3 Ways to Productively Rest Postpartum

So many of us spend the last few weeks of our pregnancy eagerly anticipating the end. It’s understandable- not only are we eager to hold our new baby, but we feel emotionally and physically heavy. Your discomfort, excitement, and anticipation intensify throughout pregnancy as your body makes drastic changes in such a short amount of time. Everything seems to come to a head in that last month. While you may be bubbling with excitement, it’s easy to feel anxious about the unknowns of childbirth and motherhood. Firstly, you’re about to literally birth another human being from your body. The prospect of actually giving birth can be daunting, especially for first-time moms. Secondly, you’re about to become a mom! You're about to take on the incredible responsibility of caring for a precious life. Motherhood, to put it lightly, can be overwhelming. Feeling anxious about what comes after pregnancy is justified.

Navigating the early postpartum period, aka the Fourth Trimester, presents a unique internal struggle. There’s no doubt that at some point during the early postpartum period you’ll feel the rising of an ominous internal battle- the battle between the urge to be "productive" and the need for rest. Yes, there will be a war waged between your need for sleep/your desire to soak up as much of your newborn as possible and that “get shit done” feeling. This period demands a delicate balance, acknowledging the importance of both. As odd as it sounds, this is a phase of life when “rest” and “productivity” are synonymous. Ladies, I’m here to tell you that resting during this time IS being productive. Embrace the sensitivity of your body, emotions, and your newborn. There is no need to fight it. You’re stepping into uncharted waters. You’ve got a new and improved body, a questionably-operative brain, and a brand new life to nurture.

To guide you through this challenging yet rewarding time… as you head into the abyss, I’d like to introduce you to the idea of “Productively Resting”. Here are 3 ways you can embrace productive rest during the early postpartum period:

• Sleep:

  • Embrace napping whenever possible- we’re talkin’ a little “sleep while the baby is sleeping” action. Recognize that a sleep schedule of 6-8 hours of continuous sleep is an absolute luxury and will not be in your foreseeable future. Take that nap when you can get it.

  • Why is sleeping so important? Miraculous healing happens when we sleep and, trust me, you need all the healing (and miracles) you can get. For one, sleeping typically lowers cortisol levels which gives our bodies a better chance to heal. Simultaneously, deep sleep is a stimulus for the release of growth hormone, which helps to provide energy from free fatty acids and heal body tissues by increasing protein synthesis and increasing red blood cell formation. Renewal of our body tissue is aided by sleep. If sleeping doesn’t sound productive to you then I don’t know what will.

• Breathe:

  • Breathe. The options for breathing practices are endless. Incorporating different breathing techniques into your everyday schedule is a simple yet meaningful (and productive!) way to rest. Diaphragmatic breathing is your golden ticket during the postpartum period. Not only will this help relieve physical and emotional stress, it also primes your body for a future of more intense movement. While it may be beneficial to take uninterrupted time to meditate with breathwork, that’s just generally not practical for the mom with a newborn. Breathwork does not have to be time consuming. Use breathing to enhance restorative mechanisms within our body WHILE doing other things. For example, you can practice breathwork

    • while you are breast- or bottle-feeding

    • when you are trying to fall asleep

    • while you are driving

    • when you’re out for a walk

    • when you’re doing the dishes or laundry

    • as you start to incorporate more exercise into your routine

• Bond:

  • Bond. Take time to bond with your baby and with yourself. Appreciate the newborn experience- soak up their sweet scent, sounds, and movements. Also appreciate your experience. Acknowledge the miracle that your body just performed by letting yourself be grateful for how you look and feel.

  • Bond by prioritizing the “small” gestures like skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, holding and cuddling, etc. These strengthen your connection with your baby and provide lifelong comfort for both of you. Specifically, skin-to-skin contact can help with stress regulation for baby and mom, enhance breastfeeding duration, reduce depressive symptoms for mom, improve cardiorespiratory function and immunity for baby, and much more. Taking the time to bond with your baby on your chest is, you guessed it, PRODUCTIVE!

Bonus Tip:

• Postpartum anxiety and depression are very real and may inhibit your ability to feel like you are bonding with your newborn. Focusing on sleep and breathing (our first two suggested ways to productively rest) can help alleviate some postpartum anxiety and depression. This will allow you to feel a stronger connection to your baby which inturn will help relieve some of the pressure we feel as new mothers to form strong bonds with our children.

Sleep. Breathe. Bond. Let that be your postpartum mantra. It’s important that you truly believe and understand how productive sleeping, breathing, and bonding are. A day full of these 3 ways to productively rest should feel like a productive and meaningful day.