You’ve just had your baby. Congratulations!!! You are now in (what we call) the fourth trimester, which is the postpartum period. The postpartum period begins after the birth of your baby and is the first 3 months of your baby’s life. This is when mothers learn about their babies, discover their new role as a parent (or become a second-time parent, etc.), and fall deeply in love with their new little one.
Then the long days and nights come rolling in…
The nonstop demands of caring for a newborn can make it easy to forget your own needs. Yes, motherhood requires sacrifice — but that doesn’t mean you should stop caring for yourself.
As they say, you need to put on your oxygen mask first before helping others. The same goes for motherhood. It’s time for moms to move themselves up on their own priority list and make space for a little postpartum self-care, without guilt. Just because you’re a mother now doesn’t mean you should lose sight of yourself.
The postpartum period is a tender, emotional time. Mothers go through major physical and emotional changes and need care, rest, and support to recover and rebuild their strength. Here are some ways to help you take better care of yourself during this journey.
Ways to Care for Yourself After Baby
The postpartum period is a time of healing, discovery, and change. To support your body and mind as you adjust to life with your newborn, here are four key areas to focus on for better recovery and self-care.
Rest
We all know that newborns sleep at crazy hours and in spurts. Their internal clocks have not adjusted yet to the outside world. A typical newborn wakes up about every two to three hours. They will need to be fed, changed, burped, and/or comforted each time. The demands of doing the same thing all day and night can become overwhelming and exhausting for anyone. This is why it’s important to find ways to catch up on some much-needed rest throughout your day (and night). It will help you feel more like a human and less like a zombie, or should I say, mombie. Here are some tips that may help you find ways to get more rest with a newborn.
- Reassign Responsibilities: In those first few weeks, mothers need to be relieved of all responsibilities other than feeding the baby and taking care of themselves. Dishes, laundry, cleaning the house, grocery shopping, etc., should be reassigned to someone else during this phase. (If possible.)
- Share the Load: Split night responsibilities/nighttime duties with your partner or family member.
- Try to sleep at times when the baby sleeps: Easier said than done, I know. I understand that you may have laundry to do and dinner to get ready. But then you need to remember bullet point #1. These few minutes of rest several times a day can add up and make you feel better.
- Cut Down on the Steps and Save Time: Have a co-sleeper or put your baby’s bed near yours for night feedings. This will save you some steps and valuable time.
- No Entertaining: Guests are always nice to have. However, many new mothers feel like they need to entertain or be good hostesses. This is not the time to entertain. If guests come over, don’t feel bad if you need to excuse yourself for a nap or feed your baby.
- Go Outside: Getting some fresh air can help clear your mind. This is why I think all mothers should go outside for a few minutes each day. You can begin walking and doing postpartum exercises, as advised by your health care provider.
- Help with Feedings: After baby has established a good latch and it’s been a few weeks, introduce a bottle to breastfed babies for an occasional nighttime feeding. This way, someone else can feed the baby, and you can have a longer period of uninterrupted sleep.
Nutrition
Now that you’ve had a baby, your body has gone through a lot. It needs to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. And to promote healthy healing and recovery, a healthy diet is essential. Most lactation experts will add that breastfeeding mothers need to take particular care in what they feed their bodies and add 500 healthy calories to their diet.
Eating well isn’t simple. It requires planning, especially when you are out of your normal routine. Mothers can get overwhelmed and exhausted caring for their newborn and/or family. Sometimes dinner is completely forgotten about. Before you know it, you could be skipping meals and living straight off coffee. (You’re not alone!)
A healthy diet during the postpartum period should be a series of balanced meals and plenty of fluids. The meals should contain six key elements – grains, vegetables, fruits, dairy, protein, and healthy fats. To help you with this, use salads, smoothies, veggie snacks, and be sure to sit down to eat. If you aren’t good at planning out your meals, ask friends and family to bring some healthy options. Setting up a meal train can be so helpful with all of this! Share this list with your friends of freezer meals to take to tired new parents.
Consult your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian to learn more about postpartum nutrition. Certified lactation consultants can also help with advice about nutrition while breastfeeding.
Exercise
There are many benefits of exercise when living with a newborn. It can give you increased energy levels, improved sleep, better immunity, and feel-good hormones to help you fight off everyday stresses. What mama doesn’t want that?! But exercising doesn’t have to take up hours of your day. Even 10 minutes of good exercise will produce a whole range of positive results.
Exercising with a newborn can mean going for a walk with baby in a sling or carrier, jogging with the stroller, or enrolling in an exercise class that involves your baby. But if you prefer to exercise on your own, here are some options:
- Put on a fitness video or app at home and get a quick workout with your baby.
- Go for a walk or jog with your baby, or go before your partner leaves for work, or after they return home.
- Join a gym that offers a safe and trusted babysitting service, or
- Go to a health club that provides mom and baby classes.
- Practice postpartum yoga at a studio or home.
- Invest in some home equipment, or at least some weights and elastic bands
Mental Health
When you are doing the same things day in and day out, taking care of another human life with very little sleep, it can be challenging to keep your sanity as a new mom. Some people may not realize how physically and emotionally demanding it is to care for a newborn, especially on little sleep. But new moms carry a tremendous load, and it’s important to protect your mental health along the way.. Here are some ways to look after your mental health:
- Join a support group to meet other new parents—it’s nice to get out of the house and meet other mothers in your stage of life.
- Express both your negative and positive experiences to trusted support people.
- Take breaks with your partner and with friends.
- Take regular trips out on your own: manis and pedis, massages, etc.
- Find a quiet place to reflect sometime during the day.
- Close your eyes and practice slow, deep breathing.
- Watch some favorite movies or read a favorite book.
It’s good to continue these things long after the postpartum period. They help you feel happier and healthier and enable you to be the best parent you can be.
Getting Support When You Need It
Many parents do fine on their own. However, having someone else come in to help with the responsibilities around the house usually makes the adjustment to a new baby a whole lot easier. Helpers can be family, friends, housekeepers, or postpartum doulas. A family member, such as the new baby’s grandmother or aunt, may be able to come for a few days or longer to help! If you need more professional help for a longer time, housekeepers and postpartum doulas can offer various services.
Your Postpartum Well-Being Matters
The postpartum period is a time of great change. I hope these ideas inspire you to care for yourself as lovingly as you care for your baby. Because when you’re healthy and supported, your whole family benefits.
