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Postpartum Survival

© Amy Condra-Peters

Few mothers escape the bewilderment of those tumultuous first weeks with a new baby. During the final months of pregnancy, you may expect that you will weep on cue when your newborn is placed into your waiting arms; what you may not expect, however, is the gritty reality of a tender abdomen, engorged breasts, hemorrhoids and afterpains. And, while in that chronically sleep-deprived state common to new moms, you may wonder when you will feel like yourself again.

The postpartum period is a time of remarkable physical adjustment. Immediately after you give birth, your body is already beginning to recover. As soon as the placenta is delivered, you will likely feel cramping, or afterpains, as your uterus contracts to its prepregnancy size and weight. Your uterus will be back to normal after approximately six weeks, hence the traditional use of six weeks as the length of the postpartum recovery period. However, for many women it takes a great deal longer than that to feel back to normal. Paula Siegel, the author of The Next Nine Months, says that most women don't feel really back to normal until nine months to a year after they've given birth.

It is crucial that you don't push yourself during these first postpartum months; many women underestimate the physical toll that childbearing has taken, and attempt to carry on with their usual routine. New mothers are often told to nap when your baby naps; if you don1t want to actually sleep, you might want to use this time to put your feet up and read or watch television. Of course, in these first weeks naptime might be the twenty minutes that your baby spends dozing on your lap. Right now, the first priority is to take care of your baby and yourself; some days, this may mean that the dishes will go unwashed until eight o'clock at night.

Good nutrition will ease your recovery. Since time is often at a premium for new moms, try eating several mini-meals throughout the day. Examples of nutritious snacks include peanut butter sandwiches on whole wheat bread, raw vegetables with low-fat yogurt dip, microwave popcorn sprinkled with Parmesan cheese, and low-fat cheese with fresh fruit. Unfortunately, anxiety over post-pregnancy pounds can prevent you from getting the nutrients that you need. As tempting as it may be to cut drastically back on calories right now, you will benefit from a balanced diet; this is especially true if you are breastfeeding. It may help to develop a realistic approach to weight loss.

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