Post-Partum: The Fourth Trimester
There’s nothing quite like the miracle of life. You spend 8 months nourishing another human being inside of you, went through the whole birth and labour process, and have a beautiful baby as a result. Now what?
Post-partum can be referred to as “the fourth trimester” because there are often still a lot of changes that happen in the body, physically, mentally, and emotionally. In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), post-partum is a period where Qi, Blood, and Essence have significantly depleted. There are even practices in Asia where both mom and baby don’t leave the house for the initial 30 days after birth to replete these stores. How can you make sure you’re taking care of your mind and body during this time?
First, cover the basics. Ensure adequate and consistent hydration, especially if you are breastfeeding. Eat every 3-4 hours with a good source of protein, especially within an hour of waking. In TCM, the Stomach and Spleen are weakened post-partum, so eating foods that are easy to digest is preferred. More “warming” foods and spices are best, such as black pepper, ginger, bone broth, cinnamon, and fennel. Dairy is often thought to weaken the Spleen, and should be avoided.
Ensure you’re in contact with a healthcare professional minimum 4 weeks post-partum to check in on your mood, sleep, nutrition, and overall wellbeing. Blood work to get done include complete blood count (CBC), iron, thyroid, vitamin D, vitamin B12.
Take care of your adrenal glands, otherwise known as one of your primary stress organs. Pregnancy and labour is a physical stress on the body and an emotional/mental one overall. Introduce more yin based activity such as meditation, deep breathing, and slower movement based activities such as yoga and walking. Incorporate an adaptogen supplement, which is a herb that helps to increase resilience and stabilize the stress response. This is especially indicated with a “tired but wired” feeling. Ensure you’re keeping up with any other supplements indicated for your deficiencies and health concerns. Speak to a naturopathic doctor to see which ones are safe in pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Most importantly, everything that doesn’t relate to the baby or you needs to be delegated. Your focus is eating, sleeping, and caring for both the baby and you. Heal yourself from within using intention, whole foods, restorative sleep (as best as possible), and an appreciation for what our bodies can do.
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