Postpartum is one of the most vulnerable times you’ll ever be in. Especially if you’re a new mom, everything is new and scary, and it’s difficult to take care of a baby while also trying to care for yourself. C-section or vaginal birth, your body just went through a major change. You’re going to be sore, tired, and emotional. Here are some things that helped me through my postpartum recovery.
Support
This one is hard because everyone has a different level of support. If people are offering support though, whether it be food, watching the baby or helping with house chores, accept it. And it’s okay to ask for help too!
Take A Shower
This was by far the number one thing that made me feel better postpartum. If I was feeling off or overwhelmed, a shower always made me feel like a new woman.
Eat
This is an obvious one too, but it really is important to make sure you’re eating and drinking enough. See my Postpartum Snacks blog for easy, healthy snack ideas. You’ll find yourself trying to find foods you can easily eat with one hand!
Sleep
Sleeping when the baby sleeps during the day is nearly impossible. But I do recommend sleeping in with the baby if you can. When my baby would wake up at 6am to eat, I’d try my best to keep stimulation low and the lights off, so he would fall back asleep after. Then we would sleep in until around 10am. I hated sleeping the day away, but I really think those couple extra hours of sleep made a huge difference.
Get Out of The House
Even if it takes you a half hour to get everything ready and you only leave for 10 minutes, it will help you mentally to leave the house every once in awhile. Getting outside would be even better, but if you live in a cold place, that’s harder to do.
Contact Naps
It’s a major change for your body to give birth and comes with a lot of emotions. I think it’s a lot for your body and your baby to not be one anymore. Contact naps can definitely help you both feel closer and help calm the nervous system.
