Postpartum 40 days of Self-Care

Traditionally, the first 40 days postpartum mothers are completely taken care of by the family, so she can rest, recover and bond with baby.

1. .You can receive your first massage after giving birth, once you have had time to sleep. If you have a hospital birth, a massage therapist can go to your hospital room and massage you on the bed. It’s ideal to get weekly massages.
2. If you have a vaginal birth you can start doing vaginal steams every other day for starting day 3 postpartum for a total of 5 steams. The herbs you can use are one cup total of dried oregano, calendula and rosemary. If you have a C-section steams aren’t recommended until 8 weeks postpartum. Read about steams on my previous blog. Keep scrolling down.
3. a tip from a traditional midwife from a lineage of midwives dating back to pre-Hispanic Mexico, recommended drinking oregano tea the first 9 days postpartum
4. Wrap / bind your belly daily for 40 days to help your uterus heal and your belly muscles to recover. Only wear it when you are laying around doing nothing but being with baby. A doula or postpartum massage therapist can wrap you the first time or you can learn about it in you tube.
5. If you have a C-section, please read my blog post about scar therapy here. http://www.fertilehands.com/blog/the-benefits-of-massaging
6. the only exercises I recommend in the first 40 days are pelvic floor kegels. Basically stopping the flow of urine and then releasing. You can combine them with drawing your belly toward your navel. You can go for walks after 40 days. To prevent prolapsed uterus or bladder, don’t run, jump or lift heavy weights for 2 years.