Soft Landing: The First 30 Days Postpartum

Congratulations Momma, you did it! Your sweet baby has landed earthside and you are officially in your postpartum era.

These early days can feel incredibly raw and vulnerable. We see you. It is okay to feel a mix of emotions during this time. Birth, no matter what kind, never leaves a woman unchanged. If you are experiencing some grief surrounding your birth, there is space for that. If you had the birth of your dreams, there is space for that too.

The first 30 days can be beautiful, exhausting, emotional, and deeply humbling all at once. If you feel wildly unprepared for the thick of postpartum, you are in very good company. Consider this your gentle guide through those early days, with a few practical ways to nourish your body, mind, and spirit while you get to know your baby and this new version of yourself.

What is normal, but still exhausting, in the first 30 days?

Cluster feeding, contact naps, frequent night wakings, feeding challenges, unpredictable routines, pain from birth, and lochia (postpartum bleeding) are all part of the early postpartum experience for many moms.

Then there are the things we don't always talk about. Looking in the mirror and not quite recognizing your body. Feeling completely in love one minute and overwhelmed the next. And, of course, the hormonal rollercoaster. Hello, day three "I don't even know why I'm crying" tears.

Something can be normal and still be really, really hard.

Nourish the body that just grew a human

Your body is doing an incredible amount of healing after pregnancy and birth. Your tissues need nourishment to recover, and this is not the season to forget about feeding yourself.

Think warm, nutrient-dense meals that are easy to eat and require very little from you. Soups, broths, stews, proteins, healthy fats, whole grains, and cooked vegetables can all be beautiful additions to postpartum meals.

This is also a wonderful time to let people help you. When someone asks, "What can I do?", ask them to bring food. Let your friends and family stock the fridge or consider outsourcing meals if that is accessible to you. Some of our Calgary families have enjoyed Factor for easy prepared meals.

Your job right now does not need to be cooking beautiful meals. Your job is recovering, feeding yourself, and getting to know your baby.

Don't sleep on vitamins and minerals

Many families choose to include NORA tea as part of their postpartum wellness routine. NORA stands for Nettle, Oatstraw, Red Raspberry Leaf, and Alfalfa, herbs that have traditionally been used for nourishment and postpartum wellness.

Nettle contains nutrients including iron, calcium, and magnesium. Oatstraw has a long history of use in traditional herbal practices. Red raspberry leaf has traditionally been incorporated into pregnancy and postpartum wellness routines, while alfalfa contains a variety of vitamins and minerals.

Herbal does not automatically mean appropriate for everyone. If you are considering NORA tea, choose food-grade herbs from a reputable source and check with your healthcare provider, pharmacist, or a qualified herbalist first, particularly if you take medications or have underlying health conditions.

Feeding your baby is a learning curve

Whether you are nursing, pumping, bottle feeding, combination feeding, or figuring out some version in between, feeding a newborn can take up a huge portion of your day.

And there is a lot to learn.

Wellfed has an online library covering many common feeding concerns, including latching, pumping, tongue-tie clipping aftercare, low milk supply, bottle feeding, engorgement, breast lumps and mastitis, vasospasm or Raynaud's of the nipple, baby neck exercises, and reflux.

Having reliable resources to turn to can help take some of the frantic Googling out of those early days. Of course, online resources should not replace individualized assessment when something doesn't feel right with you or your baby.

Give yourself a soft landing

Recovery is not linear, and no two postpartum journeys look the same.

You may feel amazing one day and completely depleted the next. You might love the newborn stage and simultaneously find parts of it incredibly hard. You may feel like yourself right away, or you may wonder who this new woman is for a little while.

All of those things can exist together.

The first 30 days aren't about "bouncing back." They are about landing softly. Nourishing your body. Learning your baby. Accepting help. Resting where you can. Letting your expectations shift.

You just grew and birthed a human.

You are allowed to take your time.

Reference

Romm, A. (2010). Botanical Medicine for Women's Health (2nd ed.). Elsevier Health Sciences.

This information is educational and does not replace individualized medical, feeding, or postpartum care.