From forming and carrying life to giving birth, the dynamic resilience of the birthing body is unmatched! The postpartum period is a time of change, healing, and growth. It's imperative that birthing people take the time to rest, heal, and bond with their baby. There's so much internal and external pressure for birthing people to "snap back" in the early postpartum period. BODIES DON'T JUST SNAP BACK! Don't let anyone (including yourself) pressure you into believing that you should be back to your pre-pregnancy status six weeks after you've grown and birthed a human. Give yourself grace and allow yourself time to heal. Everyone's postpartum journey is unique! It's easy to get distracted by how well someone else SEEMS to be doing on their postpartum journey.
Some factors that might influence your postpartum healing include:
Delivery method- C-section versus vaginal delivery
Birth injuries- perineal trauma, nerve injuries, etc
Birth trauma- this could be physical, emotional, or psychological
Prior health status- including nutrition, physical fitness, genetic factors, etc
Beliefs and expectations- what you think, you become
Support system- allows for better stress management and improves feelings of safety and well-being
Sleep hygiene- when we sleep our bodies repair themselves
Just as no two deliveries are the same, no two postpartum journeys are the same. Our culture suggests that at six weeks postpartum every person should be ready to return to "life as usual." The truth is many birthing people continue to experience symptoms of pain, incontinence, anxiety, and other issues well after the first six weeks. Establishing the appropriate postpartum support and having a postpartum plan can help you achieve a more seamless transition through the fourth trimester and beyond as you settle into your new normal.
Some key players you may need for your postpartum team might include:
Your friends and family
A postpartum doula
A pelvic floor physical therapist
A mental health therapist
A lactation consultant
Assembling a top-notch postpartum squad can help decrease your risk of postpartum depression, improve your postpartum pain symptoms, reduce symptoms of postpartum pelvic floor dysfunction, and improve the ease of your postpartum recovery and transition into parenthood.
Every birth changes us from the inside out. We are conditioned to rush and return to our previous activities in the early postpartum. I often see birthing folks who do not ask for the help that they need because they're supposed "be strong" but just as it takes village to raise a child it takes a village to support the birthing parent. It's okay to take your time. It's okay to ask for help. Postpartum is forever. Forever requires a solid foundation. At Ambient, we focus on holistic well-being in the early postpartum period. Schedule a free consultation for our postpartum doula and rehabilitation services today.