3 days Ago By Amy Denney
Earlier this year, Molly Hahn remained purposefully in her bed for two weeks. She wasn’t ill. In fact, she was lifting weights one day—a week and a half past her due date—and delivering her third child at home the next.
A personal trainer and active mom with a 4-year-old and 2-year-old, she ceased all activity immediately when the new baby was born. Hahn’s goal was to make sure she was nourished with healthy, warm food and plenty of rest for 45 days of personal healing. She was borrowing a Chinese philosophy that a well-nurtured mother makes for a healthier mom and baby.
Specifically, she was aiming for 15 days in bed, 15 days on the bed, and 15 days near the bed. “We figured it out with my husband’s schedule, and I could literally live in my bedroom in the bed with the baby,” she told The Epoch Times. “I put so much effort into resting those two weeks that it really paid off long-term.
It was the best postpartum I had.” After 15 days, she did as much sitting as she could for 15 more days and then spent 15 additional days at home before transitioning into a more “normal” life. The idea, Hahn said, came from her sister who is an acupuncturist trained in traditional Chinese medicine.
Postpartum care is becoming an issue of growing importance in the United States, where two-thirds of maternal deaths occur during the postpartum period, according to the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit organization that calls for a more high-quality health care system. “Aunties,” a term of endearment for any close family member or even close friend, often stay with new moms to take over responsibilities like cooking, caring for other children, and cleaning the house. The purpose is for new moms to rest so they can heal and focus on breastfeeding and bonding while being well-nourished, according to Keeler, who is president of HypnoBirthing International, an organization helping women achieve more peaceful birthing experiences.
A headache that persists or worsens Fainting and dizziness Changes in vision Trouble breathing Fever Chest pain or heart palpitations Pain, redness, and swelling in the legs Excessive vaginal bleeding or passing large clots Extreme swelling of face or hands Overwhelming fatigue Women who had medical issues or complications during pregnancy should receive additional counseling, the organization suggested, and insurance reimbursement policies should be updated to include care as “an ongoing process, rather than an isolated visit.” More than 95 percent of mothers accompanied their babies to appointments, making it feasible. Screening women at pediatric visits improved diagnostic rates.
Screening women at pediatric visits caught cases of hypertension related to pregnancy that would have otherwise been missed in postnatal clinics. The women who were treated as a result of these earlier screenings had better outcomes than those who were not screened. These visits, by a midwife or nurse, lead to better mental health and breastfeeding outcomes while reducing health care costs.
“Midwifery-led care models have been shown to provide care that is comparable to, or sometimes even better than, that provided by obstetrician-gynecologists, or ob-gyns,” the report said. Midwives, who are medical professionals who can offer similar care as obstetricians, could provide 80 percent of maternal care worldwide and avert 41 percent of maternal deaths, the report went on to say. In most countries, midwives outnumber ob-gyns, but in the United States, health care coverage doesn’t always extend to midwives.
There’s a lack of ob-gyns—about 8,000 more are needed—as well as midwives. Hahn, who hired a midwife and gave birth at home, was visited two days after birth, as well as one week, three weeks, and six weeks. She didn’t think she would need the appointments but ended up appreciating that she could ask questions as they arose about back pain, bleeding, milk supply, healing, and her newborn.
“That was amazing to be able to touch base that many times and be checked on that many times,” Hahn said. “You don’t get that care in the other model, which is really too bad, because moms need just as many checkups as the newborns do.” Eat warm foods, which are nourishing.
Traditional Chinese medicine considers warm or hot foods to be capable of restoring balance after blood loss, decreasing blood clots, and increasing breast milk production. Practice nesting—Create a comfortable space and set up boundaries to tune out the rest of the world during the first several weeks. Consider bodywork—Arrange for massage, acupuncture, or chiropractic care that facilitates relaxation.
Join a support group—Find mom and baby classes or community groups. Make a postpartum plan—Take classes during pregnancy to learn about the postpartum period and breastfeeding, cook and freeze meals, and tell your family and friends how they can best serve you during baby’s first few weeks..
