Kiddipedia

Kiddipedia

Your postpartum experience can set the tone for how you move through Motherhood and can be altered by simple but worthwhile preparation. However, Mothers are often steered towards what material things they will need for the baby rather than how they can support their own healing after birth. So how do you prepare for the most unpredictable, vulnerable time of your life? Your postpartum preparation is about getting back to basics and understanding that birth is a huge physical exertion that requires recovery time, nourishment and support from loved ones. Below are 5 simple, easy to implement steps you can do in the lead up to your due date to ensure you have everything you need to optimise your healing after birth.

  1. Meal train, delivery service or pre-cooked meals:

Early motherhood rarely allows time to leisurely cook yourself nourishing meals (nor will you have the energy to do so) so it’s essential to create a plan for how you intend to keep yourself fed and nourished in your Fourth Trimester. There are now wonderful Postpartum meal delivery services available that have nutrient-dense options to optimise your healing after birth. Alternatively, a meal train could be organised with your closest support people at a baby shower or Mother Blessing where your loved one’s drop over meals each week for the first 6 weeks. If asking for help feels difficult, invite some friends around for a meal preparation afternoon and enjoy some companionship and connection before your new baby arrives.

  1. Snacks and meals for labour and immediate postpartum:

If you’re choosing to give birth in a hospital, arm yourself with pre-prepared nutrient-dense meals that rebuild your blood, boost your energy and fill up your oxytocin tank. Let’s be real, hospital food isn’t delicious nor nourishing so being unprepared for labour and immediate postpartum can be the start of a downward spiral towards Postpartum depletion. When packing your hospital bag, your number one priority should be what food to bring – not only will it provide you with strength, energy and keep you hydrated, it also sets you up for a nourishing start to your fourth trimester. Consider packing pre-made broths, vegetable soups, rice puddings, herbal teas, slow-cooked, easy to digest meals and a large drink bottle.

  1. List of local practitioners for postpartum healing:

Common postpartum concerns such as breastfeeding issues, imbalanced hormones, pelvic floor weakness and fatigue can be supported by local healthcare practitioners. Create a list of the following practitioners along with their contact numbers to refer to at any moment of Motherhood.

  • Acupuncturist: hormone health, depletion, nervous system support, relaxation and stress reduction

  • Physiotherapist: pelvic floor health

  • Nutritionist or Naturopath: hormone health, postpartum depletion, energy, nervous system support

  • Lactation consultant: breastfeeding support

  • Psychologist: mental health support

  • Postpartum doula: in-home support for mother

  • Meal delivery: to keep Mama fed and nourished

  1. Postpartum plan

Preparing for your Postpartum is just as essential as preparing for birth if you want to move throughout each phase with strength and ease. Consider who are your support people? How are you going to keep your body nourished? How can you calm your mind when it feels tough? What about when hurdles arise? Postpartum is the birth of a Mother, preparation for her is essential. In the hope that we can regain an element of control in Postpartum and draw the need away from controlling our babies, the next best thing is preparing for the unknown. We have caught onto the power of having a “birth plan”, knowing full well that birth never goes to plan. However, it is never the plan that women benefit from at birth, it is the knowledge that comes with it. You can start by sitting down with your support person, loved one or partner and chatting about what you need to feel supported once the baby arrives and why. Although expectations versus reality sometimes don’t quite match up, knowing the reason you had these expectations in the first place really helps. For example, you may love the idea of having your close friends and family visit once the baby arrives and you have every right to be excited, this is a brand new human you just created. But when the day comes and you are sitting there with your brand new baby and utterly exhausted, having to talk about all the things you may not have energy for, you may question your need to have company while you are freshly postpartum. This is where the Postpartum Plan can come in handy. Creating healthy boundaries with the help of your support person allows them to pick up on your needs ahead of time. This also gives your support person a role and purpose once the baby has arrived. Happy mum = happy baby and everyone wants that.

  1. Natural healing remedies:

Many Mothers approach pregnancy and Motherhood mindful of what they are lathering on themselves for the sake of the baby, however, rarely give themselves the same respect after birth. We have access to incredible resources in nature that aid our healing in Postpartum but many automatically jump to chemical infused nipple balms, sprays, creams, stimulants, synthetic vitamins and unnecessary pharmaceuticals. Being conscious of what you use, especially when you’re still a fresh Mother can have a tremendous impact on your hormones, your energy and your ability to balance your body after birth.

There are remedies that can be made pre-birth for common postpartum concerns such as

  • Healing tears and wounds

  • Rebuilding nutrient stores

  • Supporting milk supply

  • Remedy mastitis

  • Supporting mood

  • Balancing hormones

  • Boosting energy

  • Easing post-birth pains

To learn more about how to create a nourishing Postpartum experience and heal naturally from birth, Birth of a Mother ebook is now available.