How can I heal better after delivery??
Last week we talked about tears and what that means. Today I wanted to bring to light the fact that tearing can be healed better with some extra love and what else we can do thats NOT overwhelming to do or think about.
Remember:
diet: We want to reduce constipation as much as possible with a mix of veggies, fruits, carbs fats, and protein (watch Grace’s video on protein here) to help rebuild the muscle and collagen. It is also recommended to eat an additional 500 calories while breastfeeding BUT exact numbers aren’t as important as eating high-quality and nourishing foods. (here are the ACOG’s guidelines)
hydration: General guidelines are 1.5-2 L a day but if you are breastfeeding you need an additional 1 L a day or drink to thirst)
scar mobilization: More to come on C-section and perineal scar mobilization.
vitamins and supplements: Always consult a Registered Dietician or your provider -
Continuing your prenatal vitamin is beneficial and may cover the other recommended supplements
Vitamin C is known to help with bruising and healing,
Collagen supplementation can help the basic structural protein synthesis in connective tissue,
Probiotics can help the baby gut microbiota and give an increased health and immune booster
Vitamin D is associated with bone strength, increased cognition, immune function, feelings of well-being. It is documented that breast milk is low in vitamin D and into order to pass this vitamin power to baby and extra 4000 IU per day is recommended. Consult with MD if you are concerned that your baby needs more or less and they can test to see how much is appropriate for you and passing the benefits to baby.
Supplemental Protein can be beneficial and if you are not eating enough protein, your body can actually begin to break down your own to help provide for the baby. Its recommended to consume 1.0-1.2 g of protein per kg of body weight (say I weight 130 pounds that’s 59 kilograms so I should be trying to get about 70 kilograms of protein a day as my base…)
stress reduction:
Allowing your friends to help you with food,
Taking a nap EVEN when its killing you because the laundry’s not done and the kitchen is a mess,
Asking your partner to get up with the baby the first time,
Practicing gratitude journaling - finding the daily small positives can help fight baby blues and help you recognize feelings or frustrations you may have
Going for a short walk if you body allows - 10 minutes to get out of the house and get into the sunshine
general lifestyle and avoidance of alcohol, tobacco and smoking: Shocker right???
See a Pelvic Floor Physical Therapist - we are able to look at the joints, muscles, fascia and help determine what movement patterns we can show you to facilitate healing and help reduce pain. There is so much more than “kegels” we can do after baby and I often see just some gentle release techniques to help align the pelvis after birth can help the whole chain. I also have seen amazing results with Dry needling and we can chat about this further in another post.