Postpartum Planning: Featuring Anna Kangas
You’ve seen the meme:
“Sleep when baby sleeps. Fold laundry when baby folds laundry.”
Ha. So how do we prepare our family, our homes,, and ourselves for a new baby? As a mom of seven, and 3 months postpartum from my latest addition... this is a topic that is fresh in my mind. In the past, I would get very focused on the labor and birth, then neglect the post-pregnancy planning. These were the times it always seemed there was a bill that ended up being paid late, meltdowns from both the kids and ME at meal-prep times, and an aching back that would nag and nag. I was not a very happy person, or fun to be around. The postpartum brain fuzz and chaos was overwhelming. So this time, I came up with a plan.
Meal Planning! I recommend thefamilyfreezer.com for great recipes and a time-saving technique. These are something I actually plan on implementing for good. It’s such a game-changer!
Finances. Get the budget and bill plans set for the first couple months after baby, or ask your significant other to handle them. Almost every time we’ve had a baby, it’s meant forgotten about bills being paid late. Taking the time and putting everything on auto-pay if you haven’t already, will really reduce your stress overall!
Chiropractic Care. Have a plan for how to get to the chiropractor asap after the birth. For you AND baby. There’s so much that happens in our bodies during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. Getting aligned as soon as you can will set you up for a smoother recovery. And make it a priority for you both to be seen regularly.
Massage! Get in for a massage once you feel ready. For me, that was 2-3 weeks postpartum. It felt AH-mazing to lay on my belly again!!! Working out the kinks and knots from delivery, whether it’s by cesarean birth or vaginal birth, goes a long way towards feeling more yourself again. (Gotta put a plug in for you cesarean moms…. Did you know massage can help you with your scar?! Any tingling, pain, or pulling in that area?! Yeah. That can be helped!)
Supplements. Working with my doctor and midwife, I found some good herbs and vitamins to help support my mental and physical health. A good quality prenatal, taken when you’re in child-bearing years, is a very easy way to support your well-being.
Pelvic Floor Evaluation! What our bodies go through carrying and birthing a baby can cause pelvic floor dysfunction. It is common but NOT normal. We have some good resources in out area. Feel free to reach out to me, @keweenawdoula on IG, for more information on this! I feel every woman could benefit from being evaluated after pregnancy. There is physical therapy and bodywork that can help! Pain, incontinence, or other prolapse issues don't have to be part of your life forever now!
Ask for help. ACCEPT HELP. When it starts to be too much and you get overwhelmed... Accept those meals from friends and family. Accept the offers to take a kid or two for an afternoon. Or even ask those loved ones for help if it hasn't been offered. Our pride can stand in our way. But don't think of it as being weak or selfish. That you are a burden. They care about you and your kids. I'm guessing if they knew there's anything they can do to help- even just being a listening ear- they'll be there. Someday you can pay it forward for a mom who is going through it: once you're on the other side.
So why do we want to do all these things? Well, for me it was to reduce the chance of postpartum anxiety or depression. To feel like me. Part of my story includes prenatal anxiety, as well as hypothyroidism. I knew I had to come up with some tools to help myself stay functioning, organized, and ultimately lower my stress. Bottom line: My family needs me to be okay! And yours does, too! There is no shame in being truthful at your 6-week appointment. Or before then you need it. Give your midwife or doctor's office a call if you have signs of postpartum depression or anxiety. ALSO: I have given my husband a list of things to watch for in me. In case I'm unable to be aware of my own symptoms and he needs to step in to make sure I get help. I think this is a good idea for everyone who is around a new mama. Just typing in "symptoms of postpartum depression and anxiety" on Google will give you some good lists.
So keeping all these basics a focus really helps. It can be as small as drinking a cup of coffee before it goes cold. Making sure my husband and I get a night out at least twice a month. Taking my thyroid medication daily. Connecting with my friends on a regular basis. Helping other mothers through my doula work. These are the things that help me stay level headed and feeling like “me.” My doctor has an in-depth explanation involving cortisol levels and adrenal function, but what it boils down to- we need to take care of ourselves. Or we will experience a burn out.
You’ve heard it before, but the old “fill your cup so you have enough to fill others’ cups, too” thing: it’s true. These things have become habits for me and it has been a very helpful for my well being, my marriage, my family... I hope you can implement some or all of these and have a better postpartum experience, as well.
-Anna Kangas
Keweenaw Doula Services
@keweenawdoula
keweenawdoula@gmail.com
