Research-backed
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Your journey of recovery after childbirth does not happen overnight. It takes at least a couple of months or more until you start to feel normal. It varies from person to person, but postpartum recovery is a journey of joy, adjustments, and healing. Your body has undergone several changes over the last nine months, and it takes a while before things go back to normal. However, this postpartum period is the best time to bond with your baby and get ample rest before you have to get on your feet again.
While you are preparing for your baby, you would have probably read up on everything there is to know about how to take care of your little one once they arrive. But what about you? You have experienced a tremendous change, and your body needs time to recover. If you don’t know how to take care of yourself after childbirth, don’t worry, you’ve come to the right place! Scroll below to find out what your postpartum recovery and adjustment to motherhood should look like:
1. Get Plenty Of Rest
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What you’ve gone through is no joke! As much as you wish to spend every moment with the little life you’ve created, your body needs rest. Get as much sleep as necessary to deal with tiredness and fatigue. You might have to wake up every couple of hours to feed your baby but make sure you sleep when your baby sleeps. It’s important and essential!
2. Get Moving
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Exercise would probably be the last thing on your mind right now but try to get moving. Even if it’s just for about 20-30 minutes a day, it’s essential to get some movement in your daily routine. Exercise helps relieve stress, strengthen abdominal muscles, promotes better sleep, boosts energy levels, and may prevent postpartum depression in postnatal women (1). Speak to your doctor and wait for the green light before you begin your exercise. If you had a c-section delivery, you might have to wait a bit longer.
3. Seek Help
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Don’t hesitate to ask for help. You and your partner might be exhausted because of a lack of a good night’s sleep. People around you, especially your mother, siblings, close friends, and family members, will probably be willing to help you. All you have to do is ask them. They can help you purchase baby essentials, watch the baby for a few hours while you get some chores done, or bring you your favorite meals when you’re too exhausted to cook. No help is small, and everything counts!
4. Eat Healthy Meals
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Your body needs the energy and nutrition to recover, and your primary source of nutrition comes from your diet. You might ignore your food because you’re so caught up in taking care of your little one’s needs. But remember that you have to take care of yourself and be in the best state of health (mentally and physically) if you want to provide your baby with the best care.
5. Take A Break
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No, you are not a bad mother if you need to take a break from baby duties. You need time to adjust to the new routine, and there’s no harm in taking a few hours away from the baby to spend time with yourself. Do things that relax you. If you love to paint, draw, read or listen to your favorite artist, do it! Your partner (or any other trusted person) can take care of your baby while you take a break. You don’t have to feel guilty for it, and every mom who makes you feel that way is probably jealous that they didn’t get to take a break.
Your pregnancy journey does not end when you give birth. The weeks that follow are crucial for your well-being, and we hope this list gave you a gist of what to do. You should take care of yourself to enjoy a speedy and healthy recovery. Comment below and let us know what your postpartum recovery process entails!
