Postpartum Update: What I Learned in the First 2 Months
I am officially almost 2 months postpartum...wow! These have been the longest, yet fastest moving days of my life! So far I am loving being Luca’s mommy and my healing process is going really well. I’ve shared a lot of what’s working for me on my instagram, but considering the postpartum period is often over-looked I thought it was important to make a dedicated post about it here too. I’m in a unique position as a first time mom because I’ve been working with pregnant and postpartum families for almost 7 years now. My background has given me insight into the huge shift that happens after baby arrives that no one really talks about and is seldom prepared for. I’ve been able to use my professional experience to plan and prepare for the things I had control over and it has really made the difference for me. While I’m not exempt from the challenges that come during this time, I’ve generally had a low stress and enjoyable postpartum experience up to this point. Here are the key things that have made my transition into motherhood as smooth as possible:
When people ask if you need anything…
Literally just say YES and ask for what you need. Everyone is extremely excited to help in the beginning and the excitement can wane as the weeks go on. Strike while the iron is hot and if people offer help, take it! Sometimes people really want to help but don’t exactly know how. I made an Amazon Wishlist and also told people gift cards for groceries, meal delivery, etc we could use later would be the biggest help since I’d already stocked the freezer with easy to prepare meals. We ended up getting hundreds of dollars in gift cards and donations which was a God-send for ordering curbside grocery pick up, Amazon orders, and other necessities considering our budget is tight while I’m on maternity leave.
Sleep...
“Sleep when the baby sleeps”! I suck at this, but then again newborns sleep almost the entire day so I don’t know how realistic this advice is? What’s worked best for me is to create an adaptable routine making sure rest is part of it. For example, I feed, change, and put him down between 7-8am I get ready for the day. This includes washing up, putting on fresh clothes, and grabbing some coffee and/or a bite to eat. He takes a couple long naps at some point during the afternoon/evening, so if I don’t nap I make myself pick one of those times to lay down and do nothing at the very least. Sometimes he strays from this schedule, but I do my best to keep the routine going even if the times vary a bit! I also took the Taking Cara Babies class on Newborn Sleep which I highly recommend! It’s breastfeeding friendly, gentle, and focuses on creating a healthy foundation for sleep by listening to your baby’s cues and creating a safe, womb- like environment. It’s not at ALL about getting your newborn to “sleep through the night” right away which is unrealistic!
Organization….
I love to organize (type 1 for my enneagram lovers!) and creating systems for baby was no exception. The best thing I did from that standpoint was getting a rolling cart for my side of the bed where I stocked essentials for baby and myself within an arm’s reach. The filled my cart with diapering supplies, my water bottle, supplements, snacks, nipple cream, burp cloths, etc. Really anything I used multiple times throughout the day I kept on my little cart. I also have a felt caddy I keep stocked with the necessities that stays in the living room so I wouldn’t have to pick baby up and head to the nursery with every diaper change. In those early days it felt like I was changing a diaper every 5 minutes so we could stay camped out on the couch.
Nourishment….
If you’re part of my community/VIP list you already got a link to the recipe list I used as a guideline for my freezer meals. (If you’re not you can join here so you don’t miss anything else!) I’m SO glad I did this and labeled everything to make it easy for my helpers! At a month in we were still munching on the meals I froze while I was pregnant. Warm easy to digest food like soups and stews, herbal teas, and one hand snacks have been my staples.
Breastfeeding….
Now I understand part of the reason so many moms don’t breastfeed even when they have the desire. Breastfeeding is HARD, especially in the very beginning. I feel more strongly than ever that education and professional lactation support is a MUST if you want to breastfeed your baby. Although my baby latched well initially, things got more challenging as the days went on. At our 48 hour postpartum appointment I was able to get some pointers and a dental referral from my midwife (who is also a lactation consultant) to help us keep going without pain or problems. She confirmed he had signs of a lip and tongue tie which can make latching difficult for him and painful for me. If I didn’t know about ties or hadn’t gotten that referral to get him evaluated I may have thought nursing was too painful and just stopped! In addition to having education and support the “breast friend” pillow, small cold packs, warm compresses, nipple butter, and the Haaka breast pump have been lifesavers! (Don’t worry, I’ve linked products at the end of the post!)
My Recovery…
My physical recovery has been pretty smooth for the most part outside of my bottom healing from needing stitches. I attribute that to how I cared from my body during pregnancy, rest, nutrition, and using herbs/supplements to support me. I’ve mentioned this book before, but I referenced the book The First Forty Days as a guideline on how to care for myself during this time. As far as herbs, I can’t speak on them much because I was gifted a lot. However, I did use Euphoric Herbals womb blend to make tea, Afterease tincture for cramps, and I encapsulated my placenta. There were times I’d feel great in those early weeks and try to do all the things, and my body would quickly remind me I had to be gentle with myself!
Emotionally I have been able to rely heavily on my “village” to check in and also checked in with my therapist to debrief on how everything is going so far. I highly encourage finding your “mom people” and a great therapist beforehand if possible. It is true what they say, not only is your baby born but this is your birth as a mother as well! So many emotions and dynamics come with that. On that note I’m excited to continue sharing my motherhood journey with y’all. Does this make me a “mommy-blogger” now? Ha!