Proper postpartum care is essential for longterm health and wellness

(As a certified INNATE Postpartum Care Provider, I teach a month long course on the 5 essentials of postpartum care. Find details here)

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Known as the Cuarentena in Mexico, the Golden Month in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and The Sacred Window in Ayurveda, the first 6 weeks after the birth of a baby is recognized around the world as being a critical time in a woman's life, where she can either rebuild and re-generate, or become depleted and dis-eased. Cultures that value the mother-baby dyad as an integral part of societal health all share certain care protocols. Supported by Western sciences and physiological understandings, these ancient disciplines have long known the importance of communal support, adequate rest, warmth, appropriate foods, and bodywork.  

 

Planning for the fourth trimester is essential to assure long term health for the new mother. A family needs to have a pre-planned support system in place to allow the new mother sufficient rest in order to recover.  Without this system, a woman is more at risk of hemorrhage, organ prolapse, pelvic floor dysfunction, developing autoimmune disorders, and postpartum mental health disorders. By providing physiological care, a family can increase healthy attachment with their children through reducing nervous system stressed, improve breastfeeding outcomes, and speed physical recovery. 

 

Fathers or primary partners should never be expected to be a mother's entire support system. Fathers may experience stress or potential trauma during the birth, and will also require nervous system support in order to process their experiences. They're also tired, overwhelmed, and only one person. Expecting your primary partner to be your support system will create additional stress on the relationship and cause burnout for both of you.