Things I Did Differently This Postpartum | Baby #5
Welcome back, friends! I hope you’re enjoying my postpartum related articles after baby #5! I’m currently 3 months postpartum, and sharing things I did differently during this season! Safe to say, I wish I did these things after all my babies, but my hope is that these tips will help any newly postpartum mamas in their recovery journeys! So, share this post with an expectant mama, and let’s get into it!
(This post contains affiliate links to items I have purchased with my own money which means if you order from these links you will be supporting my blog in a small way that means a lot, at no cost to you! Thank you!)
5-5-5 rule
Shortly after returning home from the hospital with each of our four children, I often found myself jumping “back into action.” Perhaps I was trying to prove to myself that I was still capable of doing everything I did prior to birth? Not this time! I prepped my loved ones that I’d be taking healing the first 15 days after birth very seriously, and needed their support. My mom came to assist with my other children as she always would after birth, only this time I savored every moment of her and my husband’s gracious help.
I recently discovered the 5-5-5 rule where you stay in bed for 5 days after birth, then stay on the bed for 5 days, followed by hanging around the bed for 5 days. This puts a high priority on rest for the mama, and eases her back into everyday life and responsibilities! I made this my goal, and after 5 days in bed, I substituted my couch in my main living space for the remaining days. Once I got moving again, I would not allow myself to lift heavy things, (lifting heavy things would only re-start my bleeding), or push myself to move about the way I would before. I parented from the couch most days, and ended up bleeding way less which led to me healing much faster!
Diastasis recti exercises
THIS!!! Why didn't I do these exercises after every baby?! After four back to back pregnancies, I noticed my complete lack of core strength. I knew I struggled with ab separation as a result of my expanding abs to make room for babies, but I never attempted, or knew how to bring them back together. After baby #5, primarily to increase my core strength, and secondarily for the desire to lose my “mommy pouch,” I made a decision to start gentle diastasis recti exercises a week after birth. I was able to tighten my abs again, and the amount of strength I have back in my core feels amazing! I continue to do them to this day! If you have diastasis recti, it’s not too late! You can read more about how I lost the baby weight at three months postpartum in an upcoming post, so stay tuned.
New Nursing Bras
To the cheap, or '“thrifty” mom who invests in others, but not in herself…do your postpartum self a favor, and invest in new nursing bras!! Don’t be like me in previous postpartum's past, and refuse to buy new nursing bras because you think you still have one, or two from your previous pregnancies. If your budget allows it, treat yourself to some new bras that will quite literally give you the support that you need! I got myself a few new nursing bras for day time and night time. (The ones at night time are especially cozy!) This was a necessity for helping me feel well supported, and in preventing unecessary and painful let down of my milk in the middle of the day, or night!
Purchased a waist trainer
As mentioned above, no matter how much weight I lost after my babies, my lack of core strength, and lower belly pooch were still undeniable. After baby #5, I was determined to help heal my diastasis recti, and make my core strong again. I purchased a waist trainer that I started using a few days after birth, and have noticed a HUGE difference with my posture, ab separation, and core strength today! This purchase was a game changer!
A little TLC every day
Self care in the days following birth often feels like WORK. During my postpartum periods prior, I would brush any tender, love, and care for myself under the table. This time, I realized that taking time to care for myself in any way possible would lift my mood, my confidence, and remind me that my body and mind is worth loving and taking care of at EVERY stage of womanhood, even postpartum. I didn’t need to embody the stereotypical, “I haven’t showered in days,” postpartum story we often hear. Instead, I could accept help from my husband to make sure I treated myself with a little TLC to show myself I still matter. I didn’t need to do all the TLC at once, and trust me, these were modest ways of showing myself love. Some days I put on a little makeup, some days I got dressed, some days I did my hair, all days I showered, and it made me feel myself again a lot quicker.
Bought clothes that FIT!!
I cannot believe that I've NEVER given myself the gift of buying clothes that fit postpartum until after baby #5. Instead, I curated a frumpy wardrobe over the years to accommodate my changing body at all times. This time around, I purchased a staple pair of jean shorts in a larger size that fit my body, a few new cotton tees, a pair of Birkenstock sandals, and the craziest thing happened…I started to love and enjoy my body more in this season! I didn’t try to squeeze back into my old clothes, or settle in a pair of stretchy sweats, or plague myself with a daily reminder that I didn’t fit back into my pre-pregnancy clothes yet. Instead, I embraced the beauty of my changing body, treated it with a few quality pieces of clothing that fit well, and suddenly I felt so comfortable and relieved to be where I was at in my postpartum skin! 10/10 recommend!!
I hope you enjoyed reading the things I did differently this postpartum with baby #5! Remember, you don't have to suffer, or rush through your postpartum journey to feel like yourself again. It’s a beautiful time to love yourself, appreciate what your body has done, and thrive! Please share any additional postpartum recommendations in the comments below. Happy postpartum recovery!
