A NICU mom is choosing whether to rest and let her body heal or venture down long halls to sit in uncomfortable chairs and (maybe) snuggle her child with cords. Sometimes the snuggling isn’t even an option and she watches, through an isolet, as she hopes her baby hears her voice and feels her love.
Where can you learn about postpartum? The topic is often brushed over. This has an effect on the whole family as men and women alike struggle to understand the complexity of this time. The lack of knowledge, understanding and normalization overflows to our homes, workplaces, community settings, and screens.
After my first baby, I didn’t know where to look for resources. I didn’t know where I could turn for a look at honest motherhood and postpartum. I didn’t know it was okay to not be okay. I thought I had to fight like hell to have it all “put together” and I was so tired and worn from it. Now I know there are resources out there and you deserve to know about them too.
When it comes to postpartum and motherhood, we’ve seen the harmful changes and it’s time we stand up against it and demand better for ourselves. The narrative around postpartum has shifted with the generations.
Postpartum Mood Disorders affect over 20% of moms. Surely that is more than one mom that you personally know. However, you might not know that she has struggled because the stigma remains high and the conversation is kept behind closed doors.
By being purposeful about communicating your postpartum experience to your partner, you can improve the postpartum relationship and be a team in postpartum recovery.
This is a time that is full of transformation for a woman and yet we so often hear “Oh, she’s just so emotional.” Or we even say it ourselves “Don’t mind me, I’m just emotional.” While there is some jest in the extremities we can experience, it doesn’t change the reality that these emotions are a biological response and are often telling us something important.
Being a new mom is full of transitions and emotions. The last thing we need is for a new mom to feel defeated and like she has done something wrong… can we agree on that?
From my own experience, and the conversations with clients and friends, I’m breaking down 5 Unhelpful Things We Say to New Moms.
Whether you pump full time or part-time, you know the breastmilk you provide isn’t “free.” It comes from hours of planning, washing, feeding, packing, and pumping.
Women believe the first postpartum milestone is six weeks- the time you usually have a check-up with your provider and can be cleared to “get back” to activities. Here I sit at 6 months post-baby, and yet I still consider myself postpartum.
By around 4:30am I knew I was ready to get into the pool. My body was craving the relief of the warm water and a change up. I could tell at this point that each surge was getting us closer to holding our baby.
There are a number of reasons why a woman may choose to breast pump, and a variety of ways to do so.
These are the tips to ensure that it is both effective and comfortable.
