Postpartum Recovery: Take A Year To Recover

Do you  know how much time you need to devote to your postpartum recovery? According to a study by the British University of Salford, you should set aside a year to recover. This research demonstrates that, contrary to popular belief, it is not enough just to overcome the puerperium.

This means that 45 days or 6 weeks is absolutely not enough to catch up on the body and mind after giving birth.  After childbirth, there are many sensations and concerns that invade us. A new world is present in front of our eyes.

Therefore, Dr. Julie Wray dedicated herself to interviewing mothers who are in the various stages. The conclusion? The default fixed recovery period is nothing more than a fantasy.  Because recovering from childbirth can take up to twelve months.

Postpartum recovery: what does it entail?

When we talk about postpartum recovery, we are not referring only to the physical plane, but also to the mental one.  For several months, there is pressure to be a good mother. This is basically understanding and correctly meeting the baby’s needs.

That’s not all, because to that we must necessarily add another conditioning that generates a great deal of anguish. The need to return to work prematurely. As if nothing had happened in the meantime. As if the physical, hormonal, emotional and even life changes did not exist.

Science assesses the situation of mothers. The puerperium is not limited to 40 days. Quarantine is not only understood as the recovery of the uterus.  The postpartum is something else, it goes much further than basically this simplification of the event.

Between hormones and breastfeeding

The first-time mother needs time for her hormonal system to fully normalize. But especially – even more so for these new moms – they need several months to adjust to motherhood. New rhythms, new habits and hanging on to a vulnerable baby 24 hours a day is no small feat.

Breastfeeding should also be considered part of the postpartum period. In many cases it lasts for months, most of it a year and in others, up to two years.  Therefore, the woman lives a particular stage beyond the famous puerperium.

From there comes this new scientific conception of the postpartum period. Without a doubt, women don’t just experience bodily changes.  They are also exposed to a vortex of contradictory emotions that are difficult to assimilate.

However, recovery after giving birth varies from woman to woman. Not all bodies and not all minds act or react in the same way.  However, the reality is that hardly a person can adapt to so much change in such a short space of time.

Of course, it is not simple to heal the body and balance feelings in front of a new being. This new being that, in turn, is accompanied by a new body and a new reality. This first-time mother will also have to face her new role as a woman and as a mother.

The plus of postpartum recovery: physical changes

There are several physical changes that occur during the period known as postpartum recovery. They can be as follows:

• Normalization of the abdominal area.
• Recovery of the pelvic floor.
• Swelling.
• Cellulite.
• Bleeds.
• Tiredness.
• Constant pain or discomfort.

As you can see, there is little to deal with after giving birth. Therefore, the discovery of the University of Salford (England) is nothing new. Clearly, postpartum is a complex process to overcome, as well as to get around so quickly.

So mom, don’t fret if you feel that time passes and your body or mind still doesn’t feel great. Respect your time and don’t rush. Enjoy your child and try to recover in the best way. For her son, for her family, but above all for herself.