Today we’re going to talk about thriving in the postpartum time. Because unfortunately, most moms spend a lot of time preparing for their birth, but don’t know how to prepare well or experience God’s best in the postpartum time. I was one of them!
But the truth is that while the postpartum time can be mentally, emotionally and physically exhausting, I believe we can still thrive during it.
But this takes reframing how we see this season and learning to treasure it for the sacred time that it is.
In our culture, we often try to jump back into normal life too soon, attempting to show ourselves and others that we can do it all. We think it’s admirable to be known as the mom who is already out and about with a newborn, able to carry on with life as usual.
But what we really need during this time is to allow it to be a slow, nourishing, healing, and bonding season for you, baby, and your family. Most cultures around the world honor this time and allow the mom and baby a gentle, restful healing time together. New moms stay in bed with baby for 2 weeks to 3 months in some cultures and allow neighbors and friends to provide meals and do the housework.
But in our independent, productive American culture, we would never imagine doing that. And yet this type of cocoon season is one of the best things you can do to set yourself up to thrive in the coming year.
Ecclesiastes 3:1 says “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven.”
As much as you may want to try to go on with life as usual, the postpartum time is not the season for some of your regular activities and commitments. And that’s ok! There is a time for everything.
I encourage you to ask the Lord what He wants this season to look like for you and what activities need to wait for a different time. Let the Lord shape this time, not the culture around you. Culture will push you and pressure you and make you feel like you’re not measuring up. The Lord will nourish and care for you and help you thrive under the shadow of His wing.
I also highly recommend the book “The First Forty Days –The Essential Art of Nourishing The New Mother.” It will help shift your mindset about the postpartum time and help you embrace the beautiful healing and bonding time this season can be.
This book is filled with yummy nourishing recipes for healing well during the postpartum time, as well as encouragement for how to care for yourself and baby so that you can fully enjoy this season and set yourself up to thrive as a new mommy!
Even though it’s not written from a Christian perspective and shares the beliefs of different cultures around the world, I still think there is so much wisdom in it about caring for mom and baby during this beautiful and crucial season. I wish I had read this book before my first baby! It would have saved me a lot of unnecessary tears, frustrations, and infections, and exhaustion.
It’s also a great book to read if you have friends who are pregnant. It will empower you as a friend to know how to nourish, support, and care for your friends during their postpartum time. You’ll learn the best meals and snacks to bring them, what to do when you visit them, and how to help nourish their soul, spirit, and body.
Finally, here are a few other resources to help you thrive in the postpartum time:
- My blog post: Help! How do I stay connected to God in this Crazy Postpartum time?
- My Mommy Baby Soaking album is a great resource to put on as you nurse, change diapers, and snuggle with baby during the postpartum time. Cuddle and rest to life-giving Scriptures spoken over peaceful background music, specifically centered around truths to encourage you as a new mom.
- Also, once you exit those first few months postpartum and you feel ready to train your baby to start sleeping longer stretches so that all of you can get more sleep, you can listen to my album “How we trained our baby to sleep through the night.” In it I share Scriptures, Kingdom encouragement, and step by step instructions of how we trained our 4-month-old to sleep through the night. This was one of the best things we did for our baby and family during the postpartum time!
(Also, if you’re struggling with sleep and/or body aches and pains, here is my post on a great pregnancy and postpartum mattress!)
Bless you amazing Mama! God wants to gently lead you and care for you during the postpartum time, and as you stay tucked under the shadow of His wing, I believe He will help you to thrive in a beautiful way.
Much Love,
Kierra