, and cooking - well, that might be thrown out the window all together.
Simplifying your approach to nutrition can enable you to optimally care for yourself during this important time of your life.
Here are a few key tips to nourish and create a healthy foundation for you and your baby:
1.Aim for simple, key building blocks
Not only is your body recovering and healing from childbirth, but breastfeeding also puts additional demands on your body that must be met by adequate nutrition.
Feeding your body might feel like an afterthought compared to the needs you are meeting around the clock for your new baby, but good nutrition does not have to be a complicated thing.
The key building blocks of nutrition that your body needs can be broken down into carbohydrates, proteins, and fats - all providing energy and nutrients your body needs during this time period.
Building meals on this framework can simplify the process of eating. Here are examples of foods that fall into these categories and ways to build a meal or snack that is providing your body with nutrients needed:
Carbohydrates: Whole-grain breads, grains, such as rice, oats, quinoa, couscous, pastas, granola, fruit, starchy vegetables, like sweet potatoes, squash, corn and potatoes, legumes, and dairy products like yogurt and cottage cheese.
Protein: Any animal based products, including poultry, fish, and meat, bone broth, as well as nuts, beans, eggs, milk, tofu, cheeses, lentils, cottage cheese and yogurt.
Fats: Oils, like olive oil, coconut oil, butter, peanut and other nut butters, seeds, avocado, grass-fed butter, fatty fishes (like salmon and tuna), cheese, olives and whole eggs.
A nutrient-dense diet that includes a variety of foods and that includes enjoyable eating experiences can be foundational for your overall physical recovery and mental health.
Incorporating a balance of whole, nourishing foods can also help meet your body’s increased nutrient needs.
2. Plan and prepare ahead for meals and snacks
Often when we think of meals and snacks, we become overwhelmed at the thought of structuring something with multiple components.
Especially while in the postpartum phase, keeping meals simple will make it more likely for you to put together, even when pressed for time or while holding your baby.
Eating frequently throughout the day can also help ensure that you are consistently providing your body with good sources of nutrition.
Having easy, nourishing snacks on hand can also make it easy for you to feed your body, even while holding a baby or breastfeeding. This can include foods like trail mixes, protein bars, whole grain crackers with string cheese, greek yogurt, whole grain granola, and fresh fruits/veggies.
For delicious, nutrient dense snacks, be sure to check out Majka for wholesome products that are specifically made to support postpartum and breastfeeding moms. Options include milk boosting lactation bites and a nourishing lactation protein powder that can conveniently fuel and replenish your postpartum body. Get 15% off your first order of Majka’s delicious and effective postpartum protein powder and/or lactation bites with the code: CRYSTAL15
When it comes to making nourishing postpartum meals, think about simple ingredients that can help you feel both satisfied and energized. Many dishes can be put together with little preparation, which is helpful when caring for a newborn.
Purchase food items that are semi-prepped, like fresh chopped/peeled fruits, vegetables, salad kits, soup bases, etc. can help you minimize the time needed for food preparation. Keeping simple foods like this on hand will be key during this phase of your recovery.
Consider utilizing grocery delivery services to minimize effort of shopping, or enlist family members and friends to help cover the shopping duties. Other ideas for maximizing effort in the kitchen might include batch cooking (making additional portions of meals to use for later), using crock pots, and freezer cooking.
3. Aiming for Progress, Not Perfection
The last thing you need on your plate at this point is added guilt or stress. Food is not meant to be a stressful thing and in its basic, most simple form, is meant for nourishment and pleasure. Your body just created a miracle and deserves to be treated with respect and care.
Proper nutrition is a tangible means of doing such, but this by no means need to be a “perfect” thing. Eating well doesn’t mean restricting or avoiding food - think more about what you can add into your diet to fuel your body and to feel good.
Remember that you are the best expert of your body and that you can trust what your body needs. Enjoy eating when you can feed your body good food often, and remember that your efforts in self-care are an extension of love to the precious being you created.
Feeding your body well is an extension of caring for your baby. When your physical needs are met, it will be easier to care for yourself and your family.
