Postpartum Tips : a holistic & nourishing approach.
After I had my daughter via induction I remember feeling so out of place.
It felt like I was floating in a world in between, my own hazy version of purgatory on earth. There’s no way to explain it, other than post- partum, I didn’t feel like myself.
Did you know that after child birth women’s hormones take a massive dip, similar to the levels of menopause?
In fact, it takes an average of up to 6 months for our hormones to get back to normal!
Despite this, women are expected to “bounce back” after having a baby and are often encouraged to resume life as normal.
But our lives will never look like it used too as we adjust to life with a new baby.
These postpartum tips are packed with everything you need to set you up to have the most blissful and supportive post-partum experience.
The disclaimer provides that such medical information is merely information – not advice. If users need medical advice, they should consult a doctor or other appropriate medical professional.
MINERALS
Women lose about 10% of our mineral stores post-partum.
During pregnancy women are at the height of human endurance. Studies show that giving birth is even harder than running a marathon.
If we don’t focus on building up the nutrients lost during birth than the chances of infection and maternal mental health disorders are increased.
Keep these minerals in mind when meal prepping post partum- iron, B12, CHA, Omega03 fatty acid, choline, vitamin d.
Nourishing Postpartum Herbs
Moringa
- anti-inflammatory properties such as flavonoids, phenolic acid and isothiocyantes so its acts like a natural advil.
- filled with nutrients like vitamin a, b, c, sinc, potassium, calcuim
- great for milk production
Basil
- mood support esp the baby blues & post partum depression
- boosting milk supply
Schisandra
- packed with polyphenols and antioxidants to help prevent infection, perfect for post-partum healing
- avoid if breastfeeding
Ashwagandha
- immune boosting, anti-inflammatory, and adapogenic is great for adrenals and mood
- avoid if breastfeeding
COMMUNITY
Truly one of the most important postpartum tips.
The first few weeks following my c-section I remember feeling powerless. I wasn’t even able to lift my daughter from her moses basket, let alone think about cooking or cleaning. I honestly don’t know how I would’ve coped if I didn’t have the support of my husband and family.
We aren’t meant to do this alone, it truly takes a village to raise a child.
Every birth a new mother is born and just as the baby needs attention and nourishment so does the mother.
That being said I know having a supportive community post-birth is a privilege many of us don’t have.
Thankfully, there are several options when it comes to building a strong circle post-partum. I loved using Peanut which is an app where you can connect with other moms online. There you can join group with common interests, meet ups, share / ask for advice, and join pods where experts discuss a certain topic.
Another option is to hire a post partum doula- a birth work who is trained to offer emotional and practical support for mothers. They do light house work, meal prep, infant feeding, recovery ( basically the Fairy Godmother of Post Partum.)
And if you live in the UK, the Doula Uk has an Access Fund that provides free doula support.
Wellness Creative Activity
“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.”
Osho
Studies show that becoming a mother boosts creativity One of the best things about being a parent is we have a second chance to reconnect with our inner child and get to see the world all over again through our children’s eyes. When we engage in our creativity, we become better parents.
Carve out 5-10 each day to journal about anything postpartum related- your birth story, recovery journey, your days, struggles, triumphs, etc.
After the post-partum period has ended for you ( some say 6-8 weeks after hormones get back to normal, for others it could be longer) and have a ceremony in honor of this rite of passage into motherhood.