Postpartum Planning

1/9/2016

For a safer and more satisfying labor and birth, researching the process and writing out your wishes for our own unique experience is helpful. But, what about your postpartum experience?

Researching to find out what you might need to thrive during this period of time is essential. A postpartum plan sets you up for an enjoyable and optimal recovery after bringing your baby earthside.

It will take nine+ months to grow your baby. With excellent nutrition, supplementing, physical activity, and a compassionate, evidence based care provider to walk along side you, you can enjoy pregnancy without much discomfort or anxiety.

Your complete healing shouldn't have to take less than nine months. With an emphasis on healing and breastfeeding establishment during the first eight or more weeks, you can slowly transition into our role as mother over the next several months.

Don't give into the pressure to snap back whether it be weight wise, emotionally, or mentally. You are responsible for quite a lot now, and can only thrive when you're are conscious of the need to be gentle with yourself.

As a large side note, one of the biggest detriments to the postpartum period is visitors (please do not mistake “visitors” with “helpers”) . I know, I know. Grandma and Grandpa want to meet their grandchild and maybe hold them while you sleep. Your friends want to snuggle baby for a bit while you get stuff done around the house.

Remember, everyone else will get their time to meet and greet your baby. You however, will not get these precious days of bonding and healing back.

Personally, I kept visitors at bay for the first week.

I planned for an entire week of:

skin to skin and shirtless nursing- I wanted to get this breastfeeding thing down without scheduling it around so and so.
bed-shared sleeping and resting- When baby was asleep, I slept and or rested with her without having to schedule my own resting times around visitors. We drifted in and out of sleep and each time she wriggled or awoke I was close enough for an opportunity to excel in nursing.
breaks with dad- When I needed a break to care for myself, baby went to her dad's bare chest for some skin-to-skin time with him.

Here are some practical ideas for the early postpartum days and weeks that can help get you off to a good and healthy start in motherhood:

Rest - Sleep or rest when your baby sleeps. This is very important during the first eight or so weeks postpartum for healing and emotional health. If you have other children, have a family member or friend come over to play or take them out of the house for a bit.

Nourish - Eat well. Make ahead whole food freezer meals (soups, stews, pasta dishes, etc) and/or ask family or friends to cook you nutritious meals. Nutrition is just as important now as it was during preconception and pregnancy.

Hydrate and supplement - Keep a large travel mug full of room temperature water (with a straw) close to you at all times, especially when breastfeeding. Continue taking your prenatal supplements as well as all other vitamins and minerals that your care provider has recommended.

Ask for/accept help - “Help” includes caring for siblings, cleaning the house, laundry, and cooking. Doing all the “to-dos” so that you can hold, bond with, sleep with, and breastfeed your baby.

Heal - Make ahead "medicated" pads (large overnight size Natracare pads, 100% witch hazel (alcohol free preferred or highly diluted) optional lavender essential oil, gallon freezer bags). These pre made pads will aid in speeding along the healing process by reducing inflammation and any risk of infection.

Manage discomfort - Arnica (homeopathic tablets and/or oil) is a great, breastfeeding safe, natural remedy for swelling, infl ammation, and pain.

Cry - Sometimes women may feel a bit overwhelmed after birth as post birth and breastfeeding hormones are regulating. You are also beginning to process the experience of labor and birth. Your tears contain the stress hormone cortisol. If you feel the urge to cry, whether you’re sad or happy, you must let those tears out! Being open to releasing your built up emotions is so very healthy. However, if you are having irrational thoughts or feeling extremely depressive, please tell someone and seek help.

Eat your placenta - A way to help our hormones balance, boost our milk supply, and nourish our blood is through placenta consumption. I know, it sounds yucky. Do some research.

Forget the bottles and pacifiers - This might sound extreme, but then again, so might expelling a baby from your vagina without medication. I personally don't do things that might make me uncomfortable for a short while just for the heck of it. With a bit of research, we find that bottles and pacifiers can be cause for low milk supply. If you are going back to work, holding off on introducing bottles until breastfeeding is established is essential to maintaining a nursing interested baby and good milk supply. The same goes for pacifiers. I've heard the arguments, “But, I'M being used as a pacifier”. And, yes! Yes, you are. All this suckling and constant attachment is for your baby’s health and benefit. Baby at the breast, nursing or not, is keeping your milk supply up as well as supplying all the feel-good-sleepy hormones in you both.

Wear baby - Now that you're strong enough to move about (maybe days or weeks later), put baby in a sling or wrap. Keeping baby in contact with you is essential to their health and development. Dads wearing baby or practicing skin to skin is a great way for them to bond with their baby’s.

Choose joy - Our mind has so much power over our physical bodies. By choosing to be joyful in the midst of our trying circumstances and discomfort, our perspective can be altered. Hopefully you hired a doula to support you during the birth of your baby and she helped you navigate your journey. The presence of a doula during birth has been proven to help women feel good about their birth experience no matter how it unfolded. Speaking to your doula or care provider to sort out your thoughts about your birth experience, or hiring a postpartum doula can dramatically reduce your risk of postpartum depression.

Wanting to research a bit more? Here are a few topics worth your attention as you plan out your postpartum experience:

I'm hoping that your research and preparation will pay off immensely during your journey through the postpartum period!

Resources:
jerseymomsblog photo
1. http://kellymom.com/hot-topics/low-supply/
2. http://kellymom.com/ages/newborn/newborn-concerns/pacifier/
3. http://www.boba.com/the-second-nine-months