Life after labour
Labour & childbirth are a popular topic. It gets much more air time with pregnant mums than the aftermath. I rarely have people asking about after the baby is born, its all related to the birth process. This seems a little odd to me.
On one hand I understand, it’s built up as this huge milestone or initiation into motherhood. It’s the ultimate Mount Everest of relenting control to your body, allowing it to do its job, an amazing job its designed to do. But its still only a day or two or three for those very unlucky ladies, in the bigger picture.
It’s the part where you actually have this tiny crying dependant person who you’re not quite sure what to do with, that the real learning begins. And if you’re anything like me, you end up reading everything you can get your hands on about sleep & feeding like you’re craming for an exam, which is ironic as in both instances you’re usually sleep deprived & running on adrenaline.
So this is what I say to pregnant mothers: Prepare yourself for the other stuff too.
If you’re the type that reads up on hypno birthing & birth skills like i did, take it a step further & arm yourself with a little knowledge on what to do post labor. I say this because while it is such a beautiful time, you & your little family in this baby bubble, its also a huge adjustment.
The best book I found for me was “Baby Love” by Robin Barker. Its a great comprehensive book on pretty much everything & it gives various avenues of advice for every topic without judgment or agenda. For as cliche as it is, not every baby is the same & what works for one won’t work for the other.
A great way to care for yourself after child birth is to have an acupuncture treatment postpartum. We use warming heat lamps, moxa sticks and acupuncture to heal the body after giving birth. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, this is referred to as a “mother roasting“. Through warmth a new mother is honored and given time to recuperate from the birth process, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Mother roasting refers to the almost universal practice of keeping mothers warm immediately after the birth and in the weeks that follow. It is believed to seal the gateways, which have been opened by the birth, and to keep wind and cold from entering a vulnerable new mother’s body.
– Rhythm of the Home
Mother Warming is a treatment that is given to women in the days following birth. The treatment involves the gentle warming of the acupuncture meridians that run through the lower abdomen and lower back. It is a very nourishing and strengthening treatment and can be taught to partners to be carried out daily for 10-20 minutes. It involves using a Moxa stick and warming acupuncture points on the abdomen and on the lower back until they feel pleasantly warm.
We look forward to helping you through this postpartum period.
To book your appointment please call us on ph: 5973 6886.