In most other countries, there is some form of tradition surrounding a mother and baby for the weeks immediately following birth.
China
For example, in China there is a month long resting period for new mothers known as zuo yuezi. This is a month long period where new mothers are heavily restricted in what they are to eat, drink, and do. Drinking cold water and eating raw foods are not allowed. New mothers are fed soups and broths to aid in lactation and they are not to bathe. All of this accompanied by pajamas, warm socks, and rest are supposed to help restore the mother’s yin and yang and to strengthen the mother.
India
There is a 40-60 day confinement period which is designed to protect mother and baby from infections, in India. It allows the mother to be fed nutritious, easily digested foods and be given infused herbal baths. New mothers receive daily massages with oil blends to aid in recovery from birth. This time period is for the strengthening of the postpartum body.
France
French women receive care in the hospital a minimum of 5 days. Then nurses make routine house calls to monitor them. French women also receive prescriptions for la rééducation périnéale, a physical therapy that retrains pelvic floor muscles.
Latin America
Several Latin American countries observe la cuarentena. This is a six week confinement period where new mothers abstain from sex, avoid certain foods, and do not engage in strenuous activity. The point of la cuarentena is for the mother to have the time and energy to devote solely to taking care of her new baby. During this time, other family members will pitch in to help take care of older children. Family members also cook all the meals, and keep up with the household chores.
Finland
Additionally in Finland there is the tradition of sending home a baby box with new moms. The baby box is full of clothes, diapers, a snowsuit and hat, baby book, and other necessities. The box comes with a mattress, turning the box itself into a bed for the infant. This practice of meeting the needs of a new mom and baby has had a positive impact on infant mortality rates in Finland.
How Our Culture is Failing Mothers
In the USA, there is absolutely no tradition devoted to taking care of brand new mothers during the postpartum time.
After the baby is born, doctors make sure mom and baby are well enough to leave hospital care, and then discharge within 24-48 hours. They schedule a[check up in 6 weeks to follow up. Six weeks! Women who just had a baby, many of them first time moms are being sent home with their babies with absolutely no on-going care, monitoring, or support. That is neglect and it is how our culture is failing new mothers.
A lot of things are going on in a new mother’s body within those six weeks.
A mother’s hormones are adjusting to not being pregnant anymore. Those same hormones are instigating milk production. A mother’s uterus is healing from losing the placenta, a wound the size of a dinner plate. Her uterus is also working to return to a (new) normal size. She may be healing from a cesarean section and/or her perineum may be sore and bleeding. Plus, depending on how long she labored or if she had a surgical birth, she may generally feel like she just completed a marathon.
Many more things are happening outside of the mother’s body.
Establishing breastfeeding routines, bonding with a new human being, and adjusting to a new normal are not a walk in the park. Some lucky women have helpful people in their lives that come to do laundry and dishes and bring meals for a couple of weeks. But then what? Other women have no such group to uphold them while they enter motherhood. They feel overwhelmed and unsure of every choice they have to make.
To make matters worse, the US has no paid maternity leave legislated. So many mothers are returning to work, weeks before they have healed or bonded well with their baby. This fact alone puts mothers and infants at risk of infection and readily damages breastfeeding. It slows a woman’s healing process and can impact the bonding between a mother and her baby.
Our culture needs a better standard of care for our new mothers. As a world leader and a first world nation, the US should be leading the way in postpartum care for our mother’s and newborns. Unfortunately that is not a reality right now. It is a problem that needs an immediate solution.
There is a solution: the postpartum doula.
Educated in postpartum care of mothers and trained in newborn care, postpartum doulas provides in-home support for new mothers. Postpartum doulas care for mothers, allowing them to recover and heal. With the support of a doula, mothers can easily bond with their baby since the distractions of everyday life are being handled.
What does postpartum support look like?
Postpartum doulas are there to facilitate mother baby bonding. This means your doula will take care of your household chores and look after other children. This includes preparing nutritious meals. Your doula may run you an herbal bath or instead, hold your baby so you can take a shower. Your baby will be well taken care when your doula is there .
A postpartum doula will help you learn how to babywear and show you how to swaddle your baby. She is able to help you latch your baby and give helpful advice for establishing a breastfeeding routine to help you reach your goals. Your postpartum doula is there when you feel overwhelmed with your new path and confused about what is next. She is there in the lonely hours so you don’t have to feel alone.
Doulas listen to women
Additionally a postpartum doula listens to you and hears what you need. Your postpartum doula is there to respond to your needs offers her expertise, her hands, and her friendship to you. When a woman hires a postpartum doula, she gains peace-of-mind. Everything else is taken care of, so she can rest, and heal from birth. She can stare at her baby’s face and learn her baby’s smell. Perhaps her significant other can join in this sacred space with her, since their doula is taking care of everything else and guarding that space.
Doulas support women who have had a Cesarean Section
Recovery from birth takes time and rest. Recovering from birth and surgery takes a little more of both. Doulas serve women after their surgical birth in practical ways. Bringing baby to the mother for feedings, preparing food, and answering questions are helpful ways a doula will support a new mom. The doula’s sole focus is the well being of both mother and baby. Resting is made possible with their needs are all met.
Doulas give overnight support
In the wee, lonely hours of sleep deprivation and breastfeeding, a PPD can be there, offering a healthy snack and a friendly ear as she helps baby latch on properly. A postpartum doula can stay nearby all night long emanating peace of mind for new parents.
There are doulas near you
Our country has a painfully long way to go towards postpartum care of new mothers and newborns, but in the meantime, there are postpartum doulas. They are in every state and most likely there is one near you. Find yourself a postpartum doula; you will be so glad you did.