Postpartum Self Care: A Comprehensive Guide for New Parents

Brand new mom!

I remember reading all the books about pregnancy, postpartum, and newborn life. I thought I was perfectly prepared. I was not ... The postpartum period can be both joyous and overwhelming. It's essential to prioritize self-care as you navigate the challenges of caring for a newborn. This blog post will cover basic personal care, managing nursing or bottle feeding, tips and tricks, sleep strategies with a partner, resources for support, and when to reach out for medical assistance. Plus, I'll introduce the Chelsea Method, a pelvic floor physical therapy app designed to support your recovery that truly changed my life.

Basic Personal Care

Honestly, personal care is going to look different this season and that's okay! You're getting used to either becoming a parent or having more kids. Those are huge adjustments! It's really important to find even just 5 minutes for yourself each day, take care of your body, and listen to what your body says it needs. While these may seem obvious, it's worth stating because if you were like me as a new mom, you may be putting everyone else before you. You cannot be your best self if you don't spend time pouring into yourself though.

• Hygiene: Maintain regular bathing and personal hygiene to feel refreshed. It can look like showering daily, or for some of us every 2-3 days may be all that is manageable. It could be committing to a 5 minute routine of washing your face and brushing your teeth each day. Find what is consistently feasible to you during this season.

• Nutrition: Eat balanced meals to support recovery and energy levels. This is extremely important if you are nursing as well. I found that I needed to snack high protein and fat items to feel functional - nuts, cheese, and dried fruit were my go to!

• Hydration: Drink plenty of water, especially if breastfeeding. Don't overlook the need for electrolytes though too.

• Rest: Take short naps when your baby sleeps, and don’t hesitate to ask for help. I can't stress this enough - your sleep is more important than the chores in your home. If someone is offering to come over to hold the baby for you to nap (and you feel safe with that person doing so), accept the help!

Managing Nursing and Bottle Feeding

Nursing Tips

• Find a comfortable position to nurse, use pillows like a boppy or my breast friend (or random couch pillows) to help.

• Use nursing pads or milk collectors to manage leaks. Don't overlook pads for overnight! That was the only time I ever leaked (and it was a LOT).

• Reach out to a lactation consultant for support. I received free support through the hospital I gave birth in, and I went in weekly to start, then every couple of months as my son's nursing habits shifted. You can also find local lactation groups on Facebook for online support!

• Nurse on demand if you can! It is not recommended to nurse on a schedule. If you are pumping, pump as frequently as your child drinks so that your supply can match the demand.

Bottle Feeding Tips

• Choose the right bottle and nipple for your baby’s age.

• Establish a feeding routine that works for you and your baby while staying in the guidelines your pediatrician recommends (short frequent feeds is the norm while the stomach grows).

• Ensure proper sterilization of bottles and nipples. You don't have to have a fancy sterilizer to do this! Hot water is a wonder.

Tips and Tricks for New Parents

I'm pretty sure the first 6 months of my son's life I was functioning on about 4 hours of very interrupted sleep each day. So these are tips that can be helpful, but aren't really necessary. Trust your body to know what you need and what would be helpful for you.

• Keep a baby journal or app to track feeding and sleeping patterns as you establish with your doctor if your child is maintaining proper weight. If this becomes overwhelming, talk with your doctor about tips. Once my son was 25% more than his birth weight, our pediatrician said we didn't need to keep track as much, but based on your child's situation, your doctor may give different advisement!

• Utilize baby carriers for hands-free comfort. If your baby doesn't like the carrier, try a different one! I loved wraps, but my son didn't until about the 10th try. Remember, these are new and weird, so it's okay if each session is only 2-5 minutes as your baby gets used to it. Most babies end up loving being so close to their parents though, and I loved being able to walk around and not worry about where my son would nap (because he would almost always fall asleep on me!)..

• Set up a designated feeding area with all essentials within reach (including snacks and water). We had 3 designated spots in our home that also included diapers and extra changes of clothes. This was so helpful so that we weren't running around the house to find what we needed for the 20 diaper changes and feeds per day (I mean, it wasn't that many, but I'm sure it was close).

