Physical and emotional recovery

Physical Recovery from Birth: 

Lochia Involution Care of the Perineum Elimination

How will I feel emotionally after the baby is born?

Lack of sleep makes everything harder to cope with: sleep when the baby sleeps!

Changes in your self-image, 

Changes in priorities

Easy to feel out of control

Pushes you past all your normal coping mechanisms

Power of Peer Support!

Baby Blues / Postpartum Depression. (Audio file only in slideshow view click and audio will start – Slide 106)
Abuse. Reaching out for support.

What will happen to our relationship after the baby is born?

Division of Labour: What tasks need to happen, and who will do them?

Supporting your Relationship: Quality Time

Sex After the Baby Comes

POSTPARTUM RESOURCES
Postpartum Perineal care 

If you have had stitches or an episiotemy you can care for this at home using the following:
Sanitary pads sprayed with witch hazel and placed in food bags in the fridge to keep them cool applied to the area – change as required.See the Shop for further details of a Spritz you can purchase.
Alternatively if having a bath (without baby as this interferes with your smell) place a few drops of lavender essential oil into a small glass of milk and then gently disperse into the warm water in the bath.  Then have a gentle soak & enjoy.  Bliss!!


Postnatal Breaths

The pelvic floors are slightly different in the postnatal period.  Start off with reverse breathing I and then in a couple of weeks start reverse breathing II when you feel ready to do them.
Reverse Breathing I
Sitting quietly (so that you can feel your sit bones)  or lying down (check pelvis is neutral not
tilted in either direction.
Gently place hands on your tummy.
Inhale & gently pull tummy in towards your back & spine
As you exhale gently pull the tummy in a little further then gently release towards end of exhale
Build these up to 6 in a row but start of by doing them individually with a resting breath between them.  Then two breaths consecutively with a resting breath then three etc.

Reverse Breathing II
Focuses on the pelvic floor
Again best done in a lying down position.
Focus on pelvic floor area.
Inhale gently squeeze & lift
Exhale – gently lift a little further (May feel like it collapses for the first few weeks but regularly done it gets better)  it’s not your tummy muscles doing the work so make sure you are focused on the pelvic floor.
Build these up to 6 in a row but start of by doing them individually with a resting breath between them.  Then two breaths consecutively with a resting breath then three etc.