Isn’t it wonderful that a baby takes 9 months to prepare for its first breath of air?
While it was hard to wait for my babies, I found myself grateful for all that time spent prepping for birth and recovery even though nothing could have fully prepared me for birth and becoming a mother. I’m certain I can’t even cover it all in this blog, but I want to outline a few things I wish I’d known…
The reality is that each woman’s birth is different, The time and tools I needed to fully recover weren’t made available to me 8 years ago, and many of my needs would vary from yours. Still, I really want to see certain core support systems restored for future generations, and that’s a big part of my vision for Fit2B Studio.
Rebuilding our bodies after birth doesn’t just happen in my westernized culture. Recovery has to be fostered and nurtured – like I said in the title – even prepped and planned for. Wouldn’t it be lovely if new mamas did get 90 days of rest and help from their communities to enable them to focus entirely on feeding and bonding and resting?
When we have older children, there is a plan in place for those who will care for them in the early days after their new sibling is born… what about our own self-care during the babymoon or fourth trimester?
I’m so glad that more and more childbirth education courses are covering the lost art of preparing for birth AND recovery like the revival of the ancient concepts of “laying in” or “mother roasting” which isn’t about toasting new mothers but keeping them warm for 40 days with certain foods and layers of blankets, etc.
However, it’s not as simple as telling a woman to rest and put her feet up. There are certain strategies, and so I want to take the time to outline a few key things I firmly believe each woman should have in place:
What you need in your plan for a quicker recovery
- A Safe Exercise Plan
The fitness choices you make during pregnancy and immediately postpartum can have a dramatic effect on your healing and recovery from issues like diastasis and prolapse. Often women will actually finish pregnancy with little to no issues, but upon starting up their fitness regimen again, they will widen their abdominal gap or cause themselves to prolapse due to poor instruction on mechanics and breathing. We provide excellent, top-quality workout videos here at Fit2B where our members are recovering safely and getting progressively stronger and more functional for their everyday lives.
Prehab & Rehab
Going through a core rehab program BEFORE you give birth will help address any prior injuries, core compensation patterns, pelvic hyper/hypotonicity issues, and other dysfunctions that could impede your labor and delivery as well as your recovery. Finding the right physical therapist can help minimize diastasis rectus abbdominus, tearing and episiotomies, herniations, hemmorhoids, low back pain, symphysis pubis dysfunction, and so many other issues!
It’s never too late to get rehab, though! If you’re reading this, and it’s been years since you had children, please start looking for a physical therapist. A muscle is a muscle no matter how old, and muscles long to be strong!
- A childbirth education course that goes beyond birth
It’s not enough to know how to push and breathe. A woman who is prepping for birth and motherhood needs education that also outlines self-care methods for herself. While still delirious from labor, I was told about “periods of purple crying” in regards to my baby, but no one said anything about resources for physical and emotional support for myself. And I desperately needed that.
I’m delighted to say that I’ve since learned so much more about better births and recovery, and not only do I pass it onto my Fit2B clients, but I’ve also been asked to contribute my knowledge of fitness recovery to several childbirth education courses!
The one I’d like to highlight today is “Postpartum Journey” which has my contribution in the second course, Module 6 – Prenatal and Postpartum Healing and Strengthening. You can preview all 12 modules of this wonderful online product here.
BONUS! Fit2B readers can use code: POSTPARTUM to save 15%
The safe arrival of your baby is the most important thing, but ladies! If we don’t take care of ourselves as women, wives and mothers, what happens to our families? Being proactive about our own mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health is crucial. Postpartum depression is real and treatable, and so are many childbirth injuries. Knowing how to seek help before these issues occur is key.
If you aren’t expecting a baby, but you know someone who is, will you please take a moment to share this article with her right now? Thank you!
