Becoming a mother is an incredible shift. Filled with beautiful moments, it’s also accompanied by a swift adjustment period. Finding a new flow between you, your babe and your partner takes patience and little support. Here are a few helpful tips that will ease the transition.
Go Lightly & Follow Your Babe
Take it easy and rest as much as time allows. The trick? Follow your babe. Try sleeping when your babe sleeps. Short power naps during the day will restore your energy quickly and make attending to your little one in the weehours of the morning much easier. If you’re not into naps, try what I call an ‘active-rest session’: Pop on an audio book (maybe that parenting book you didn’t get the time to read) and let your mind unfurl for a moment.
Delegate
Let others know how they can best help you, including your partner. If your partner is going to be home with you during your maternity leave, consider delegating certain responsibilities to one another. It’s a great conversation to have before your babe even arrives. For example, you might handle the feeding, soothing, and diaper changes, and he or she can be responsible for baths, burping, and swaddling. Or you might take the daylight hours and your partner might do the nightshift. Setting tasks during the first few weeks helps instill parental confidence and will eventually transition into a fluid division of labor.
Pump Up The Fluids
Make water, soups, fresh juices, nut milks, smoothies, and herbal tea the backbone of your diet during the first few weeks post-baby. Staying hydrated replenishes the fluids lost after birth and will bolster your milk supply if you’re breastfeeding.
The Good Fats
Whole-fat foods are excellent for producing energy that lasts. Ideally, try incorporating whole-fat organic dairy products into your diet. Excellent vegan-friendly options include avocados and coconut oil, as well. Fat is essential in the manufacture of hormones, which are in the process of acclimating after birth. Good fat in every meal goes a long, long way.
Pack On The Protein
Whether animal- or plant-based, try and have a substantial portion of protein in every meal. Increased protein is essential to help repair stressed tissues after delivery and to support the energy needs of breastfeeding.
Focus On Fiber
Nuts, lentils, quinoa, carrots (especially fresh carrot juice), and leafy greens like kale are excellent sources of fiber. During pregnancy and after birth, your intestinal muscle capacity is reduced and remains impacted during the first 2-3 months postpartum. Adding more fiber to your diet will help shift that sluggishness and keep things moving. Remember fiber needs fluids to work efficiently.
Don’t Forget Iron
Most women experience locia (postpartum bleeding) during the first four weeks after having their babe. It’s totally normal, but it can leave you feeling a little listless. Incorporating iron-rich foods can help combat that— think beets, sprouts, chicken liver, and black-strap molasses. Floradix, a German liquid supplement, can also help replenish iron stalls and can be taken on its own or added to a smoothie.
Visitors Are Welcome, But…
Be selective. You will be inundated with love and requests to see you and your babe. However, make sure that whomever is coming over will be helpful and won’t mind running an errand or two or bringing some food. Consider limiting visitors during the first week or two while you adjust to your new normal. Also try and schedule visitors during a set block of time. Having people pop in all day at various times can be lovely, but it can also leave you feeling depleted and it disrupts the flow you’re starting to create with your babe.
Treat Yourself
Massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy—don’t hesitate to choose one of these options or blend them together. Bodywork and self-care practices will help you realign your energies and give you a boost that will help amplify your ability to be present for your babe, your partner, and yourself.
Get Support
If family and friends aren’t near by and you and your partner find yourselves feeling slightly overwhelmed, consider working with a postpartum doula. Her role is to help you transition into your new roles with confidence, she can help answer burning questions, provide breast-feeding support, make referrals, cook a meal, run errands, and look after the babe while you catch some shut eye or take a shower.
