Introduction
CONGRATULATIONS!
Navigating recovery after vaginal birth can be challenging because there is very little guidance. The information in this offering is meant to provide you with a guideline based on evidence based recommendations and what we know about the stages of healing. Since I am unable to assess you as an individual, this information cannot be considered medical advice or treatment. If at any point, you feel you could use some individualized guidance, feel free to book into my online or in person schedule.
What is normal at this stage:
To feel overwhelmed and emotional, especially if your birth transpired differently than what you imagined
To feel soreness and swelling, possibly leaking urine, constipation and/or hemorrhoids
To need help from the people around you
To feel like your body is foreign
To have a squishy belly and feel like your core doesn’t function normally
Suggestions:
Talk with other friends who have had previous birth. Let them know how you are feeling. Chances are good they can relate to some of the feelings you have.
Reach out to a pelvic health physiotherapist who is comfortable working with new moms at any stage after birth. Physios that work in the hospital see patients the day after other surgeries (knee, hip, hernia repair, heart surgery etc) but it is very unlikely that you saw anyone that provided YOU with your personal rehabilitation guidance. That is our bread and butter as physios. You will see my online booking page throughout this program so feel free to either book in with me for in person or online appointment. Patients after knee, hip, arm, or heart surgery don’t wait 6 weeks for guidance and the same applies for you after your birth. Reach out for help whenever you feel you need it.
If you feel confident with how you are doing then keep doing what you are doing :)
I encourage you not to compare yourself to others around you who are postpartum. There are so many factors that make you unique.
It is tempting to turn to social media for answers. Although well intentioned, the person giving the advice doesn’t know you and not all of their information will be applicable to you.
Ask your care provider to debrief your birth with you. This can be very helpful if you feel you are struggling emotionally. I encourage you to always keep your mind open to reaching out for mental/emotional health support. Just because you are experiencing feelings of anger, sadness, anxiety or disappointment with how your birth transpired, doesn’t mean you love your baby any less or that you are not coping.
