5 practices to be prepared to do postpartum
You have likely heard me talk about the 5 universal needs postpartum. Here is a quick reminder about those needs that are TRUE for every human giving birth across space and time. These needs are based on the physiologic design of the body- or how the body intelligently recovers after a pregnancy and birth.
1) Extended period of rest (ideally 4-6 weeks)
2) Nourishing, nutrient dense foods (rich in animal fat and protein, warm and warming, well cooked)
3) Loving touch and physical medicine (body work, massage, close connection)
4) Wise guidance or community (who support your instincts and intuition)
5) Contact with nature (mother nature, purpose, God, spirituality)
An extra essential need is based on the wisdom of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurveda and that is to STAY WARM!
So great, you know about these needs- and some of them seem obvious on how to meet them (like having nourishing meals and lots of help in the kitchen, thank you Grandma and meal trains) - but what are some other things you and your partner should be prepared to do to meet these needs?
Here are my top 5 tips for easy at home practices to support your recovery in the first 6 weeks postpartum that your partner or ANYONE could do for you.
1) Warming Oil Massage
Ooh, that sounds nice, right? According (again) to the wisdom of TCM and Ayurveda, postpartum is considered to be a time of DRY and COLD. So to restore balance, it is necessary to bring HEAT and MOISTURE back to the body. Additionally, postpartum is a time that fluid (like blood and lymph) tends to accumulate and become stagnant and needs support in moving. One really simple way to do this is by using an oil that is preferably warm (sesame oil was traditionally used in India, but other options include almond oil and jojobo oil) and massaging the whole body- head, chest, arms, abdomen, legs and feet. It can be beneficial to focus the massage strokes so they are always moving towards to heart which will help with blood and lymph flow. It feels so nourishing and also soothes the tensed nervous system of a new mother.
Doing a warm oil massage daily for about 10-30 minutes, or at least 3x per week for the first month postpartum could be life changing. No special massage skills or techniques needed. Light to medium pressure is recommended- we are NOT trying to do deep tissue work here.
2) Abdominal Compression or Belly Binding
After the expansion of pregnancy and birth- the the core and pelvic floor are compromised, rightfully so! The uterus is also still enlarged and heavy until at least 6 weeks postpartum. The spine and hips are still in “pregnancy” or birth pattern and (hopefully) sorting themselves back out towards alignment. Supporting your lower back, core and the intra-abdominal pressure changes with abdominal compression can not only provide energetic protection, but bio-mechanical support.
The issue with belly binding is that if you do it wrong, it 100% does more harm than good.
The pressure of compression should ALWAYS
be gentle, like a gentle hug
allow for free and unrestricted breathing
have a inward and slight upward direction - NEVER a downward pressure
You can use a scarf or rebozo fabric for this, or you can invest in an actual band. I ONLY recommend one brand as it is actually long enough to wrap fully around the abdomen in a way that allows for that upward gentle pressure. It is AbWrap by Bellies Inc- it’s a quick google search away and worth the $99.
I encourage folks to wear abdominal compression most of the day, except for sleeping, for the first 12 weeks postpartum- especially after you return to more movement and walking around after 4-6 weeks.
3) Heating packs
As mentioned, warmth is essential for postpartum healing. Allowing a new mother to “catch a chill” is subtle, but ultimately NOT good for her long term vitality. For this reason, folks in the first 6 weeks postpartum should really limit going outside (if you do- BUNDLE UP), sitting near an AC or fan or going barefoot on a cold floor.
One important way to promote warmth (and therefore blood flow, healing and vitality) is to have a warming/heating pad over the abdomen at (almost) all times. One of those over the shoulder hot pads would also be amazing- especially for that sore nursing Mama’s neck.
I highly recommend investing in a few different heating pads to make sure you are stocked and able to keep warm at all times. Lastly, warm socks, slippers and overall warm feet are ESSENTIAL!
4) Warm hydration and herbal teas
Every new nursing Mom can tell you about the extreme THIRST that comes along with breastfeeding a new baby. Did you know the same area in the brain that secretes Oxytocin also secretes ADH which can increase our thirst? It’s pretty interesting!
All to say, you will feel thirsty- but staying hydrated is also important for your healing. Remember what I said early about postpartum being a time of excess DRY and COLD?
One simple way to restore balance to the system is with consistent hydration with warm, mineral and nutrient rich beverages.
I recommend you plan to sip on different herbal teas, meat stocks, warm milks, etc. each and every day. I encourage you to invest in one of those large thermal carafes so your beloved can brew a big batch of tea (or warm golden milk or meat stock) and fill up the carafe so you have easy access to hot drinks bedside all day. Also having a water bottle or drinking cup with a handle and a straw may make it more accessible for you to reach and hold one handed while nursing and terribly thirsty! (Those big Stanley mugs are all the rage, and definitely for a good reason.)
Some of my favorite herbal teas to stock up on that promote healing and overall wellness: Red raspberry leaf, lemon balm (don’t over do this one if you’re having low milk supply), fennel, holy basil, milky oat straw and nettle leaf.
5) Avoid screen time and social media
It’s really easy to enter into an endless cycle of scrolling and zoning out when you are “resting” or up in the middle of the night nursing- or even when you are looking for guidance on your current major worry.
Social media scrolling can be a means to regulate our nervous system - but also has some real disadvantages. Many people report feeling disconnected from their baby or overwhelmed by the seas of unreliable information on the internet (a little ironic, reading this on a blog, on the internet- I know).
What I want is you to get your information from people you know and trust and from your own very intact INSTINCTS. This is GREAT reason to make sure your care team is locked and loaded going into pregnancy and that you feel really good about the providers you have found(ie: lactation, sleep, physical therapy, naturopath…etc!) This takes a lot of time, but it’s worth it.
Another important reason behind this is that eye strain is something that TCM sees as very draining to a low vitality system. Screen use absolutely causes eye strain which drains your already dampened vitality as a new Mother. Protect that precious resource- you need it.
So I recommend people set a firm boundary on how they want to handle screen time and social media. Maybe it’s a “20 minutes per day” rule or a complete avoidance. Furthermore, it’s important to have other options that are restful ways to “do something” when complete mental rest feels unbearable. I like folks to have a list of books, podcasts, audiobooks to engage with at times- especially from people or authors that you know you already resonate with and actually WANT to hear from.
But remember, the extended rest period is both physical and mental rest.