My dear friend is having a baby in a few months. As we celebrated her and her entrance to motherhood this weekend, I thought of a few practical tips I wish I’d known or accepted the first two times I had babies. This last time, as I’ve gotten back into the swing of baby-mothering, I feel so much more equipped and at peace with my role as my baby’s primary caretaker.
This postpartum healing experience is so different from my previous births, largely due a shift in my own attitude, approach to what really “needs” to get done and my willingness to let Rob pick up the slack. This time, I only took care of the bare minimums around the house and focused my energy on healing, nourishing my baby & loving his daddy and siblings.
As far as practical tips go, here are my suggestions.
Rest
You just ran a marathon
Climbed Mount Everest
and swam the English Channel
All that energy you feel
Is adrenaline
It wears off
Bask in the moment of your triumph
Let your body recover
It will take several months
To feel even close
To your old self
Yes
You are normal
In the meantime
Allow your friends and family
To celebrate you
And your new small one
Nurse right after labor
And every chance you get
See a lactation consultant
Birthing centers and hospitals have them
If you have trouble with your baby gaining weight after birth
See one again
It’s much easier to fix nursing problems at the beginning while supply is not yet established than it will be later
Rub coconut oil on your nipples after every nursing session
It is better than lanolin & won’t stain your clothes
Use it on your baby (it prevents cradle cap)
and all over you
Pretend you’re relaxing on a beach
Where there are no dirty dishes
Go to bed early, you’ll be up a lot in the night
Take naps, especially if your partner is home
Rest every chance you get
Eat watermelon
And you won’t fear your first post partum bowel movement
It’s better than stool softeners
Use your peri bottle
It will help you heal and cool things off down there
Don’t try to do housework your first week back
Let your love help you
In fact, let him be your servant
It’s part of his daddy job
Thank him often and kiss him lots
Eat nourishing food
Cooked veggies
Or Salads
Fruits
Protein
Carbs
Plenty of healthy fats
This is not the time to try to lose weight
You have a baby to feed
And a body to restore
Ask friends for help
Let loved ones bring you food
And pamper you
Start every day in the sunshine
Sing
Drink herbal tea
With friends
And relax
It will help you avoid
Postpartum depression
There’s plenty of time
To show off
Your new
Super-mom powers
Later
Congratulations, Mama.
Love this post? Take 30 seconds and do two things. Stay part of the conversation by joining the email list. No spam. Promise.
And Share this post with someone who needs encouragement today!
Read more: Motherhood. Am I Going to Survive This?
Read more: Making the Hard Parenting Choices. I Promise I’m Not Judging You.
Thanks for your lovely post for the mama’s out there. It is simple and sweet. I especially love how you mention rest, nourishing food and sunshine… It’s the simple things in life that help immensely.