The Postpartum Period

How Can We Repair the Postpartum Period?

How do we get back to a place where we place a family’s well-being above their work schedule and other duties? How do we regain the respect for new mothers that we have lost as a society?

Ultimately, we need to change our practices and strategies. We need to treat the initial weeks postpartum as a revered and irreplaceable time in life rather than a time that we want to get over with as quickly as possible.

First, families need to have access to postpartum services and resources before their baby is born. This will give families time to plan for the immediate weeks postpartum.  The immediate weeks postpartum should be treated as a time of rest. Parents should have time at home after their child’s birth, away from the distractions and stresses of the modern world.

This allows a mother to rest and heal while she is cared for, and it gives parents a chance to bond with their baby during this important time. Second, we need to acknowledge that six weeks after childbirth, women don’t simply “go back” to being the person they were before pregnancy. Having a child is a change that will affect a woman for the rest of her life. These changes should be accepted, respected, and honored not hidden or suppressed.

Finally, we need to do away with the “super mom” culture. Women today are pressured to have both a family and a career and to somehow make both of them their top priorities. Instead, we should normalize women prioritizing their health and getting the care they need.