Here’s what you can focus on instead of dieting to ensure that you’re eating in a way that respect your postpartum body and gives your body the necessary nutrition to support postpartum healing, recovery, and mental health:
Action Items:
Food Preparation: As part of your postpartum preparation, set aside some time to prepare some meals to stock in your freezer for you to access when your baby has arrived. Try batch cooking or doubling your recipes to have extra food on hand to store for later.
Set Up Online Grocery Shopping: Having regular access to food is important for your overall nutrition, and online grocery shopping and delivery can get you what you need when you’re unable to go to the store yourself. Locate the closest grocery store to you that offers online shopping/delivery and set up an account that you can access if needed during postpartum.
Stock Up on Easy and Nourishing Snacks: Be sure to keep your fridge and pantry stocked and ready with your favorite and nourishing snacks that can keep you fueled in your motherhood journey.
Recruit Help and Support: Have a meal-prepping party with your close girlfriends before baby comes and get some extra help cooking meals that your family can store and eat later. If you have friends/family that are asking for ways they can help, this can be a tangible way they can support you. You might also consider setting up. a “meal train”, where your friends and family members can sign up for certain days to bring your family a meal. This is the village in action, and you can pay it forward for your mama friends in the future.
Mother-Baby Bonding
There is a misconception that having a baby means you will instantly fall in love with your baby, but this is not often the case for a majority of moms.
Keep in mind that, just like in any relationship, it may take time for you to get to know your baby and to build a bond with your child.
It will also take time to grow your confidence in how you care for your baby, including breastfeeding (if you decide to do so) and caring for yourself.
It’s not abnormal to feel like foregin in your new role as a mother, unfamiliar with your new responsibilities, or not “in love” with your baby. Those feelings will gradually flourish in the weeks, months and years of learning how to mother your baby.
More importantly, these feelings do NOT make you a bad mother; nor do they mean that you don’t love your child. It’s important for you to give yourself space to process this transition in your life and shifting identity as a new mama, along with all the feelings that will inevitably be part of the process.
Just like with your postpartum recovery and healing, it’s important not to put a timeline on the process of bonding with your baby. Trust that it will happen over time, and this process looks differently for every mother.
There are some simple, yet intentional ways to help foster and cultivate bonding experiences with your baby, which you may want to keep in mind as part of your overall postpartum recovery plan.
Action Steps:
Pregnancy bonding: If you are currently pregnant, identify simple ways that you can begin fostering a bond with your baby now. It may seem odd, since your baby is not earthside yet, but simple gestures can begin building an emotional connection with your baby during your pregnancy and make the transition easier postpartum. Research has found that as prenatal attachment level increases, the level of postpartum bonding also increases. This might involve journaling or writing letters to your baby, singing a specific song to your baby, or playing your favorite music for your baby.
Postpartum bonding: Developing a special ritual or tradition with your baby can help facilitate bonding. This may be something you did during pregnancy or something new that you’re implementing with your baby postpartum. Do what feels natural and comfortable for you, and try connecting with your baby during calmer moments (such as feedings, after naps, etc)
Sleep Hygiene and Rest
Getting adequate rest and sleep is fundamental to your postpartum recovery and overall mental health. It might seem impossible to get any sort of restful sleep while you have a newborn, but with some specific strategies in mind, you can create a better postpartum sleep routine that supports your recovery and healing.
Studies have actually found that the risk of postpartum depression is 3.34 times higher in women with poor sleep quality than those with good sleep quality.
Research has also found that the quality of your sleep and associated risk of postpartum depression begins in the 3rd trimester of your pregnancy. Meaning, if you are experiencing low quality sleep in the 3rd trimester of your pregnancy, you may have an increased risk of postpartum depression after delivering.
Developing an effective sleep routine can help give you a rhythm that makes it easier for you to fall asleep, stay asleep, and get more restful sleep, even when in the throes of having a new baby.
