The 4th trimester
12 weeks down…
before Baby J was born, a wise mamma said to me, the days are long, but the weeks are short.
I couldn’t quite comprehend that analogy until I lived it.
looking back, those past 12 weeks are a blur, each day kind of rolls into the next, and the weeks literally become months, and my once fragile newborn is now a thriving, alert 3monther with her own firey personality sure to give me a run for my money as we continue to grow.
Only 12 weeks, but those weeks are so important in developing a bond between mother and child, setting up a good strong breastfeeding relationship, building your newborns microbiome and immune system and ensuring correct postpartum healing and recovery for yourself.
The very best thing you can do for your little babe during those 3 months is to take good care of yourself.
You and your baby are still considered one unit. In fact your baby doesn’t see herself as separate from you at all.good news: if mamma is happy, healthy and feeling strong, baby will be too.
Below are a few of my daily tips for self care, recovery and healing.
Tip No 1: indulge in a Massage.
At least once a week have a full body massage. If you can’t afford a professional, ask your partner to help you.
Partner massage builds trust, creates intimacy when other forms are not on the table, and allows you the opportunity to be loved and touched in a caring and gentle way.
Taking care of a newborn is physically exhausting, and the nurturing love you receive from a massage, really can fill up your love tank.
My massage therapist has healing hands, and I am incredibly happy and grateful to her love and care these past few months.
Tip No 2: Eat good food
When your arms are constantly carrying a baby, and your time is taken up with feeds and a nappy changes, it’s often quite hard to think about preparing or cooking Healthy food.
I decided to pass the baton of food preparation to my husband-side note: (delegation Is key to post partum survival ) and it gave him a chance to help out, and feel useful in taking care of his family.
With every meal, eat good carbs, good fats, and loads of fresh vegetables. Be sure to boost your nutritional intake with iron rich, calorie dense foods and micronutrients found in superfoods.
The mornings for me where the hardest.
After a long night of breastfeeding and tending to your babe, breakfast couldn’t come sooner.
With hubby out the house, and only 2 hands, I found trying to feed myself at this time tricky.
Like all mamma’s when we have a problem, we think out the box, and superfoods smoothies became my nourishment of choice; quick, easy, super tasty, and you can load them with all sorts of fruit and veggies.
Tip NO 3: Boost your adrenal system.
As a new mamma you will be operating from space of hyper vigilance, your sleep will disrupted and you will always have one ear listening and one eye open to ensure your newborns safety.
The best way to nourish your adrenals is to find time to rest each day.
5-10 minutes of gentle stretching, and deep breathing Is incredibly poor restorative to the nervous system and helps to release physical tentsion that builds up in the body.
Other ways to boost the adrenals is to supplement with Herbal support. My top 4 Adrenal nourishers include:
withania
valerian
passiflora
avena sativa
Tip NO 4: take your time
less visitors, fewer outings, less time in and out of the car, and a less stimulation leads to less stress to both mum and babe.
Take it easy in these first few months. Try to ignore the pressures for getting back to gym, back to the office, back to your regular coffee dates, there is plenty of time for that, but for now just enjoy the cuddles and the coos, enjoy the bonding and the uninterrupted breastfeeding, enjoy those gummy smiles and moments of loving eye contact… Your baby will thank you for it…
and it goes by so quickly too.
Thank you baby J, for teaching me patience, The importance of being in the moment, and an incredible unconditional love.
