02/26/2023
Postpartum is the often neglected period following pregnancy and birth. Most women focus all of their energy on preparing for birth because they think it will be the most difficult part. Yes, birth can be very intense and doing the work to equip yourself for a positive experience is amazing! But, postpartum is typically even more challenging- especially when you fail to prepare for it. I definitely fell victim to this during my first pregnancy. I wasn’t completely naive to the fact that it would be a big transition, but I certainly did not view the fourth trimester as the sacred period of bonding, rest, and recovery that it truly is. Basically all we did was prep a handful of freezer meals and make sure to have most of the basics (padsicles, peri bottle, adult diapers, etc.) on hand. Our son was born at the initial height of pandemic craziness (May of 2020), so we didn’t have anyone over until 6-8 weeks after he was born. My husband returned to work after 1 week, so there I was left alone to care for a newborn while still healing myself. This didn’t help with the feelings of isolation and loneliness that many new mothers already experience. I also entered pregnancy already depleted and had no idea the toll that pregnancy, birth and breastfeeding can take on our nutrient stores. I now know that babies take up to 10% of our minerals stores during pregnancy 🤯 Most days I wouldn’t consume anything except coffee until at least 11 am- this was after being up throughout the night breastfeeding and up for the day by 8 am. When I would finally eat, it was a small smoothie or a protein bar. Each of these things is already troubling on its own, so imagine them all combined. I knew that if I wanted things to be different this time, I needed to truly plan for and prioritize postpartum. This meant adjusting my expectations, becoming comfortable asking for help and creating a strong network of support around me. *continued in comments*
