Postpartum Care: When You Don’t Feel Like Yourself
Having a baby is one of the most beautiful experiences in life. It is such a miracle when a new life enters this world and you were the star of the show by making it happen. All of the pain was worth it for this new life. That is until you start to feel unlike yourself and wonder when postpartum care and support are supposed to kick in.
It’s scary to say that many mothers don’t know the first thing about caring for themselves after birth. This isn’t just in the form of making sure they get to rest and change their postpartum pads often. This is actually taking care of her whole self: mind, body, and identity as a whole. No matter how many babies you have, you are a new mom after every birth experience.
In many countries, postpartum care isn’t a priority. After a baby is born, the focus shifts to the baby’s needs with several doctor appointments in their first year of life while the mother only receives one appointment around six weeks postpartum. The good news is you can create your postpartum care routine to help you in this new transition in life.
What is Postpartum Care?
Postpartum care typically refers to the early weeks after having a baby. Its focus is mainly on postpartum bleeding and internal healing. However, there should be more to your postpartum care than this.
Postpartum care should also include mental and emotional health as well as how to transition into a new identity after bringing a new life into the world. If you feel like you aren’t yourself after having a baby even though you are months along in your journey, it’s time to implement ways to get postpartum care now.
5 Ways to Implement Postpartum Care
Use the following ideas to get postpartum care in your life. You don’t have to wait to start caring for yourself.
Talk to Your Doctor
The first line of defense is always going to be talking to your healthcare provider. They are the only ones who can diagnose you if needed, prescribe medications, or order further evaluations. If you feel you aren’t yourself and need help, reach out to your doctor.
Hire a Postpartum Doula
A postpartum doula is someone who comes into your home to help you heal and transition after birth. Each doula can offer different services. However, you can typically expect a postpartum doula to come in and cook for you, do some light cleaning, help with the baby while you sleep, and be part of your village.
You are paying for this service, but that doesn’t mean your doula can’t become part of your family. A doula’s job is to ensure you are getting the rest you need. They can also be a good sounding board if you are feeling unlike yourself or have questions during your postpartum journey.
Meet with a Therapist
A therapist is one of the best opportunities to receive postpartum care. A maternal mental health therapist is someone who helps you distinguish if you are being faced with postpartum mood disorders, such as postpartum depression. This therapist can make all the difference in your postpartum journey by helping you understand what is happening to you after birth and how you can keep the overwhelm at bay.
As a therapist myself, I focus on maternal mental health. My passion is to make sure mothers don’t feel alone and that they understand there is help for them. In my practice, I focus on what each client needs at that moment as well as creating a plan for long-term mental health care.
Journal
Not that you need to add anything else to your to-do list, but getting into a habit of writing in a journal can benefit your mental health. Write down thoughts you have, things that took place during the day, or the feelings you experienced. Use your journal as a form of postpartum care and do your best to write in it as often as you can.
Start a Hobby
One of the hardest parts about postpartum is feeling like you are losing yourself in the daily mix of caring for a baby. It happens to many mothers. Make a commitment to yourself to allow a short hobby each day to help you break up the routine. Add in some reading, coloring, drawing, or a puzzle. A simple hobby that you can slowly work on each day will help you find relief and anchor you to yourself again.
Other Questions about Postpartum Care
Find out what other new mothers are asking about postpartum care.
What is the best thing to do after postpartum?
The best thing to do after postpartum is to rest. There is no rush to get back into your jeans or to start hosting gatherings in your home or anything like that. Rest is critical during this time. Your body just grew and birthed an entire human. It’s going to take months to come back from that.
What is not normal during postpartum?
There are many things that could be considered not normal during postpartum. It is best to consult your doctor if you are having any complications or if you aren’t feeling well. However, you also want to keep an eye out for symptoms of postpartum depression as well to ensure your mental health is being cared for, too.
Your Postpartum Care Plan Can Be Customizable
Every mother is different, which means you will experience things differently than someone else. The key is to find out what works for you and what doesn’t. For the sake of your postpartum care plan, try one or all of the ideas suggested in this post to help you identify methods that work for you to start feeling like yourself again.
It is a tough and rewarding job to become a mother. The good news is that you don’t have to do it alone. Use a postpartum care plan that is customizable to you to get the help you need. Reach out to me to schedule your free mental health consultation so that we can create a plan together to help you during this transitional phase.
Postpartum is a journey– don’t rush through it. It’s easier said than done. However, the person you are going to meet on this journey isn’t your baby; it’s you.