One of the challenges of the postpartum phase is confusion. You had a 40-week pregnancy in which your body changed immensely and maybe even threw you a few curveballs. You experienced labor with all of its surprises. And then, you delivered a baby. That was perhaps the craziest thing of all. Who has a sense of normal after that 10-month roller coaster? When you’re postpartum, you’re experiencing bizarre things with your own body and your baby’s. It’s hard to keep up!
Ok, what color is my baby’s poop supposed to be today?
Is it normal that he’s losing weight? (The short answer: yes!)
Should my milk have come in yet?
Why am I so sore?
Should I be bleeding this much?
It’s been [10 days, 1 month, 6 weeks]; when will I finally feel like myself again??
Maybe this last one is the best question of all; and it’s certainly one I struggled with after I had my first son (see my post about postpartum expectations: here!). When you’re postpartum, one of the biggest struggles is waiting to feel better, feel normal, feel capable again. You want to get back on your feet! The catch 22 here is that the more you rest, the slower you take it, the quicker you’ll recover.
This is why I love the book The First 40 Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou. Throughout the book, she emphasizes this tone of taking your time, moving slowly, and being patient with your body. It will catch up, if you take care of it.
She also outlines those first 40 days after childbirth, and gives an idea of what you can expect throughout the four phases within those first 6 weeks. It’s helpful when you know what to expect, and when your affirmed that no, you shouldn’t be out of bed within a week (read: a month!).
How does Marabou support women?
We live in culture where “bouncing back” is more valued than proper rest. As admirable as it may be for a sports star to get back on the field, the same rules don’t apply to postpartum recovery. The traditional resting period has been stolen from women through pressure to get back to their job or simply through lack of presence.
Grandmas, sisters and best friends who otherwise would have been there to help a woman transition into motherhood often live too far away to be of any help. Household chores and caring for older children inevitably fall on the mom. But she just delivered a new life! She needs rest.
Marabou Services is a unique gift registry which provides services instead of stuff. Most mom’s get too many onesies, too many baby blankets and not enough helping hands. Break out of a destructive cultural norm and start a Marabou registry today.
With a Marabou registry you can sing up for any service which will benefit you or someone you know during the postpartum recovery period.
Postpartum doulas for a first time mom
House cleanings for moms of multiples
Childcare for moms with older children!
Once your registry is created, add it to any other registry or post it to your Facebook and ask friends and family contribute to your postpartum service, rather than buying you more stuff.
More and more moms find they have to figure out postpartum alone. Is it any wonder why PMDs are on the rise? Or women are embittered by the journey of motherhood? We can change that by giving the gift of peace.
