What is Postpartum and why does it matter?
Have you heard this word: Postpartum? Let's talk about why it's such a formative time for you and your Motherhood journey.
When I had my babies, 'Postpartum' wasn't such a thing as it is now. I knew the word, because I was working on maternity wards and in clinic with postnatal women. I knew at a heart level that this early time with a new baby was very, very special. And that I needed to tread carefully, as a practitioner, in what kind of energy, words, and care I offered to women.
Postpartum is, technically speaking, the first 6 weeks after birth. But many of us in the birth-and-motherhood world like to say "Postpartum is forever" - because we never really stop unfolding the mysteries, discoveries, and changes that are set in motion when we give birth to another human being.
From my experience in clinical practice, the body can remain in an in-between state for as long as 2 years after a pregnancy. This is due to the massive hormonal, structural and systemic changes that have taken place, AND the ways in which we continue to be shaped according to the needs of our children as they grow.
In the first 12 weeks after birth, your physical body is more powerful AND more vulnerable than ever! If you thought pregnancy was a lot of work for your body, wait until you see what this incredible creation (your body!) is capable of in Postpartum healing time!
So you need a LOT of rest - preferably lying down, horizontal, for much of the day - particularly in the first 20-40 days. You need nutritious, warming food that is easy to digest and supportive of key minerals that have been taken up by your baby's final stages of development in utero. You need to stay well hydrated - whether or not you're breastfeeding - as your body resets many of the water-based systems you need to be healthy. You need gentle movement, when your body is ready - and this timing varies depending on many factors like what happened for you during birth. And finally, you may need some guidance and therapeutic input from bodyworkers and birth workers who are specialised in Postpartum care.
And that's just the physical stuff! Birth is a rite of passage, no doubt. But when do we have an opportunity to integrate the learnings from birthing, and transform raw experience into soul expansion and insight? It's during our Postpartum that we begin to do this. Your brain is going to be experiencing entirely new highs and lows. Your heart and soul are stretching to hold space for this tiny, dependent, intricate and beautiful person you have birthed. Your relationships are shifting around the new baby and the new You! You are likely to behave in ways that some would call instinctive, and this might be yet another new experience for your family to witness. Emotional and practical support are so critical in your Postpartum, to give you the space to heal, expand, and learn how to be Mother to the new one in your life.
There are some excellent resources to help you understand Postpartum, and how to plan effectively for this sacred period. Ask your friends for book recommendations, reach out to birth workers you are supported by or those you follow on social media for their recommended reading list, and create a plan that will serve your family.
In the final module of my online course, LUNA Pregnancy: An Integrative Physiotherapy Guide I offer little pieces of advice about the physical self-care for your abdominal and pelvic regions. This is where so much change is beginning to be 're-wound'. Postpartum is a re-weaving, indeed: of your physical body, your identity and relationships, and your sense of who and why you are in the world. I love love love working with postpartum women, as they are magical creatures in full-blown growth and expansion and revelation mode! Of course there are difficult elements, and for some people there are life-changing challenges that show up in Postpartum. That was true for myself, as both births held their own deeply painful insights and embodied experiences... But that's a story for another day!
Write to me at hello@lunaphysiotherapy.com.au if you have questions about postpartum physiotherapy, or LUNA Pregnancy.
x Claire