A Physiological Postpartum
Many people are becoming aware of what it means to have a physiological birth, sometimes also called a ‘natural birth’.
It is well understood in the medical community that a normal physiological birth is the safest, healthiest, and most effective way for your body to go through labor. A physiological birth is not only the optimal outcome of a healthy pregnancy, but it is the way we as humans are designed to birth.
A physiological birth is allowing your body to go through the natural, normal, & biological process of childbirth without intervention.
What most people don’t consider is that there is also a physiological postpartum, a natural way your body is designed to recover after birth for optimal health & bonding with your newborn.
One aspect of a physiological postpartum that has been well-received by most communities in the United States is the golden hour, where the mother and baby share uninterrupted time to bond and lay skin to skin. It seems obvious that mother and baby should not be separated after birth, but for many decades it was common to perform non-emergency routine tests right after the birth. We now know that the bonding that happens after birth is critical for the health of the baby (and mother).
So, what are the parts of a physiological postpartum?
This is a complex question with many parts, but there are five physiological necessities that improve women’s short-term and long-term health after giving birth…
Five Basic Needs of New Mothers
Extended rest // full rest for 30-60 days
Warmth // both emotional warmth and body warmth
Bodywork // nurturing touch & gentle massage
Easy to digest & nutrient-dense foods // foods that support healing & don’t overtax the digestive system
Community care & connection // support from others is required in order to meet the other four basic needs
For many families, it can be challenging to meet these basic needs because the way the nuclear family is set up, their own mindset work and ability to prepare to rest, and the care-taking role women take on in their homes. In traditional cultures, there would be a village of support to help the mother in the early weeks. Sisters, aunts, and friends to come cook, clean, and take care of the mother’s mind, body, and spirit. In today’s America, many mothers are relying on a single support person: their spouse. This is not enough to ensure health.
A physiological postpartum supports thriving health because it allows the mother’s body and mind time to heal, replenish, and integrate the experience of child birth. When we interrupt this natural biological process, we risk the mother’s and baby’s well-being, just like in child birth itself.
As a postpartum doula, I work with families to prepare for the fourth trimester. It takes conscious effort to ensure the mother’s healing is not interrupted. When a mother is not given the time to rest, when a mother is not given nutrient dense foods, when a mother does not receive gentle bodywork or community care…her health suffers, either in the short-term or the long-term.
Some postpartum diseases that are common, but not normal are:
Postpartum anxiety
Postpartum depression
Pelvic floor dysfunction // pelvic floor weakness or tightness
Urinary & fecal incontinence
Organ prolapse (where your uterus, bladder, or rectum starts to fall into your vaginal walls & out of your body)
Diastasis Recti
These diseases can start immediately after birth or years or decades later. Offering mothers a physiological postpartum is one layer of protection against these ailments because they can arise when we do not allow adequate healing to occur after birth.
Want to learn more about preparing for a physiological postpartum? Schedule a free postpartum planning session!