Gentle Postpartum

How amazing is this? 😍💜
Anyone on or near the North Coast interested in coming along to the future FREE monthly chats about all things pregnancy, birth, early parenthood? Please feel free to join the new Positive Birth Movement North Coast NI local group and just turn up on the day!
Everyone is welcome, from expectant mums to health professionals. https://www.facebook.com/groups/PositiveB irthNorthCoastNI/
... The Italian Doula
See More

#Repost @themotherdoctor ・・・ Something needs to change. ⠀⠀ Mothers are seen every 4 weeks until 30 weeks along, then every 2 weeks from 32-36 weeks, then once a week from 37 weeks until birth. That’s ~12 times—or more. ⠀⠀ Infants have ~7 check-ins for well-baby checks & vaccinations throughout the first 2 years of life (or more).... ⠀⠀ New mothers are seen once, at 6 weeks postpartum. What’s special about 6 weeks? The uterus has returned to its non-pregnant position. The 6-week check-up that many women experience, doesn’t always address the changes a mother’s body & mind have been through. ⠀⠀ This isn’t me bashing on conventional care. I’m incredibly grateful for the brilliant OBs, nurses & midwives who have forwarded maternal care to where it is now 👏🏻👏🏻🙌🏼🙌🏼. They have all my respect. 🙌🏼 But I DO think we can take it another step forward. I also believe that the onus for change doesn’t just lie with just those providers—we KNOW that postpartum healing is multi-factorial. As such, an interdisciplinary team-based approach to care is needed. ⠀⠀ We need an approach to postpartum care that addresses the changes to a mother’s hormones, immune system, anatomy (pelvic, urogenital system), nutrient store & mental health. 🤰🏼 ⠀⠀ In 2018, the ACOG in the US published a committee opinion on optimizing postpartum care—they recommended postpartum care should be an ongoing process, rather than a single encounter & tailored to a woman’s needs. And I couldn’t agree more. In Canada, we need a similar change. 🇨🇦 ⠀⠀ The postpartum mother can benefit from the expertise of more than one regulated healthcare professional during her recovery time—clinical psychologists/psychotherapists to address mental health, chiropractors/pelvic floor physiotherapists to address the anatomical changes, naturopathic doctors to address the nutritional/hormonal changes and of course OBs to continue to be her primary care provider. ⠀⠀ There’s a significant gap in care for the new mother. It’s time our healthcare system addressed it! ⠀⠀ Who’s ready to change the dynamic in healthcare so it’s supportive of new mothers? 🙋🏼‍♀️
See More

A 'Frida Mom' Commercial Aimed at Postpartum Women Just Got Banned From the Oscars for Being 'Too Graphic'
The "fourth trimester" struggle is real—apparently too real to show on TV.
https://www.health.com/…/pregnancy/frid a-mom-commercial-ban…

#Repost @psychedmommy ・・・ . ⚡️Rage, anger, or irritability—however you identify these feelings, they’re scary. They come as a surprise. They can create shame. Part of the problem is that when we withhold this information, we feel increasingly lonely. .
... ⚡️So what is postpartum rage exactly? Women report feeling intense anger or rage in instances that they believe should not illicit such a strong response. Small annoyances are often the culprit. For example, a mom may report that not having a specific grocery item, having something left out by a partner (a dirty dish, etc), unable to find something, or baby refusing nap may set off this undesirable rage. It may be completely uncharacteristic of her. This is often a sign of something else going on and needs to be addressed. .
⚡️If you are experiencing symptoms of post-partum rage or anger, discuss this with your provider. If you do not feel like you’re receiving adequate resources, go to postpartum.net and find a provider or support group near you. In my upcoming course, Keeping Mommy in Mind, I will discuss postpartum rage and I will give you the tools to combat these feelings. Join the community, link in bio ❤️ . Is this something you’ve struggled with?
See More

