The 4th Trimester - Mothering the Mother

Often times the 9 months of growing a baby are spent in the "hurry up and wait" mode in the ongoing anticipation of the birth. Then the little one arrives and its a whole new scenario with many changes occur physiological, psychological and spiritual for the mother, baby and family. In this culture not enough attention is given to Mom's recuperation and transition.

During the time between birth and 6-8 weeks post-birth Mom's body is still working hard and experiencing a lot of physical shifts. The most important among them include healing of the uterus and uterine wall, vaginal restoration and healing of the pelvic floor muscles including the perineum, restoring strength and tone to the abdominal wall muscles, if nursing - establishing a good milk supply and successful breastfeeding, and coping with endocrine system and hormonal shifts.

In "The Importance of Postpartum Care" by Rev. Pilar (Ma’at) Grant, a midwife and women's health educator with over 20 years of practice, says:

"In the US, there is no set standard of care for women postpartum. Most are routinely sent home from the hospital with only instructions on a paper and told to make an appointment in 5 to 6 weeks. Homebirth mothers usually see their midwife for 2 to 3 days postpartum and then again in about a week. After that, mothers are not seen again until 6 weeks. I was shocked to learn that some midwives give no postpartum visits and women are advised to visit an OBGYN in 6 weeks. Many women return to work still experiencing postpartum issues."

"Postpartum care is not ignored throughout the entire nation. In the south where I grew up, there are women who still know and try to teach the important rituals during the monthly menstrual period and afterbirth. They understand the significance of staying warm, eating foods that stick to your ribs, not getting wet and catching a chill due to pores being open during the menses and afterbirth. These remedies are usually referred to as old wives tales or superstition. However, the elders argue that because they followed these rituals, they did not suffer from the same reproductive problems that women today do."

This is an area where the United States lacks a significant cultural practice around caring for women that many other countries know, honor and embrace.

Read Grant's whole article here:

http://mothering.com/pregnancy-birth/mothering-mother-importance-after-birth-care