How to Prepare for Postpartum

Women are amazing! Our bodies grow tiny humans, birth them, and recover while caring for our families. However, pregnancy and delivery can take its toll and can lead to a longer and harder recovery. Preparation for the postpartum period does not get the attention it deserves! Women often have ample advice to have better pregnancies and births, but are left wondering what to do to make things better in the wake of all that hard work. I have compiled some helpful hints to prep your body both before and immediately after birth to lead to a better recovery and a happier postpartum mama.

Prior to Delivery

Diet

Starting with a healthy pregnancy, labor, and delivery can greatly improve your postpartum recovery. A diet full of fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and a variety of proteins will keep your body and growing baby nourished. Nothing can replace the value of whole foods, but a quality prenatal vitamins can help to close the gaps. Look for a natural prenatal made with whole food ingredients to get the best absorption. Other nutrition support such as greens and Omega 3 fatty acids are also a great addition to your daily intake.

Iron

I often tell moms that while a low hemoglobin (a reflection of the iron in your blood) during pregnancy won’t necessarily make you feel bad, it sets you up to feel worse after delivery. Women lose blood during delivery, it’s a natural part of the process. If your hemoglobin is 12+ (normal being 12-16) prior to delivery and you lose the normal amount, you may be 10-11 afterwards. Low but manageable, and you’ll still feel overall good. However, if you start at 9 and drop down to 7-8, you’ll be left feeling pretty tired and may be looking at a blood transfusion. Simply adding iron rich foods and supplements such as herbal iron or black strap molasses during pregnancy can keep your numbers within the normal range. If natural supplements do not keep them up, it is absolutely important to take supplemental iron as prescribed. I cannot stress enough how much a low iron level can affect your recovery postpartum.

Labor

Labor can be a long process with contractions off and on for days prior to active labor starting. A long labor or may nights of prodromal (practice) labor can really wear a mom down and make the recovering afterwards harder. Many ladies start birth herbs around 34 weeks gestation to help get their bodies ready. There are many postpartum preparations out there and choosing one of these, along with Evening Primrose Oil, can prepare the body for labor. They work by thinning and opening the cervix without the need for painful contractions. Once labor begins, you may also use tinctures to help keep contractions steady and strong. A faster, easier labor makes for a more rested mama postpartum.

Perineal Stretching

Ask any mom who’s had a laceration (tear) down there during labor, recovering postpartum is a bit more tricky and uncomfortable! Avoiding lacerations will help you rest and sit easier after baby. Starting about a month prior to your due date, perineal stretches can be done 4-5 times per week. This will help train the perineum (skin between the vaginal opening and your bottom) to stretch around baby and snap back into place after birth. Studies show women who did stretching tore far less often than those who did not, and if they did tear, the tear was much smaller and less painful. Ask your provider for instructions on perineal massage during your pregnancy.

After Delivery

Rest

Once you reach the postpartum period, it is important to give yourself time to recover. You will prolong your recovery and increasing the risk of postpartum depression without enough rest. Let others do things for you as you heal and adjust to your new baby. Sleep when the baby sleeps and limit visitors. If you do have visitors, let them know what you need for baby or how they can help. Many women find it nice to have a helper to do household chores such as cooking, cleaning, and caring for older siblings for the first 4 to 6 weeks. This allows both you and your husband to have time to enjoy your little one. You will not regret giving yourself time during this short season, but you may regret possibly prolonging your recovery.

“Never be afraid to slow down and ask for help. This is but a short season in your life and it is okay to allow yourself to rest and enjoy it!”

Pericare 

Pericare consist of the things you do to care for your bottom after delivery. Even without stitches your bottom can still be quite sore. Ice helps prevent swelling and bruising. You can make homemade padsicles by adding a small amount of water to your maxi pads and then freezing them. Make these up ahead of time so that they’re ready when you get home. Ask to take home a peri-bottle to use while you void (pee). It can stop stinging that occurs with going to the bathroom. The trick is to start spraying the water before you start voiding. Witch hazel pads placed on the skin can cool and soothe and warm sitz baths with herbs can promote blood flow and faster healing. I would also have a stool softener or supplement to help promote bowel movements after delivery, with or without stitches, constipation can cause significant pain.

Diet

Even with adequate preparation prior to delivery, the process of pregnancy and birth leaves your body depleted. Not to mention breastfeeding uses an additional 500 calories and many nutrients per day. It is important to have healthy snacks filled with protein handy during those first few weeks. A whole food diet will give your body the strength to heal and will boost your energy. You can supplement with greens and a quality vitamin to ensure you’re properly nourishing your body and your baby. 

Hydration

Dehydration (being low on fluids) can not only decrease your milk supply, but can increase muscle cramps and make you feel achy all over. Drinking 8 to 10 glasses of water per day will help you to feel better, have a better milk supply, and help flush out swelling. You may also add breast milk teas and other non caffeinated beverages as you choose. In addition, drinking plenty will help you avoid constipation and added pain if you have stitches.

In all of the excitement of pregnancy and labor, mothers often forget to prepare for the postpartum period. Hopefully, these simple steps can help you have a faster, smoother recovery and a happier mama!