#Repost @mother.ly ・・・ "You are my reason.
You are the reason I get up each morning.... Even though my eyelids are as heavy as a five-ton truck. Even though all I want is a sleep in, a coffee and breakfast in bed. You are more important. You need me. For you, I would do anything.
You are the reason I am finally comfortable in my own skin. Even though I am a size bigger than I used to be. Even though my boobs cannot be described as 'perky' You relied on my body. You gave it purpose. For you, I will always love it.
You are the reason I am no longer selfish. Even though I sometimes complain that I don’t buy anything for myself anymore. Even though I get annoyed when I don’t get enough alone time. You have taught me that there is more to life than just me. Your needs come first right now. For you, I happily come second.
You are the reason I now know the importance of patience. Even though I sometimes miss the fast-paced life. Even though I still get frustrated when I feel inefficient. You need me to go at your pace. You are the priority right now. For you, I slow down.
You are the reason that I now have perspective. Even though I don’t make the money that I used to. Even though I don’t have the level of mental stimulation I once had. You are more important. You need me. For you, my career can wait.
You are the reason I worry more than ever. Even though I know it won’t change anything. Even though it’s not your fault. You are precious. You are vulnerable. For you, I will worry forever.
You are the reason I am now filled with gratitude. Even though I get sad when things do not go my way. Even though I sometimes lose sight of what I have. You are my constant reminder that I am blessed. You are the light at the end of every tunnel. For you, everything is worth it.
You are the reason that my heart is full. Even though I love your dad more than you can ever imagine. Even though I am grateful for our life before you. You have shown me a love like no other. You are remarkable. For you, my heart explodes.
You are my reason." Written by Emma Heaphy of @hangingwiththeheaphys 📷: @angelickpicture #teammotherly
See More

#Repost @common_wild ・・・ Giving myself a little pep talk after my annual tradition of forgetting to pick up my son on the first early pick up of the year. This is for anyone else who needs it. 🙃 Hide vegetables from yourself. Praise yourself for brushing your teeth, going to the toilet and washing your hands. Take some time to sit in the corner and have a good think. Squeeze and admire your glorious, squishy thighs. Congratulate yourself on using your inside voice and your very best manners. Marvel at the complete and utter wonder of the universe that you are here. And if you are still feeling a little bit cranky, might be time for an early night.

#Repost @momsandproud: ・・・ “Motherhood is hard. It’s not a secret but no one tells you that the hardest part about being a mom has little to do with your child at all. It’s the other aspects of your new title. Balancing your work, maintaining your relationships, navigating your hormones, learning to live with your postpartum body, battling with your anxieties, working through your guilt, agonizing over parenting decisions or misteps, operating on little sleep, plus keeping t...his little person safe all while trying to figure out who you are now after this monumental identity shift. Not to mention the isolation that tends to creep in when you least expect it. Those are the hard parts. It’s not your kid. It’s you. Managing yourself, this new you, that is the part that takes the work. I’m learning and evolving every day. I have days when I kill it and days when it nearly kills me. When I say motherhood is hard, it is. Loving my baby and being his mom is not. That’s the easy part.” (📷: @thenerdyboho) . . Follow👉🏻 @momsandproud 👈for more daily humor and empowerment❤!! . .
See More

#Repost @we.are.mamakind: ・・・ To start with, they probably couldn’t find the words. To convey the enormity of it. To admit how it often feels like defeat. Maybe they didn’t want to seem negative, or freak you out, or overstep their bounds. Probably they lacked the language—not the will—to express how much they’ve been changed, challenged, reborn. Maybe they supposed, correctly, that whatever nugget of truth they had earned—through experience, through mistakes—wouldn’t hold th...e same merit for what would be uniquely your own experience.⁣ ⁣ Is it possible, I wonder, to talk to expectant parents honestly, tenderly, authentically? Like people who are capable of understanding it isn’t all good or bad but both, often at the same time? Moving away from absolutes, from certainties, from anyone having a real handle on anyone else’s best ways forward, can we learn to share and listen and speak our own truths, knowing that even in their rich uniquenesses, there will doubtless be comforts to help cushion the landing of our new compatriots? To better welcome them home?
See More

