When you’re pregnant everyone talks about what to do with the baby; how to care for him/her, breast vs bottle, tummy time etc, what they forget to cover is that your postpartum care is just as, if not more important. You can’t care for your new baby if you don’t care for yourself properly.
Below I discuss the 4 main areas (in my opinion) of postpartum care.
Sleep
Sleep deprivation is a form of torture, and we as moms endure it for quite some time. Our bodies slowly learn to adjust but it’s not easy.
Everyone says sleep when they sleep and, if you have the luxury (& ability to fall asleep quickly) then you should totally do that. It’s a little bit more complicated if you’re expressing or bottle-feeding because of the admin required by these 2 methods, but if you can nap when they nap then you must. Everything else can wait! Especially in the first 6 weeks.
I’m exceptionally fortunate that I don’t have to return to work, I’m a full time stay at home mom so my job is raising the kids. So when Grayson sleeps I sleep. I generally do this when he sleeps in the morning after dropping Tristan off at school. If I don’t get enough sleep I am not a nice mom! Even 1 extra hour in the morning makes a huge difference to how I feel and am able to cope.
Eating
Eating well when breastfeeding is so important. Enlist the help of friends & family to bring you quick meals, or even better ready made meals. One thing I really struggle with when breastfeeding is a sweet tooth. I think it’s my body’s way of keeping me going through the day when I’m exhausted. But it also has a negative effect. Not just on my weight loss postpartum, but also on tummy cramps for Grayson.
Working out
You won’t be allowed to do any formal gyming for the first 6 weeks after a c-section. But that doesn’t mean you can’t put baby in the pram and go for a gentle walk outside. It is so good to get out, get fresh air and stretch your legs. Baby will also love the fresh air. Exercise is also great for clearing your head and letting you think clearer, even when tired.
While pregnant with Grayson I stopped going to gym quite early on. I found I was beyond exhausted being pregnant and running after Tristan and doing our home renovation. But now that I’ve been given my 6 week all clear by my gynae I would like to start exercising again. However, I am not ready to leave a (currently) 9 week old Grayson in the creche at gym so that’s put the brakes on my return to gym. But what I am doing is, on a nice day, I pop Grayson in the pram and go for a brisk walk around the estate I live on. I can then, if he keeps sleeping, maybe fit in some gentle Kayla Itsines BBG workouts at home. Another option I am going to be exploring is Pilates as they offer a moms & babes class!
Bouncing back
Some woman bounce back quicker than others. We are all different. We need to remember that it took our body 40-odd weeks to grow our baby so we need to give it grace and time to return to the previous state. While I was pregnant with Grayson I wrote a post about honouring our bodies and that certainly applies postpartum as well.
I am currently 2 months postpartum as I write this and I feel ready to start being more conscientious about what I am putting into my body. Eating things that will not only nourish me but will also provide enough energy & fuel to keep feeding Grayson. I have enlisted the help of a friend, and fabulous personal trainer & emotional eating coach from Durban, Claire. I would like to lose 10kgs but know it’s going to take time, there are no quick fixes.
What’s my point?
My point is that being a mom is tough. We have to deal with raging hormones, severe lack of sleep, siblings and so much more. Our bodies take such a beating through pregnancy, birth & postpartum that we need to be as kind to ourselves as we are to those we love.
Finding time to make the right foods, knowing the correct quantities to eat, etc is hard work with 2 kids. I can’t do it alone and why should I when there’s help out there. I have started my postpartum journey to get my body back to what it was before falling pregnant with Tristan. I know my timing is right.
I’d love to hear from you in the comment section below.
Much love xxx
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