Understanding Postpartum (After Birth) Care and Reclaiming the Postpartum Period
Understanding Postpartum
(After Labor)
Care and Reclaiming the Postpartum Period
Re-invisioning our standard of after labor care and exploring what complete, in-home, postpartum care can look and feel like.
In the standard obstetrical model of care, you are released from the hospital around 24 hours after giving birth (longer, around 72 hours, if yours was a surgical birth). Within that first week home you will likely take your baby to your pediatrician, and maybe see a lactation consultant if needed. You may do the same for the following week. Professionals will be checking on your baby to make sure he or she is gaining weight appropriately and transitioning well to the outside world. But what about you? Who is checking on you to make sure you are ok? Physically? Emotionally? If you gave birth under this standard of post-birth care, it’s typical not to be seen again until 6 weeks postpartum when you are declared “recovered”. The vast majority of women in our country have one postpartum appointment. ONE. One visit and doubtless numerous unanswered questions.
Is it no wonder so many women (and men) are experiencing postpartum stress, anxiety, anger, and depression? Current statistics show 1 in 7 women may experience postpartum mood disorders in the first year after giving birth. I believe we can do better.
As an Orange County midwife, within this first 6 weeks, I have already seen you a minimum of 5 times for at least an hour each visit. Mom and baby are still so interconnected during this time and must be thought of holistically. Your physical health and healing will be monitored alongside your baby. The postpartum period is a special yet challenging time. Moms deserve more.
If you are breastfeeding, a majority of our time will be spent ensuring proper latch techniques, evaluating baby’s transfer of milk, and getting you the resources you need to meet your breastfeeding goals.
Another benefit of complete postpartum in-home care is quicker complete healing. You don’t need to be driving around your sore, tired, leaking body to appointments. I will come to you embracing the beautiful mess that is evidence of new life. The less you do physically for the first few weeks postpartum, the more you will be enabling your body to heal and recover, setting yourself up for stronger self in the coming months and future. Across many cultures, this staying-in period of allowing your family and community to care for you in the first month is the norm. We can bring this form of self-care back into the postpartum period.
“5 days IN the bed
5 days ON the bed
5 days NEAR the bed”
Because of the importance of full-spectrum postpartum (after labor) care, I am happy to offer these services not only to my home-birth clients but to anyone desiring the Midwifery Model of postpartum (post labor) care! You can visit my postpartum and newborn care services page for more details on what these visits include. Please contact me if postpartum care is something you are interested in! Spread the word and let’s break the standard and bring back full-spectrum postpartum support in our community!
Weighing a baby immediately postpartum in the presence of his family.
Be sure to check out The Important Benefits of Prenatal Care and what you can expect!