Postpartum self-care - Tips for new mums

Cultivating a practice of self-care is ideal to do before your baby arrives, so you will know what activities and tools make you feel best. Adapting your self-care rituals to life with a newborn can take time, however, a mother who can care for herself and fill her cup will be better off both physically and emotionally. Use your time during pregnancy to consider what would be realistic and effective types of self-care during your postpartum. Joelleen Winduss-Paye shares some of her favourite ways to encourage self-care in your postpartum routine.

The first way to support your postpartum is to eat well. This takes some thought and preparation, as parents with a newborn will feel very time-poor. If you have been able to prepare some meals ahead of time that can be helpful. Other ways to support good eating during the early postpartum is to purchase a meal delivery service, delegate a meal train to friends and family, and order groceries/supplies online. Eating protein-rich meals will help to keep your hormones balanced and eating an extra 300-500 calories will help to support your milk supply.

Hydrating regularly helps to increase energy levels, support milk supply and other body functions. Try herbal teas, bone broths and electrolyte powders for added impact. Have a warm cup of tea or broth with you when you are feeding your baby, this will help to keep your fluid intake high and help you stay nourished as you nourish your little one.

If you can enlist the support of a postpartum doula this can be a fabulous way to invest in your postpartum. Sometimes friends and family can put in to gift you a doula service instead of unnecessary gifts for the baby at the baby shower. A doula can support you emotionally and physically, and will often offer services like meal preparation and cooking, massage, emotional support, cleaning and other tasks to support your family’s adjustment to life with a newborn.

Massage is a wonderful way to support your healing body. Massage gives all of the benefits of movement and exercise during a time when exercise is not available and resting should be a priority. In-home massage can be ideal in the early weeks and is a lovely thing to set some funds aside for or to ask for as a gift if your close ones are wanting to contribute to your postpartum journey.

As well as a doula, getting a good lactation consultant, psychologist, cleaner, massage therapist and physiotherapist can all be wonderful to support your pregnancy and birth recovery. Going through the transition of parenthood is huge and worth investing in. Those who can invest in good support have the benefit of feeling less overwhelmed and can hope to have a smoother transition into life with a new baby.