7 Super-Easy Tips That Will Help You Recover From Childbirth FAST!

Congratulations! You’ve just achieved something so incredibly astonishing and amazing! You’ve created a brand-new life and brought it into this world with love and care. Well done you!

And like any other new parent, you’re probably pouring your heart and soul into this brand-new being and not getting much time to rest at all. This is completely normal- I remember fondly exactly what it was like for me!

Your hormones are having a party and it seems like you’re not invited. You’re completely awestruck at this tiny new human and their little fingers, toes and just about everything else. And on top of all of that, you’re adjusting to the happy madness that is life with a new baby.

So naturally, taking care of yourself and supporting your own recovery from childbirth tends to take a backseat- all your attention goes on your child instead. And whilst you mean well, neglecting your own need for rest and recovery is actually harming both you and your newborn.

Today I’m going to explain why it’s so important to take care of yourself, and then I’ll give you 7 brilliant tips that will help you recover from childbirth FAST.

You took care of yourself when you were pregnant, didn’t you?

Do you remember when you were pregnant? You took great care of your body at that time, didn’t you? You ate the most nourishing food you could, you rested when you needed to and you did everything you could to take care of yourself and your growing child. Why? Because that was best for your baby (and great for your own body too).

It’s exactly the same now you’ve had that baby. Here’s why:

• How can you take care of your baby if you’re feeling exhausted, sore and overwhelmed?
• Stress increases your cortisol levels which go into your milk and affects your child’s hormonal balance (shocking, eh?)
• Stress and sleep deprivation also impact your mood, your overall health and your immune response. You can’t take good care of a baby if you’re sick!
• You’ll take longer to recover from childbirth itself and might experience health problems in the future which come from not resting enough now.
• This should be a joyful time that you will remember fondly for the rest of your life, not one you look back on with sadness and fatigue.
• On the other hand, if you feel relaxed, your DHEA levels will increase and your cortisol will decrease, making it easier to breastfeed and helping you feel happier.

Here’s how you can recover from childbirth FAST: My 7 Tips

#1: Get as much fresh produce into your diet as you can

It’s time to load up your plate with as many fresh veggies and fruits as you can possible fit on and then maybe some more!

Fruits and veggies are rich in all those body-healing, hormone rebalancing and energy providing vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients that your body needs right now for recovery, milk production and, of course, happiness!

Opt for vitamin C-rich foods like lemons, limes, berries, dark green leafy veggies and other veggies, and also increase your collagen by eating chicken, carrots, avocado, flaxseed and cabbage. Collagen is essential for skin repair so make sure you start eating them ASAP!

#2: Rest!

When my daughter was young, if I’d had a penny for every time I heard ‘rest when the baby sleeps’, I’d be a very rich woman. And even though I rolled my eyes at the time, and just complained that those people just didn’t know what it was like, in the end, I realised that they were right.

Sleep and rest is so important for you- you’re not superwoman, and you can’t expect yourself to be ‘on the go’ and taking care of an infant all day (and night) long without a rest. Find your way to do it, but be sure to get that rest you need.

#3: Practice meditation or visualisation

That complete and utter dependency, those broken nights, and the adjustment to becoming a new parent can be stressful. These things raise your cortisol levels and can affect your ability to breastfeed, can disrupt your overall hormone balance, can damage your health and can leave you feeling overwhelmed and even depressed.

But there is a simple answer- meditation, visualisation or self-hypnosis. Now, if you attended one of my popular Easibirthing classes, you’ll already know a ton of techniques that you can use right now to help you feel calmer, more confident and more in control of what is happening. Please do contact me if you’d like a recap or are curious to find out more.

#4: Check your magnesium levels

Magnesium is one of those wonder-minerals that fixes almost every human complaint going! And for a good reason too- it’s one of the core minerals your body needs. However, it’s also one that we are often deficient in. So for the sake of your hormones, your sleep, your ability to relax, your ability to go to the loo and your overall wellbeing, increase your intake of magnesium.

Great way to do this include eating plenty of pumpkin seeds, spinach, Swiss chard, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, nuts, salmon and other dark leafy greens. You can also use Epsom salts in your bath, take a supplement, or go for long leisurely swims in the sea. (Weather and location dependent of course!)

#5: Avoid constipation with fibre and fresh air

Let’s face it- constipation can feel like your worst enemy when you’ve just had a baby. In the days following birth, you’re more likely to suffer from constipation and it’s highly likely to feel rather uncomfortable.

So do everything you can to avoid it by eating plenty of fibre-rich foods like fresh vegetables, fruits and wholegrains, drinking lots of water and going out for plenty of walks. The walks don’t have to be anything strenuous and they’re a great chance to show off your newborn to the world!   

#6: Look after your pelvic floor

Your pelvic floor is the group of muscles which acts as a ‘cradle’ for your internal organs. They run from front to back and include your abdominals and your diaphragm too.

They have been under a huge amount of strain during your pregnancy, so it’s a good idea to give them some well-deserved TLC. This will help protect against incontinence and pelvic problems in the future.

Here are a few ways you can do this:

• Avoid moving from seated to standing holding the baby
• Practice Belly Breathing (you should have learned this in your classes, but if not, watch this video!)
• Go for a walk
• Increase your water consumption (to avoid straining on the loo)
• Going for a walk will relief constipation
• Practice abdominal massage (if you’re feeling constipated)
• Eat plenty of fermented veggies (helps rebalance gut flora and helps avoid constipation)
• Use a foot stool when going for a poo
• Learn the ‘KNACK’ technique and practice often (see below for details)
• Use a ‘Squatty Potty’. If you don’t know how to do this, please ask for help

#7: Learn the KNACK technique
 

There is a powerful pelvic floor strengthening exercise that I teach all my mothers-to-be and post-partum clients. I love it because it effectively targets most of the muscles in your pelvic floor area and gets them fighting fit in no time whilst protect your lower back from damage. It most definitely isn’t ‘squeeze and release’- that’s so old school!

So each time you go from sitting to standing (especially if you’ve holding the baby), try to do the following exercise:

1.    Sit at the edge of the chair.

2.    Before you stand up, take a breath in, then exhale and relax the pelvic floor muscles.

3.    Next take another breath in, this time as you exhale close the opening of the pelvic floor muscle. Lift up and in, imagining you’re pulling an escalator from your vagina all the way up to your belly button. Remember NOT to hold your breath.

4.    Keep breathing as you stand up.

5.    Once you’re full standing, go ahead and relax that pelvic floor. Well done you!

As you can see, for the sake of your baby, your health and your happiness, it’s vital that you give yourself some extra TLC to aid your recovery from childbirth and enjoy this exciting and astonishing time in your life. Eat right, get enough rest, look after your pelvic floor, get enough magnesium, meditate and avoid constipation and within no time, you’ll be feeling better than ever!