Here are some actions steps for you to consider to help you build a strategy for more restful sleep, beginning in pregnancy and carrying you through postpartum:
Action Steps:
Start with awareness: Before you can implement a sleep routine that works for you, be aware of what are your current sleep habits and tendencies. Do you currently head to bed at the same time every night? Does your sleep feel unpredictable? Are you able to sleep through the night, or are you currently waking up at various times? When you know what you’d like to work on, when it comes to your own sleep, you’ll be better informed on where to focus your time and effort.
Aim for a consistent bedtime: When you have consistency with your sleep, you can better help your body get into a rhythm of falling asleep. Try as best as possible to get yourself to bed roughly around the same time each night. This will also help your body predictably release melatonin, which is the hormone that naturally helps you feel sleepy and fall asleep.
Digital detox before bed: You might be inclined to hop in your bed and scroll through your phone before falling asleep, but this habit can actually keep your brain wired and make it much more difficult to fall asleep. Digital devices and screens can also emit blue light, which can actually delay the release of melatonin. Try to limit screen use in the hour or so before your bedtime in order to help promote a more restful sleep.
Have a routine that helps you unwind: Trying to hop into bed after a busy and/or stressful day can make it difficult to fall asleep. Having a simple bedtime routine can help you unwind, decompress, and process the day. This might include brief stretching and deep breathing, self-care and hygiene (like washing your face and brushing your teeth), and journaling or brain dumping. Downloading your thoughts or jotting down any tasks you want to revisit the next day can help so that you’re not awake thinking through everything in bed.
Build in support for postpartum sleep blocks: When you have a new baby who is still waking up every 2-3 hours (or sometimes even more frequently), it can be exasperating to your physical and mental health. Consider coordinating with your partner or a family member, who can help you during the night to care for your baby. This can help you get a least one block of uninterrupted sleep, which can do wonders for your physical and mental health.
Gentle Exercise and Movement
Movement and gentle exercise can be a helpful way to support your postpartum healing, as well as support your overall mental health.
However, it’s important to reframe your approach to exercise in order to make it supportive for where you are in this season.
You might feel eager to return to exercises that you couldn’t do while pregnant. Or you might be hoping that some more intense exercise can help you with weight loss after having a baby.
While you might have the best intentions, these goals can sometimes lead to strenuous activity or exercise that actually makes it harder for your body to heal and recover. Remember that even if you’re feeling well and better in your body, you may not be fully ready to engage in rigorous movement.
Approach exercise as something that helps support your body in its healing journey from pregnancy and postpartum, and you will be more likely to engage in movements that help you feel better in your body.
Some special considerations for postpartum movement and exercise might focus on:
Diastasis Recti: This is a common condition that occurs during pregnancy, where a separation might occur between the large abdominal muscles. This abdominal separation can cause lower back pain and digestive issues if left untreated. Certain exercises, like crunches and sit-ups can actually make it worse.
Weakened pelvic floor: The weight of carrying a baby can cause extra pressure and stress on the pelvic floor muscles, which can weaken during the pregnancy. A weak pelvic floor may contribute to loss of urinary control
Hip and Back Strength: As you grow your baby, you might inevitably experience loss of strength in your hip and back. You may also experience back issues related to a change in posture with regards to how you carry your baby, both in pregnancy and postpartum.
When you consider postpartum exercise and movement, you may want to focus your energy on areas that help you regain strength, as well as routines that help you rebuild your core and pelvic floor.
It may also be helpful to have a realistic timeline in mind. Your body has undergone dramatic changes to accommodate the growth of your baby. The ways your body has adapted over the 9 months of pregnancy will not be changed overnight.
Be patient, gentle, and kind with your body, and try to approach exercise as a way to care for your body after all you’ve gone through to bring your baby into the world.
Keep these steps in mind as you think about incorporating movement into your postpartum recovery plan:
Action Steps:
Start with slow and restorative movements: It’s important to avoid any rigorous or strenuous activity after delivering in order to give your body ample time to heal and recover. This includes avoiding lifting or picking up any heavy objects. Be sure to follow the advice of your healthcare provider. If you’ve had a cesarean birth, you may need extra time for healing.
