Despite what you may have been led to believe, your postpartum period is not all about the baby. Well, at least it shouldn’t be. Sometimes as Mama’s, it can feel like you’re lucky to even get a small “how are you” when it comes to physical, emotional and mental follow up after your little one has arrived.
Becoming a Mama is one of the MOST significant experiences in a Mama’s life so now is the time to know that you are important within all of this too. Taking care of ourselves and building boundaries around our recovery, our routine and what we are willing to accept is really important - it’s not always simple, but it’s important.
Here are a few ways you can make sure your wellness is a priority when it comes to your postpartum experience:
Unapologetically put things in place that support you.
Build a plan that nourishes you, protects your energy and that helps you rest. You’re body has done A LOT over the last 9 months and it will continue to change, adapt & support you through caring for your baby.
It’s okay to put boundaries in place (like when & how long people visit for)
It's okay to make plans that make life that little bit easier (like booking a meal delivery service or asking friends for a cleaning voucher if they would like to give you a gift).
Oh, and if you have older kids, it’s okay to keep them in daycare. (yes, even when you’re at home.)
Talk to people about how you’re feeling.
In the year following the birth of their babies 1 in 7 suffer Mama’s suffer with Postnatal Depression and 1 in 5 Mama’s suffer with Postnatal Anxiety, that means, it’s fairly common which also means you’re not alone.
When we shine a light on hard things, fear and shame cannot exist. So please talk through how you’re REALLY going and reach out for help. Here is an amazing free resource from COPE called Ready to Cope which will take you (and your partner) through pregnancy and the early stages of parenthood. If you’re looking for a professional to work with, here is a directory.
Build your Mama Crew
Find a Mama’s group or somewhere you feel comfortable showing up as you are on that day. Sharing our stories, our highs, our lows, our ‘what the heck is going on’ questions is really reassuring and helpful in building that village around us!
Move & Get Fresh Air
Find ways to get outside and move your body. Fresh air & movement do WONDERS for our mental, physical & emotional health. This is a really important piece when we feel like we’re stuck inside thinking about feeding, naps and if we’ll ever make it to a café again (speaking from experience). Sometimes a change of scenery (even a walk to the letter box) can help us feel better.
Book in for your appointments
Having a baby can bring with it lots of baby appointments which means we tend to put ours off and put up with things that we don’t need to put up with (am I right?!).
If you are having any physical or emotional symptoms that don’t feel right, book an appointment to talk about it – there are no bad questions ever & if you don’t feel heard or understood, find someone who will listen.
If you’ve been around here for a while, you’ll know one of the first appointments I recommend is a Women’s Health Physio (they’re amazing) – book that in right after your 6 - 8 week GP Appointment. Other appointments might be a psychologist, an Osteopath, a Naturopath, a Dietician.
You don’t have to put up with symptoms just because you’ve become a Mama. You’re health, your wellbeing matters.
Be kind to yourself.
Life has changed a lot. In big ways and in tiny ways and lots of ways you might not have been prepared for. It’s not uncommon for of Mama’s to be hit in the face with a bunch of unmet expectations that they didn’t even know they had – that can be hard to notice, understand and process! Go gently with yourself, breathe deeply, you’ve got this Mama.
By the way, once your postpartum, you’re always postpartum – so basically, do this forever 😊
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