When a Momma Says...POSTPARTUM EDITION
Hello friends,
Visiting mommas every single day I have learned how to discern what they really are saying by either the words between their words and their movements. I have found when we take a beat and really listen/observe mothers, we can actually help them. If you are a momma to be or momma currently, are some tips to preparing you for postpartum. If you are a doula or friend/family member wanting to care for a momma, these tips are for you too!
These are a few of my favorite tips ⬇️
🤱🏼”I’m so sorry, I lost track of time”
🍂Once a momma is on the journey of postpartum recovery, time looks different. The newborn bubble operates at a different time zone and days just blend. Prepare for support during the day and night if possible to allow for you to ground yourself in the time. There is nothing wrong with soaking in the newborn bubble time and just going with the flow. But take moments to connect with the world around you in ways that don’t feel overwhelming. This can look like simply going outside and observing the location of the sun and connecting with what sunrise and sunset means for you in this moment. Another tip is to a few timers on your phone to remind you to take a moment for yourself to either do some mindful breathing or have a cup of tea and read something simple and light. These small moments will allow yourself to connect with time. If you are a doula, check in with your momma client and make sure they have everything they need while they are in the newborn bubble of bliss. This can look like restocking their snacks, water and nourishing freezer stash of meals.
🤱🏼”I think I ate something a few hours ago”
🍂Mommas need nourishment! If there is one thing to prepare for to support your postpartum recovery, it is nutrient dense warm meals. I love prepping a few days worth of meals every time I visit my momma client to make sure there are quick meals to grab from the fridge around the clock. If you are a momma preparing for your postpartum recovery, consider ordering from a healing postpartum meal service and having a nesting party to prep your freezer with healing meals. The more meals the merrier!
🤱🏽”I get overwhelmed with I hear too many loud noises at once”
🍂Being overwhelmed and over stimulated are often common feelings during postpartum. If you are feeling this way already before birth, I encourage you to learn mindfulness breathing and connect with ways to fold alone time to recenter during postpartum. Learning a few ways to connect with your mind and body will give you tools to support you during postpartum. I love putting a few alarms on my momma client’s phone to remind her to take a moment to breathe, a moment to recenter and possible a few minutes to be in complete quiet. I have seen this trick done a few times and I am really loving it - place a white noise machine outside of your bedroom door and then rest inside while your partner holds baby outside of the bedroom. The white noise isn’t as harsh and you can a few moments to quiet the mind.
🤱🏽”None of my clothes fit anymore”
🍂Our bodies are constantly changing and growing. But this can feel overwhelming when everything feels like it is changing with a new addition to the family. Birth can also really bring up our own mother wounds and postpartum presents them in ways that they must be healed. If you feel disconnected with your body and identity in general, I first want to share that your body is healing after growing a baby for many months - it will need just as much time to heal. Taking much needed time to heal is essential for your physical but also for you mental health. Sit with these feelings, allow them to surface. Do you feel out of control? Do you feel lost? Do you feel loved? Do you feel held? What can create the serenity, hug and love for your mind and body? As a doula, you can check in with your momma client and offer words of encouragement including their body’s unique healing timeline and share mindful breathing and stretching that can give them a sense of more control while bringing motion to their emotions. Belly binding is such a beautiful tool to bringing awareness to their changing healing body while checking in with their heart and mind.
Feel free to reach out to me if you need additional support - postpartum doulas are trained and passionate about supporting mothers through their journey of healing no matter the season they are in.
Happy healing!
This is how we heal
Your healing matters
You matter 🤍
Holding mommas,
ML 🥹✨🤍🧺
