My Postpartum Practice:
(Skip below to go right into the Yoga Class Series)
I’m writing this 11 weeks postpartum and you better believe I spent the last 11 weeks diligently recording everything in the notes app on my phone to share with you all. I’m currently using my left foot to bounce my little bundle of loving chaos in his BabyBjorn and wondering how much I’ll be able to type before he starts doing his “Hey! Ma!” screech. Here’s the thing, postpartum kicked the hell out of me. I was expecting postpartum bleeding, possible postpartum depression, and some healing soreness. Nothing I read led me to believe any different. So it rocked my world when my postpartum ended up being an absolute shit show. Here are some things I wish I had been a bit more prepared for:
Healing is HARD and NOT linear. Because I had my 6 week postpartum visit to mark the end of my “disability”, I assumed that I would be good to go at 6 weeks (pause for crying baby and a diaper change… and I’m back). I was not and suddenly 6 weeks felt like a joke. My ob mentioned that it really takes about 3 months to heal from delivery (and that actually held true for me… right around week 9 I actually started feeling good)… so maybe plan for a 3 month benchmark to check in with yourself. Along those lines sociologists are calling the season of giving birth Matrescence which is a HUGE hormonal upheaval (similar to puberty and menopause). Give yourself the same grace you would look back and give 16 year old you (very similar shit is happening hormonally).
Rest is actually non negotiable. I actually wish I rested more and followed the 5-5-5 rule (5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days around the bed). My little guy came early and we weren’t totally prepared so our first few days were NOT spent resting. This slowed my healing and made for some pretty rough days those first few weeks. Later I read that walking around / up and down stairs puts excessive stress on the exact muscles you’re trying to heal, often damaging them further. PLEASE HEAR ME: REST!
HIVES, EXTREME NIGHT SWEATS (or soaks would be more accurate), AND CARPAL TUNNEL can happen, who knew?!?
HEMORRHOIDS I was actually really lucky with this… I got them but they didn’t cause me any physical discomfort (no pain, no itching) just the mental discomfort of knowing they were there and they were gross. What helped shrink them fast:
2 Sitz baths a day (morning and evening) followed by a perineal ice pack. The Tucks pads didn’t do much for me but Preparation H worked wonders. They were much smaller by week 6 and basically gone by week 10.
Sitz Bath Recipe from The First Forty Days with some modifications:
1/4 cup comfrey leaves
1/4 dried lavender
1/4 cup calendula
In a medium pot, bring 6 cups of water to boil. Add the comfrey, lavender, and calendula, remove from heat and let steep for 15 minutes, covered by 5 minutes uncovered. Strain out the herbs and pour the tea water into your Sitz tub. Sit for 15 minutes.
*I always purchase my herbs from Mountain Rose Herbs
HERE ARE THE BIG ONES:
INCONTINENCE I was full on incontinent… no bladder control AT ALL for the first few weeks and it WRECKED ME. I knew that drips could happen when I laughed or coughed but I was able to stop that in its tracks during pregnancy so I thought I was in pretty good shape. The first two weeks I went through more diapers than my newborn, I had to put a peed pad down on every surface I sat on, I was bed bound…it was dark. But I practiced my pelvic floor routine relentlessly and did my pelvicore exercises 2x a day. It got better in increments: first I didn’t need the pee pads (we used what was left from my purchase order for the diaper change table), around week 4 I didn’t need diapers anymore, and by week 9 I felt like I had 90% full control back. I still carry my own diaper bag (because once you lose control of your bladder, you never quite get over it) but I’ve had dry underwear for almost 2 weeks now (NO DRIPS, NO LEAKS). I’ll be adding more pelvic floor videos because if I can gain control back, you can too! Everyone deserves dry underwear.
General Postpartum Necessities:
Pads (as a person that hates pads, I liked these the best)
Depend
Pee Pads
All the Breast Stuff
I chose to pump (which is its own circle of Hell) and supplement with formula. I have to be honest, I hated every minute of it. I struggled with it so much that I began a slow wean after 3 months. In the first week I had a cracked nipple and there was a little bit of blood in the milk. It was devastating to have to dump something that was costing me so much… I slathered on a bunch of nipple balm and luckily I never bled into the milk again. I wasn’t consistent with nipple balm and ended up with a friction blister around week 7. All things considered, I was pretty lucky because it didn’t hurt, I could continue pumping, and it didn’t cause a clogged milk duct. I went back to lots of nipple balm (after every pump I would apply nipple balm and a breast pad). It took about 4 days before it popped, then it just scabbed over, and a day or two later the scab fell off. I continued to apply the nipple balm after EVERY pump and it got a little easier.
Here is everything that helped me survive pumping:
Elvie Pump - Insurance will cover a pump. I’m not sure if the entire cost of an Elvie is covered but I believe some of it will be. I didn’t know about this benefit and missed out, so take advantage!
