Top tips for postpartum

Not sure where to start for postpartum planning? Here are my top tips!

Write out a postpartum plan prior to conceiving or while pregnant

Include:

• One priority for you and one for your partner.

  i.e. partner needs to go for one surf a week and you need to go on one walk a week with out bub.

• Meals

  • Join a ‘meal train’ in your local area

  • Order nourishing pre-made meals from companies like “The Good Farm Shop”

  • Pre-cook your favourite meals and freeze them prior to birth

• Timeline of when you would like to invite close family and friends over

Educate yourself on postpartum pelvic floor care

• Connect with a postpartum osteopath, midwife or other trusted provider and discuss how you would like to connect and care for your pelvic floor postpartum.

• Heat - use heat packs for your perineum area. Heat promotes fresh nutrient-rich blood flow, which in turn promotes healing.

• Lengthen before you strength - can you lengthen your pelvic floor while inhaling and fill a gentle lift while exhaling

• Feet - how are your feet? Do they feel sore, swollen or blocky? Gentle massage and toe spread/ isolation exercises can be helpful in relaxing the pelvic floor and promoting gentle restoration through the pelvic region.

• Upper back - can you comfortably move through ‘cat cow’, ‘thread the needle’ and ‘chest opener’ stretches?

• Breath - can you breathe laterally into the rib cage and then into your sternum and spine (put your hand on your chest and back)?

Support and care plans for siblings if this isn’t your first child

• If you have other little ones have you made any plans for their care during the postpartum period?

• Involving siblings in birth and postpartum care can be so valuable!

• Sometimes you may need a little help. Asking a close friend, or trusted babysitter/ nanny to care for siblings a few times during the postpartum period can take a lot of pressure off parents and allow you to have a few hours of focused rest.

All births, families and postpartum periods are different so it’s important to include steps in your postpartum plan that work for you and your family. Everyone is different so make it individual to YOU!