Postpartum Plan

Submitted by mindful on June 10, 2011 - 12:07pm
Body: 

Hi all,

I have searched the forums extensively and have tried to put bits and pieces together for a postpartum plan.

Here is what I have so far:
1. Prior to L&D, drink Red Raspberry Leaf tea and use Evening Primrose Oil capsules on cervix (around 36 wks).
2. Prepare for a home water birth and deliver on hands and knees. Drink coconut water, use arnica oil for aches and pains, use warm compress to support perineum during delivery, use mirror for visual feedback, minimal pushing. (Or if hospital birth, strive for water birth on hands and knees.)
3. Pull up into WW posture when sitting or standing.
4. Breastfeed either sidelying or seated in WW posture with My Brest Friend or pillows.
5. Keep bowel movements loose, no straining on the toilet. Take Colace as needed and drink plenty of water.
6. Rest often.
7. Play with toddler seated on exercise ball in WW posture or on hand and knees.
9. Keep legs approximated for optimal perineal healing until any stitches absorbed.
10. Exercise gently. Take short walks, do hands and knees pelvic rocks, no more than 10 or so Kegels 'the right way'.
11. Frequent sitz baths with postpartum herbs.
12. Take homeopathic Sepia if ok while breastfeeding.
13. Vit e oil massage on perineum/anus after lochia and any stitches absorbed.
14. No sex at 4 wks postpartum! Haha.

Anything I could add?

Those of you who have had home births, is it hard to not be domestic right away?

Would WW seated posture be hard to do initially postpartum what with all the vulvar/vaginal swelling??

I remember the last thing I felt like doing postpartum was sitting up straight and putting pressure on my swollen bits.

Thank you wise ladies,

Mindful

mindful

June 10, 2011 - 12:10pm

Haha missed the 8!

Also, I would add the use of homeopathic Arnica as well, but I think that is contraindicated while breastfeeding.

Mindful

granolamom

June 10, 2011 - 3:14pm

hi mindful
I think your plan sounds pretty good. my mw gave me some arnica right after the birth, so I think its probably (hopefully?) ok while bf.

as far as being domestic right after a homebirth, it is hard unless you have a good plan in place. I'm lucky, my dh was able to be home for about a week and he's is very on top of things (not the way I do things but he keeps the house/laundry/kids clean and everyone fed). after he went back to work it was tough. I planned to have cleaning help but she disappeared the day before the baby was born. I planned to have lots of meals frozen but we had a power outage the day after the baby and it was all ruined.
I have a tendency towards PPD, so I knew I needed to do as little as possible, dh knew it too. he was able to go into work a bit later so he was able to take care of the mornings, a friend drove my little guy to preschool and back for a few weeks. we ate lots of sandwiches and pasta. I slept as much as I could and forced myself to use paper plates and leave the laundry for dh.
I wish I had more help available to me, I could have used more time to recover, but you get what you get, ya know? in my case though, it didnt adversely affect my POP or physical well being at all, just makes the depression worse. ah well, you do the best you can!
so the only thing I'd add to your list is to line up as much help with housekeeping/childcare as possible. and find out if any local groceries will deliver an emailed/phoned/faxed order.

as far as pp sitting, I havent had a problem with that. whatever swelling I had goes down pretty quick (mw recommended soaking a sanitary napkin in witchhazel and freezing it to use as an ice pack, but I never had need for it). maybe because I never had stitches? or just luck?

and if you're feeling up to it, why not have sex at 4 weeks pp?

moominmama

June 20, 2011 - 3:54pm

Midwives here recommend homeopathic arnica for healing. I think a herbal preparation would be a concern if breastfeeding, but homeopathic should be fine.

granolamom

June 20, 2011 - 5:46pm

yes, that's right, moominmama, my mw gave me the homeopathic arnica.
thanks for clarifying.