Set aside a small amount of time each day: Having even 5 minutes to yourself each day to reconnect with your body with gentle movement can be a healing part of your recovery. This can look like deep breathing, light stretching, or postpartum pelvic floor exercises that support core strength. You might also consider taking a brief walk outside with your baby in a carrier to get fresh air and movement in your legs.
Listen to your body: Tune into your body as the best judge for the type of activity that is most appropriate for you. Don’t push yourself beyond what you can reasonably handle. It’s normal to not be able to do the exercises you once were able to do before your pregnancy, so give yourself time to rebuild your strength. Just remember too, that because your provider has given you clearance to begin exercising doesn’t mean you have to jump back in right away. Listen to and honor what your body is needing.
Develop a personalized plan with your provider: At your postpartum check-up, your provider may check you for diastasis recti, as well as other aspects of your physical postpartum healing. Be sure to discuss with your provider what exercise you may be cleared for doing. You may also want to ask your provider for any outside referrals for additional healing support, such as postpartum physical therapy for your pelvic floor. You can also try calling your insurance company directly to find out if postpartum physical therapy is a benefit covered by your insurance policy.
Professional Resources When Needed
It truly takes a village to support a new mother. You may be reading through this postpartum care list and feel overwhelmed, but we want you to know that you don’t need to do any of this alone. In fact, you shouldn’t be expected to go through your postpartum recovery journey alone.
Enlisting the help of professionals who specialize in postpartum care can help ensure that you and your family are supported every step of the way.
Here are postpartum care professionals that you may want in your corner, in addition to your doctor or midwife:
International board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC): An IBCLC is a health professional who can help support your breastfeeding journey. If you’re struggling with feeding, latching, or need any breastfeeding support, an IBCLC can be a helpful resource.
Postpartum therapist/counselor: If you have a history of mental illness or find that you need mental health support during your postpartum journey, a therapist or counselor can support you with this.
Postpartum Dietitian Nutritionist: In some cases, you may need some extra support managing your postpartum nutrition. A registered dietitian specializing in postpartum nutrition can help ensure you are meeting your nutrient needs through an optimized diet, as well as advise you on supplement recommendations, if needed. A registered dietitian would also be helpful for postpartum eating disorder recovery.
Postpartum Doula: Having extra help and support in your home with a new baby can be a true lifesaver. A postpartum doula can do just that by coming to your home to offer assistance with a variety of things, including basic newborn care, mother-baby bonding, and emotional/physical support.
Postpartum Night Nurse: A night nurse or newborn care specialist can help provide overnight care for your infant so that you and your partner can rest. A night nurse typically comes to your home to help care for your infant overnight, including handling feeds and changes.
Sleep Consultant: If you’re feeling unsure about how to read your baby’s sleep cues or need more support around creating an effective sleep routine for your baby, consider working with an infant sleep specialist who can help you in this area.
Support groups: Many communities offer low-cost or free local support groups for new mothers. Support groups may vary based on a primary focus, such as breastfeeding, infant care, postpartum mental health, and more.
Action Steps:
Take the time to do some research about the postpartum resources that might be available in your area, including a lactation consultant, breastfeeding support group, postpartum registered dietitian, therapist/counselor and more. Put together a sheet with the contact information for these professionals, which you can keep on hand and access if/when you need extra support. Having this information on hand ahead of time can make it easier for you to reach out for help.
Call your health insurance to determine if your provider may cover any postpartum professionals for you. This can also help make it easier for you to access professional help, if you know what might readily be available or more financially feasible.
Planning for a Successful Postpartum Recovery
As you can see, mama, there are many different and important aspects to think about when it comes to your postpartum recovery.
The fact that you’ve read through this guide shows that you care about this exciting chapter of your life and that you’re interested in doing everything possible to thrive and enjoy early mother.
You deserve to feel your best as a new mother so you can build a strong foundation from which you and your family grow.
We believe that with adequate preparation and access to the support and resources you need, you can plan for an intentional and positive postpartum recovery.
We’re cheering you on every step of the way, mama!
A special thank you again to Majka, who’s generous support made this Postpartum Recovery Guide possible. Don’t forget to connect with Majka for your postpartum and lactation needs and use the code: CRYSTAL15 for 15% off your first order!