My teacher Julia from Newborn Mothers is running a free Challenge: How To Get Paid For Postpartum Care starting 1st February!
I highly recommend taking part to anybody who is thinking about starting or already doing postnatal work 💜
"You are here because you know that for too long our culture has commodified motherhood and sabotaged mothers by placing the knowledge outside of us, in the hands of experts. If you feel a deep calling to be part of a movement to change the way ...we support and serve Newborn Mothers this free challenge is for you!
Live Lesson 1 How To Elevate Your Clients Above Advice And Experts, And Get Them In Touch With Their Intuition And Their Babies
Live Lesson 2 How To Do Postpartum Work In A Culture That Doesn't Care About Newborn Mothers
Live Lesson 3 How To Get Paid For Postpartum Work (Even Though You Love It So Much You'd Do It For Free!)"
There even is a possibility to win a free Scholarship to the Newborn Mothers collective. 😍
Join the Challenge here:
https://newbornmothers.simplero.com/page/ 120838…
See More

#Repost words & 📸 from @taylorkulik: ・・・ "It's early in the morning, & I’m watching the clock, waiting for it to tell me when you need to nurse again. You're crying, and I think you're hungry, but the article I read said that babies should eat, then play, then sleep. But I feel like you really just want to eat, play, eat, sleep, eat, sleep. Why are you different than the rest of the babies I read about?⠀ ⠀ It's late afternoon, and I'm sitting with you in this dark room, prayi...ng that you'll just stay asleep the next time I lay you in your crib. Everyone keeps telling me that I should be able to lay you down drowsy to teach you to self-soothe, but it's not working. I've been rocking you on & off for an hour... Now you're overtired, and I'm in tears. We're feeding off of each other's stress. I wish your Dad would come home.⠀ ⠀ It's past midnight. Every time you wake, I nurse you and you fall right back asleep. But I can't let you sleep in my bed. Everyone tells me I could hurt you. So I pick you up & lay you back in your crib, and you wake. Every single time, you wake. And then I stand & rock you until I start to doze off and almost drop you from being so exhausted. How can this be any safer than letting you sleep next to me? I can't keep going on like this.⠀ ...⠀ You are nearly six months old, and everyone says you should be sleeping well by now... I decide to try a couple of "gentle" sleep training methods because I feel like it's the only way, but you just cry & cry, and my heart aches... I go in & rock you & snuggle you, and your little body immediately relaxes as soon as I pick you up. So does mine.⠀ ⠀ One day, someone says to me, "Why don't you just let her sleep in bed with you?" And my world is changed. I research safe bedsharing for hours, & I'm angry that no one has every mentioned this to me before. I give myself permission to let my 6 month old stay in bed sound asleep after nursing. She's so peaceful. She wakes a few times, nurses, & dozes back off. So do I. I begin to enjoy my days with her, noticing HER more instead of focusing on her sleep. I regret ever listening to everyone else." ⠀ Read the entire blog post https://www.taylorkulik.com/post/caught-u p-in-the-noise
See More

#Repost @themotherdoctor ・・・ At the end of the day, mothers and their babies matter. How you give birth & how you feel about it matters. How you recover, how you feed your baby and how you are supported matter. ⠀⠀
Becoming a mother is a major life transition. How you feel during this is integral to not only your health but your baby’s health as well.... ⠀⠀ This common saying diminished not only mother’s experience, but it’s also completely untrue. ⠀⠀ Tag a mom that needs to hear this!
#postpartumhero #teammotherly
See More

