3 Things the Postpartum Period Isn’t…

Postpartum is a wild time… you’re in a baby bubble, flooded with so much oxytocin yet you’ve never been so exhausted. You are getting to know this tiny human that you brought into the world but you’re still discovering who you are as a mother. You have a deep sense of love that came so naturally but you also feel like maybe you don’t really know what you’re doing. So many beautiful paradoxes make up that post birth period. Unfortunately, it feels like our society doesn’t value that precious postnatal period, glorifying the bounce back while ultimately sacrificing a mother’s physical and mental health. It’s so ingrained in our culture to not value the post birth bubble and it’s easy to accept it as truth. Sometimes, in order to figure out what something is, you have to determine what it isn’t. It’s time to set the record straight… here are some things that we think the postpartum isn’t.

A Race to Bounce Back

The “bounce back” is a real bug bear for us… cancel the bounce back culture, we say! There is an incredible amount of pressure for new mamas to fit back into their jeans, erasing all signs that they have spent 9 months growing and bringing life into the world. This should be the last thing on a new mum’s mind… you should be resting, soaking up those baby cuddles, not in a rush to do anything at all. Your body shouldn’t be valued for how it looks and what size it can squeeze into. It brought life into the world, and it should be honoured for that, just the way it is. Take your time and give yourself grace, mama.

An Ideal Time for Hosting Visitors

It’s a beautiful thing that once you have a baby, so many people want to visit and cuddle your new bundle. The truth is that hosting visitors and entertaining can feel stressful for many new mums. If you’re up for hosting and it’s something you enjoy, all power to you! But if this isn’t something you feel comfortable with, know that you don’t have to feel this pressure. Prioritise time resting, with your baby snuggled close instead of entertaining and making cups of tea for visitors. Social pressures should never push you out of your baby bubble before you’re ready… it’s okay to say no.

A Time to Put Yourself Last

With a new little human to keep alive, it’s a natural instinct as a mum to put yourself last. Postpartum is just not the time to do this though! Your new bub relies on you for everything so valuing yourself by resting and eating when you need to is the best gift you can give them. Your mental health matters and getting a bit of time for yourself with key to not feeling the overwhelm of motherhood. Don’t give into that urge to supress your needs—how you feel and what you need matters!