At 38 weeks pregnant as a first-time mom, I am anticipating the most profound transition of my life: entering motherhood.
The truth is, it’s all normal, it’s all beautiful, and it’s all a gift — every physical, mental and emotional change that comes with pregnancy and motherhood.
If pregnancy isn’t a safe place for a woman’s body to be free from society’s expectations and judgments, then the postpartum phase definitely isn’t. Women are expected to “bounce back” quickly, lose the “baby weight,” and jump into those pre-pregnancy jeans as soon as possible.
But are we ever really the same?
Furthermore, huge gaps in postpartum care still exist. It is still the norm that women are given an arbitrary benchmark of six weeks to return to pre-baby activities, many times without a proper physical evaluation. Growing and birthing a human places significant strain on the body, often resulting in injury or trauma. So why then, is it acceptable to think that pre-baby activities can be resumed without a progressive plan for restoring a woman’s foundation of health?
As I am close to entering the postpartum phase as a first-time mom, I’ve made the conscious decision that I will not adhere to an arbitrary timeline for postpartum healing. For a while, I will do nothing but rest and care for my baby. I won’t jump full force back into the activities I did before pregnancy and I won’t go at it alone. I will work with my doctors and a pelvic floor specialist and follow an individualized and progressive plan to return to the activities I enjoy. I will listen to my body, give it time, and let it lead me to restoration.
Kelsie that was beautiful! good luck with everything; you are amazing! ❣️