Postpartum Nourishment
Written by Ali Sugarman, Birth and Postpartum Doula, Family Chef and Sanctuary Operations Team Member
In our country, there is so much emphasis on pregnancy and childbirth. There are options, support, special treatment, and while it is a very exciting time, why isn’t there as much support for new parents after their baby enters the world?
The postpartum period can be very sweet. Full of snuggles, cute baby toes, and loving grandparents. It can also be difficult and exhausting; lack of sleep, unspoken boundaries, and a body that you no longer recognize. It’s really important to take care of yourself after your new baby arrives, and we want to give you some good tips, tricks, & information to support you in this journey!
According to the Innate Traditions Postpartum Care, there are five pillars of postpartum wellness:
Extended Rest
Warming Therapies
Body Work
Good Nutrition
Community
Let’s look at these pillars a little more closely shall we?
1. Extended Rest: The act of lying in with your babe for the first 40 days is practiced throughout the world in different cultures. This is a time to learn your babe’s cues, heal your body, and spend time as a family. This doesn’t mean you have to be in bed the whole time! It’s important to move around to increase circulation, but take it easy on big trips to the grocery and big loads of laundry.
2. Warming therapies: In Ayurveda, a traditional Indian medicine system (There will be an entire newsletter on this later on), warm oil massage balances the body, mind, and spirit and assists lymph function and circulation. Your postpartum doula, massage therapist, or Ayurvedic practitioner can help you with this- or, if you are interested in doing self-massage, here’s a good How-to video. Along with warm oil massage, it’s important for you and your new babe to stay warm. Socks, hats, and snuggling up with blankets help with this!
3. Body work: Monthly massages, reflexology, & pelvic floor physical therapy are all great ways to keep your muscles healthy and feeling good! If these modalities aren’t available to you, ask your partner or a friend to rub your feet, hands, or back.
4. Good Nutrition: In my opinion, this might be the most important pillar- but we just love good, high vibrational food! After you’ve had a baby, it’s important to eat warm, easily digestible foods (like soups and stews). This helps the digestive system come back to homeostasis, and also warms the body up (energetically and physically).
5. Community: Oh boy, this is another big one in our opinion! Having a group of people (other parents or a therapist) to hear you out, give advice, resources, and who can totally relate to you is extremely beneficial! There are so many new mama groups on facebook and throughout the community. Postpartum doulas also help with this aspect- they are a non-judgmental support system here to help you cope with the emotional rollercoaster of parenthood.
