Getting Enough Rest during Postpartum Period

Delivering your baby was hard work and the days following are often marked by a mixture of relief, joy, and exhaustion. Rest, diet, and exercise are all now key factors as you start your physical and emotional recovery. Looking after yourself in the days and weeks after the arrival of your baby will stand you in good stead for the months and years of parenting ahead.

Both you and your partner may want life to get back to normal as soon as possible after the arrival of your baby. However, it is important to listen to your body and not to place too great an expectation on yourself as you start your postlabor recovery.

Get enough rest
It’s easy to underestimate how much mental and physical energy you have expended during the birth of your baby. Giving birth has caused major changes in your body-, all initiated and controlled by huge hormonal adjustments. Getting enough rest facilitates the development of a new, healthy balance.

Your over-35 body needs more time to recover
There are several things you can do to provide your body with the rest it needs. First, even if you feel you have a lot to do, you need to take time to rest when you can. Try to cat nap during the day to make up for lost sleep at night. Give yourself permission to nod off whenever you can, or at least to lie down and relax. Second, accept help from family and friends. Acknowledge that you really do need to rest, even if you don’t look or feel sick. For many independent women, receiving help from others can be difficult.