There were so many things that I thought I needed postpartum that weren’t necessary. There were also a lot of ideas put in my head that made me feel like I had to do certain things in order to have a healthy milk supply or be a good mom which also turned out not to be true for me. That’s why I want to share 5 things that have actually helped me postpartum in today’s newsletter. I hope you find this helpful!
This is one gift that I now give every loved one I know having a baby. Why? Because they are easy to use and actually work for healing and preventing nipple damage. The first 6 weeks of breastfeeding were very difficult for us and these silverettes made a huge difference in minimizing pain (along with working on Eliana’s latch and ties) and improving my quality of life. They are expensive for two small tins, but they are silver and you can use them again in the future if you have more kids. They also have a really cute option to turn them into a charm to remember that special time of nursing. I don’t need mine anymore so I packed them away, but will use them from day one next time we have a baby.
When Eliana had latching issues and my nipples were a mess I was told to start pumping after feeds. There are many thoughts about breastfeeding and pumping. If you want to pump, pump! I personally do not enjoy pumping and only did it when I was engorged if Eliana didn’t empty my breasts. I did have a bit of an oversupply at the beginning, but I think if I used my haakaas from the beginning, I wouldn’t have been so engorged. I was told they can make engorgement worse, which I’m sure if you aren’t using them properly they could, but once I stopped listening to other people and did what I felt was best, I felt so much better. Next time, I will use my haakaas (not on full suction) on whatever boob is not being nursed from the beginning. Pumping tired me out and added a lot of stress in the early postpartum days for me. I now collect 10-15oz a day of milk just from using my haakaas during feeds. This allows me to build up a stash in my freezer that I will be donating to a friend, but also have some bottles ready for Eliana if I am working and can’t stop an interview or recording to feed her.
I’ve slept with Eliana since she was born. We started with her on my chest (there are safe ways to do this–check out @cosleepy on Instagram) and then transitioned to her lying next to me. She sleeps on her side and so do I. We are belly to belly so she can easily nurse if she wants and my arm is around her. It’s pretty much the sweetest thing ever. She honestly doesn’t wake to nurse that much unless she is in the middle of a growth spurt so maybe every couple of weeks she is up frequently. I do try to feed her in the morning before I get up to take care of the dogs so that she will stay asleep while I do all of that. It usually works and allows her to sleep in a bit. I put her in her Snuggle Me in the middle of the bed during this time. Learn more about this amazing lounger in my obsession of the week!
Everyone has to do what works for them when it comes to sleep. I think it’s all about what allows you to sleep the best. I personally sleep the best with her. I feel weird if she isn’t with me for long periods and honestly get a little depressed and disconnected feeling. It’s hard to explain but makes sense biologically and hormonally. I typically wake once or twice to change her if she poops, but she has been doing that less and often has a dry diaper at night now that she is over 3 months. When she was younger, she did poop at night when eating sometimes and I would have to get up to change her. It still was quick and she went back to sleep easily.
My husband pretty much sleeps through the night. Sometimes she makes a lot of noise when eating (it’s pretty funny) and that will wake him up, but overall, we all sleep well most nights.
HOT TIP! If you plan to co-sleep, get waterproof sheets. I had them from our homebirth and kept them on. Thank god because nursing at night with really full boobs is messy. She has also leaked out of a diaper or two and all I have to do is change the sheets and don’t have to worry about cleaning the mattress. Highly recommend!
Eliana changes every day along with many of her needs. One thing that hasn’t changed for us is our morning routine. I wake her up (she would sleep until 9 if I let her, I swear) and change her diaper (it’s usually dry) then put her on her baby potty to pee and poop. We are slowly starting elimination communication, but she definitely still wears diapers. The first morning catch is one of the easiest for us. Once she is all cleaned up, we go to the kitchen and I heat up my nursing muffins and make a cappuccino while she plays (remember I feed her a little while she is sleeping before I get up with the dogs so she isn’t starving and lets me do this before doing a full feed). Then I feed her on the couch while I eat my nursing muffins and drink my coffee. She usually poops when she eats so then I change her and we are off on our walk. I either use the Ergo baby carrier or the Solly wrap I mention below. The dogs go too–it’s a full family affair and we all love it. It gets sunshine on our faces early in the morning and I think has really helped with Eliana’s circadian rhythm and sleep habits. Each day is a little different from there, but having that enjoyable morning routine is something I look forward to every day.
Did anyone else’s baby hate carriers or wraps at first? We started with the Ring Sling but Eliana didn’t like it and honestly, I didn’t either. I think it will be great for when she is bigger, but 0-3 months it’s a no for us. We also have the Ergo baby carrier, which we do use now for walks since she likes to push away from my chest so she can see everything and that keeps her safe, but the one we use the most is the Solly wrap. There are tons of wraps out there. What sold me on this one is the fabric. I was reading reviews for other wraps about how they were so hot and it’s already hot enough in North Carolina that I wanted to make sure I got a lightweight wrap. It’s also easy to put on and clean. I put it in a pillowcase and wash on gentle then dry it normally.
Check out the Solly Wrap here.
I hope this has been helpful! Everyone is so unique and what works for you and your baby may differ, but hopefully, this brings some perspective on what is essential postpartum and what might just be a bonus.
If you missed my podcast episode about my postpartum experience with Eliana you can listen to that here.
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