Sleep Blocking with a Partner

Sleep is crucial for recovery. If you have a partner, here are some strategies for managing sleep with them:

• Take turns with nighttime feedings to ensure both partners get rest. As an example, I would sleep from 8-11 and then 2-5. My husband would sleep 11-2 and then 5-8. We would also nap during the day where possible. I was still nursing, so when my husband was up, he would bring our son to me to nurse and watch. If our son went back to sleep before the next feed, we would sleep too! Having these shifts ensured we each had a dedicated 6 hours of sleep time, more with those naps and sleep between feeds.

• Communicate openly about sleep needs and preferences. If you are recovering from any form of delivery and especially breastfeeding on top of that, you need more sleep than your partner. Rest expedites wellness. Please do not push through sleep deprivation. Speak up to get help.

• Use white noise machines to help create a soothing sleep environment. Blackout curtains or eye covers are life savers as well!

If you don't have a partner or you don't have one who can split the load, reach out to friends and family for support. There are even postpartum doula's and nurses who can support. Your rest matters.

Resources for Support

• Support Groups: Look for local or online postpartum support groups.

• Friends and Family: Don’t hesitate to lean on loved ones for help.

• Professional Help: Consider hiring a postpartum doula for additional support. I'll add to consider therapy as well! Therapy is what helped me stay sane and validated through my postpartum anxiety, depression, and rage. We are not designed to do this alone, so don't feel bad about reaching out for the supports you need.

When to Reach Out to Medical Providers

• Persistent pain or discomfort in the pelvic area.

  • I am a firm believer that every single pregnant person needs pelvic floor physical therapy after birth or late-term loss. It is common, but not normal, to experience incontinence and/or pain. A pelvic floor physical therapist can assist!

• Signs of postpartum depression or anxiety.

  • Even if you think you have the baby blues, speak to a professional. There are so many changing hormones throughout pregnancy and postpartum. You are not alone, and your experience matters.

• Concerns about breastfeeding, feeding difficulties, baby weight, or if the baby seems to have pains (such as gas pain!).

• Any unusual physical symptoms that cause concern. Trust your parental instinct.

  • As a side tangent, my son was having gas pain as a newborn and our doctor recommended we gas him more. We were gassing him a LOT. The doctor wasn't much concerned. When he started solids, he seemed to be in more pain and that doctor ruled out gastrointestinal issues almost instantly because our son was regular. A year later, we switched doctors and discovered our son did have GI issues and was in a lot of discomfort. I felt totally gaslit by the first doctor because I was convinced for a year and a half that he had "tummy problems" and I was consistently told my son was fine. Tests showed otherwise. Our new doctor says that parents, and especially moms, seem to know when there's a problem, so he goes down the rabbit hole to uncover possible root causes when a parent thinks something may be off. Trust your parental instinct!

The Amazing Chelsea Method

For those looking to strengthen their pelvic floor and enhance recovery, the Chelsea Method offers a specialized exercise app designed by a pelvic floor physical therapist. This app provides guided exercises and stretches that cater to pregnancy and postpartum recovery. In just 5-10 minutes a day, you can see real results. This was how I started my post-partum self-care journey.

I found Chelsea Method about 6 months postpartum. I had already "graduated" from care with my pelvic floor physical therapist, but I still had diastasis recti. During pregnancy, my ribcage had increased 6 inches (2cm is apparently the normal) and still hadn't gone down in size. I was falling more than normal and it was really hard on my back to carry my son. Within about 2 months, my posture was back to pre-pregnancy. Within about 4 months, my diastasis recti was fully healed (I went from a 3 to a 2 with my PT, then 2 to a 0 with Chelsea Method). Within about 6 months, my rib flare went down to 1 inch bigger than pre-pregnancy size. I could carry my son without pain for literal hours straight even while he gained weight! I am truly stronger now than ever before. I also found foam roller videos that can make my tension migraines go away within minutes and a community of supportive moms.

If you are interested in trying Chelsea Method, you can click here for more information! Often times that link will get your first month down to $10, which is cheaper than my copay for physical therapy!

Remember, taking care of yourself is vital for your well-being and your ability to care for your newborn. Embrace this journey, and don’t hesitate to seek help when needed!