Postpartum essentials for new mamas: tips, practices & solutions to thrive

Welcome to the world of motherhood, where each day brings a new adventure and a deeper understanding of the miracle of life. As a mama, nutritional therapist, yoga teacher, and doula, I've journeyed alongside many mothers-to-be, witnessing the profound transformations that pregnancy brings. Through this experience, I've learned that one of the most impactful aspects of this journey is the practice of self-care. In this blog post, I want to share with you the indispensable 'must-haves' for any expectant mother who wants to plan for a thriving postpartum period. I used these things myself and suggest them to my clients all the time. 

Pregnancy is a time of immense change - physically, emotionally, and spiritually. It's a period where your body becomes the nurturing ground for new life, making self-care more crucial than ever.

Remember, the rituals and routines you adopt now don't just benefit you; they create a ripple effect, enhancing the health and well-being of your growing baby.

1. The uterine tonic tea:

In my prenatal and postpartum visits I always bring my mamas these uterine tonic and blood building herbs to help them with an easier labor but also a thriving postpartum. The main ingredients of this herbal tea are Raspberry leaf and Nettle. These two have been used for centuries to support mothers-to-be and new mamas. For my postpartum mamas I often add fenugreek, fennel and rose petals to support milk production and reduce gas and bloating as well as nurture the feminine. Prenatally I add rose petals and chamomile for a softening and relaxing effect. I am happy to send you a tea, you can contact me here.

2. Belly wrapping: 

The days and weeks after you have given birth your body has 'empty' space. Where your baby used to be now the organs are trying to occupy again. In addition to that, your pelvis relaxed and opened to host and birth your tiny human, so things feel quite lose and relaxed over there. As everything comes back together it is really nice to wrap your pelvis and lower abdomen with a long piece of fabric.From an Ayurvedic perspective it helps to realign your pelvis and hips, push the uterus back in place and encourages good posture in the early weeks of motherhood. I used the freerider sling  to wrap my pelvis and belly and it was really useful for me. I also often used a simple long scarf that I had from American Vintage. This is not only important to feel some stability and encourage everything to come back together, but MOST IMPORTANTLY, is to keep the area warm. In postpartum recovery we are very prone to Vata (air and space elements) to take over the body which means we are prone to cold. By wrapping yourself you are ensuring the area stays warm. The area you want to cover is from the belly button to the end of your tailbone. The aim is NOT to 'bring your body back' but rather to provide some warmth, stability and groundedness. Remember to keep you feet and ankles warm too as they connect to your uterus! 

3. Abhyanga self-massage

As I explained above, during the postpartum period, a woman's body undergoes significant changes. Ayurveda posits that after childbirth, there is a natural increase in Vata. This is because childbirth can be seen as a 'Vata-aggravating' event due to factors like physical strain, loss of blood, emotional stress, and the empty space in the body after the delivery of the baby. This increase in Vata can lead to symptoms like dryness, coldness, restlessness, and irregular digestion for the mother. Abyanga is one of the most powerful ways to reduce Vata in the body. To do that you get a pure cold-pressed sesame oil or a medicated oil and oileate your body from head to toe. You can apply the oil to your head and hair as well, but if you prefer not go into that you can simply put at drop of oil at the very top of your head and then apply the oil to the rest of your body. 

4. Peri bottle

A very convenient way to gently cleanse the yoni and surrounding area. I suggest adding a squirt of rose water or chamomile infusion that are soothing. You can also add a drop of lavender essential oil but remember to shake the bottle before you cleanse so that the oil distributes to the water. 

5. Flower waters for the yoni

I absolutely loved the melissa, chamomile and rose water sprays from Alteya organics. I used those a lot postpartum to spray my yoni or my face or energetic space. Each of them has different properties and they are very gentle! There is a lot of sensitivity downthere after birth so it is nice to have something cooling and soothing. 

6. The most important element in postpartum: GOOD HEALTHY FOOD

Long gone are the days where women started dieting after giving birth to 'get their body's back'. Thankfully this nonsense is replaced by the wisdom of healing nourishment. As a postpartum doula I have helped many women by making them the most amazing and healing-for-postpartum food. The food needs to be warm, oily, rich and full of nutrients. It needs to be grounding and satisfying. If the mother is not fed well, she is depleted. I always make for my mamas stews, soups and snacks that are rich in foods, herbs and spices that promote healing of the tissues and help reduce Vata. The foods needs to be nutrients dense and easy-to-digest. I also offer a weekly meal delivery for new parents. It includes breakfasts, lunches, snacks and dinners for 1 or 2 people that are all delivered fresh (not frozen) for your to enjoy for one week. You can enquire about my postpartum meal delivery here. You can also ask your friends and family for a meal train. This has been done when people lived in communities and new their neighbours and not scattered all over cities. But still you can arrange that somehow with people that live relatively close to you to provide you with a casserole or meal every day for the first 40 days postpartum. You can also check my epic Path to motherhood cookbook filled with amazing recipes. 

Want to learn more about how to support yourself postpartum? In my Empowered pregnancy and birth online course we go through a lot more like how to make your postpartum plan and how to get rid of mastitis naturally and effectively. 

Check my post about breastfeeding essentials for new mamas here.

You can also learn more about my postnatal doula services here.

All the best,

Eleni