"They told you about the contractions, but did they tell you about the expansion? Did they tell you how your body would open to make way for the whole universe to pass through? Did they tell you how your heart would explode with a love bigger than anything you’ve ever known as you pulled your baby to your chest?
They told you about the ring of fire but did they tell you about the crown of stars? Did they mention that there’s a moment when your baby enters the world and you l...eave your body and touch the heavens and become the light of a million galaxies? Did they tell you how the pain of stretching to receive your child would be more exquisite than any sensation you've felt?
They told you would scream but did they tell you about how would you roar? Did they tell you about the power that would rise up from your belly as you called your baby forth with your mighty voice? Did they tell you how you would embody the wild woman within you as breathe fire with your song?
They told you would bleed, but did they tell you how that sacred blood wouldn't scare you? How you would feel grateful for that magical liquid of life as it trickled down your leg - how you would honour its flow and how it would help you heal a lifetime of hating your body's bleeding cycle.
They told these stories and taught you to fear birth, to fear your power, to fear yourself. But you are stronger and wiser than that mama. You know that birth is your divine dance, your soul's song, your moment with God, and you walk fearlessly into her open arms."
Beautiful words and art by: Catie from Spiritysol
https://instagram.com/spiritysol?igshid=1 okk6vr2rg142
See More

#Repost @taylorkulik ・・・ "Is your baby sleeping well between feeds?" ⠀ "How is your baby feeding at night?'⠀ "How can I help you during these tough few months?"⠀... ⠀ All of these questions are better than asking a new parent, "Is your baby sleeping through the night?" This question, as harmless as intentions may be, is harmful to new parents. It instills in them this idea that a baby who is sleeping through the night is the norm, and the truth is that sleeping through the night is the exception. Night waking is the norm. Feeding at night is the norm. Needing parental support to get to sleep is the norm. ⠀ ⠀ How can we shift these conversations to create a more realistic norm and more realistic expectations for new parents?
See More

Newborn cuddles for me and yummy food, a massage and a listening ear for the new Mum.
Leaving a Mother's house with the feeling that she is rested, fed and taken care of is just blissful 💜
If you are an expecting or new Mum in need of some support & good food then please reach out.
... Love,
Ria
#Doulalife
See More

#Repost @psychedmommy. Be sure you’re following @psychedmommy for postpartum support and mental health education. • " In those first few months—even longer than that, I realized this. I needed a break, but I didn’t feel like anyone could be trusted. They wouldn’t be as cautious, careful, gentle, informed, and the list goes on. It can be crippling because it requires you to be “on” 24/7. • What was helpful? Not beating myself for feeling how I did. I also worked to establi...sh confidence in others. This required education, explanation of my expectations, describing some of my fears, practicing being away for short durations, checking in when necessary, and utilizing mantras and affirmations. • It’s easier these days to trust, but I recognize how hard it can be early on. Don’t put yourself down for having these feelings. I encourage you to lean into that fear. Use it to create a plan rather than avoiding what scares you. • Does this post apply to you? Is it hard for you to trust people with your child? Is it even hard for you to trust your partner with your child? Tell me about it👇🏻 * * In my upcoming e-course I will be addressing anxiety in motherhood and will provide you with researched methods to reduce anxiety. Be sure you’ve joined the @psychedmommy community (link in bio).
See More

#Repost @mother.ly 📷+📝: @jennbatchelor (Instagram)
“Put them in water or take them outside.” It was the first useful parenting advice I ever got. “Sleep when the baby sleeps”? I think the polite word for that gem is poppycock. But this particular axiom has saved me many times over.
... I don’t remember how old Nathan was when I called my mom in tears because I couldn’t stop his, but his age was probably measured in weeks. Maybe days. “Nothing is working; I don’t know what else to try,” I sobbed. “He’s not hungry or sleepy or wet.” “Try giving him a bath,” she suggested. “Or bundle him up and take him outside for some fresh air. I always say to take them outside or put them in water, and usually, the grumpiness goes away.” It worked that day, and it’s worked many times since. We’ve done baths at 10 a.m. I’ve paced our driveway with a baby in my arms at 2 a.m. And today, at 5:15 p.m. when my children were fighting for the 17th time since they got home from school and I was about to lose it, instead I put one in the bath and I sent the other outside and now maybe all three of us will survive until Dad gets home. Almost nine years later, it still works. I can’t give you advice about sleep schedules or feedings or Montessori-approved toys. I don’t know what we’re gonna do about Tik Tok and Snapchat in a few years. But when they’re falling apart at the seams for no apparent reason, take them outside or put them in water. Oh, and it works on grown-ups, too."
See More