Nipple Balm is a MUST! I would use a Breast Pad after application so the nipple balm wouldn’t ruin my tops.
*along those lines some people prefer coconut oil or Flange Spray- these two things made my nipples too slippery and I couldn’t get any suction from the pump. Nipple balm after every pump worked best for me.
Breast Warmers were a godsend in the few weeks before my boobs got used to the situation.
My sister in law suggested plenty of button up pajamas and shirts but I pretty much lived in these Auden Nursing Cami’s. Side story, my little sister recently bought a bra that she said was the comfiest bra she’s ever worn. Turns out, it’s an Auden nursing bra (she is in her twenties, not pregnant, and never has been… the Auden nursing bra’s truly are just that wonderful)!
Mother’s Milk not sure if it did anything but it felt like it did.
Cluster Pump Schedule:
This was the one thing that DID increase my milk supply. I would do it once a week OR a few days in a row.
20 min. pump
10 min. rest
10 min. pump
10 min. rest
10 min. pump
Slow PAIN FREE Wean Schedule:
Postpartum Affirmations
My baby’s body knows what to do.
My baby is happy, healthy, and safe.
Everyday I am healing.
Everyday my baby and I are getting stronger and healthier.
PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST OR LISTEN TO THE WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!
These classes are not meant to be taken in order. Take whichever class feels good, whenever it feels good.
Repeat the same one over and over, if that’s what you need.
I hardly had any bladder issues during my pregnancy. I remember having one little drip when I sneezed and immediately thought, “oh heck no”. I started pelvic floor exercises and never had another incident. So I was absolutely floored (pun intended) when I ended up with severe incontinence in my postpartum. I didn’t want to leave my house but when I did, I brought my own personal diaper bag with me. Every leak wrecked me. And I couldn’t believe how many women were constantly leaking and dripping all around me. I REFUSE to accept that for myself AND for you. While my healing is slow, there is healing. These poses have helped me get to the point I am today at 8 weeks postpartum: pad free nights and days at home, pad free walks, and no underwear changes- can make it through most days without a leak or drip.
If (after this class) you still feel like there’s more room for improvement, visit a pelvic floor specialist. We do not have to accept leaks and drips as inevitable!
Here is your express class to rebuild your pelvic floor even when your short on time (which of course we are). Believe me, I know healing the pelvic floor can be a slow process with embarrassing setbacks but we can keep moving forward together. Whether you experience drips when you laugh, cough, or sneeze OR leaks before making it to the bathroom, you are not alone. I am right there with you. This class will support your pelvic floor progress (and mine too!).
If (after this class) you still feel like there’s more room for improvement, visit a pelvic floor specialist. We do not have to accept leaks and drips as inevitable!
I practiced these breathing techniques everyday during my pelvic floor rehabilitation journey; healing from complete bladder incontinence to regaining full control of my bladder and returning to normal function!
Don’t worry if you feel like you can’t feel anything or you’re struggling to isolate your muscles groups. I couldn’t feel a single thing for awhile (easily a couple of weeks) in the beginning and to be honest I’m still learning to isolate the muscles…sometime I get it, most of the time I don’t, all the time I’m trying my best and keeping my focus on the engagement.
*DO NOT PRACTICE THIS TECHNIQUE IF YOU ARE PREGNANT OR BELIEVE YOU MIGHT BE PREGNANT. Breath retentions can increase intra-abdominal pressure and reduce the amount of oxygen available to the baby.
After watching the video for the first time, you can go right into the practice by skipping to minute 2:23.
As soon as I became pregnant, I got SICK and pretty much gave up on exercise from that point on… I just didn’t have the energy, the will, or the stomach for it. I was a little afraid I’d never want to exercise again. But the desire to get back on my yoga mat kicked into high gear a few week into postpartum. I wanted to feel mobile and strong. I wanted to be able to hold my growing baby without feeling like that on it’s own was an exhausting exercise. I wanted to get back on my mat and get into it….
If you’re ready for a step towards MORE, this is the class! If you’re not there yet, be gentle with yourself. Your body just went through the ultimate exercise. Let yourself heal; you’ll move when you AND your body are ready!
At 9 weeks postpartum there were days when I wanted to move but felt like I didn’t have anytime OR wanted to move but was also really feeling the exhaustion OR wanted to move but just din’t have the bandwidth. I wrote this class for THOSE days. 10 minutes to get you grounded, to give to your body a manageable little bit. Sometimes 10 minutes is all you need to land you right back in your fabulous, strong, resilient body. You are amazing and this express class will remind you of that, fast!
I want you to receive deep release in this class; stretching out any tension that has built up in your body over the past weeks. We move the tightness, the strain, and the rigidity out and welcome in some softness, a little bit of fluidity, and a little more ease.