Don't Worry Momma, You’ve Got This: Our Top Postpartum Hacks
Are you feeling overwhelmed, anxious, and lost about how you’re going to manage things once baby is here? You’re not alone! I think all moms have felt this way at some point during their pregnancy. While there’s no magic switch to make all the things fall perfectly into place, there are ways you can prepare and arm yourself with all the tools to make the transition as smooth as possible.
It’s important to remember one thing about parenthood, especially when it comes to the newborn stage: you can make the perfect plan for how you think things will go, but our kids have plans of their own. So why prepare at all? The more you educate yourself, create systems, and bolster your support, the more confident you will feel tackling all of the obstacles that come your way.
Develop a kick-ass support team prior to delivery:
Having a support team is one of the best ways to make your postpartum recovery and journey into motherhood a success. When you deliver your baby without anyone extra in your support team, you typically have a six-week postpartum visit with your OB or midwife, and that’s where your postpartum care begins and ends. By boosting your support team, you will be able to recover faster, feel more positive, and have a knowledgable support team to answer any and all questions you have.
Lactation consultant: If you plan to breastfeed, a lactation consultant is essential to helping you have your ideal breastfeeding experience. They will complete an assessment and help you identify any areas you may need support. Your desires for your breastfeeding journey will be different from anyone else’s, so having a lactation consultant will ensure you are getting personalized care based on you and your baby’s needs.
Chiropractor: Chiropractic care will be a tremendous help to your postpartum recovery and the well-being of both you and your baby. Not only has your body transformed from pregnancy and childbirth, you are also moving your body in new ways you weren’t before. Your posture is naturally shifting from holding your baby, getting them in and out of their sleep space, and leaning over the tub to bathe them. A chiropractor will help keep your body in alignment and regulate your central nervous system. The birth process is traumatic on your baby, and it’s likely they are out of alignment at birth because of this. Getting them into a chiropractor specializing in infants will ensure a speedy recovery, and can help with digestive issues and colic, aid in their physical development, and boost their immune system.
Mental health therapist: Motherhood is transformational on every level, and you deserve a safe space to process all of the joys and challenges that come with being a parent. A postpartum counselor can help you process your birth, work through the challenges of caring for a newborn, and help you identify early markers of postpartum mood and anxiety disorders. By catching these things early, they can provide anxiety and depression counseling as early as a symptom arises. They can also help you work through things unaddressed that may have resurfaced with becoming a parent.
Doula: Postpartum doulas are the superheroes you need after delivery. They are there to provide you with emotional and physical support in your recovery, help with light housework or errands, and allow you the space to rest while they care for your baby. Postpartum doulas work to make things seamless during your recovery and transition into motherhood.
Ask for help and create a plan
Asking for help isn’t always easy, but when you have a newborn, you can’t get through it without support. Being able to delegate tasks to others in those first several weeks will help you be able to focus on your recovery and bonding with your newborn. Here are some ways you can have others help:
Think of a couple of trusted family members or friends that you feel safe with that will be a reliable source of help. The first few weeks postpartum are real, raw, and vulnerable, so you want people in your corner that you can be fully yourself around and that you trust to show up for you when you need them.
Create a support plan for your first month postpartum. Think of the daily tasks you normally handle on your own. How can you outsource that? Create a meal train or order meal delivery, get help with house-cleaning, or schedule a coffee date with a friend for emotional support. Talk to your support system and see who is able to help and in what ways. The more ways you can get help with daily tasks, the less stressed you will feel and the more time you’ll be able to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby.
Stay tuned for part two of our favorite postpartum hacks, and don’t forget Momma, you’ve got this.
If you want to create your postpartum plan from start to finish, check out our Preparing for Postpartum Guidebook on Amazon! If you resonate with this blog and need additional support, one of our mental health counselors can help you have a joyful postpartum journey. We serve Georgia, Florida and Pennsylvania virtually, with office locations in Buford, Ga and Peachtree City, Ga. Book a consult with us today!
