Lamar Greene is a passionate full-spectrum doula, spiritual life coach, and budding community herbalist with a meaningful background in reproductive health advocacy both in the U.S. and globally. They are the founder of Doula Alchemist Healing, a Black and Queer-owned healing practice centered around reproductive justice and spirituality.
The postpartum period is such a profound and transformational time. There are so many changes happening all at once after the end of a pregnancy or the birth of a baby. After having physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually adjusted to the changes of pregnancy, you are no longer pregnant. There is now a new focus on your healing, or at least there should be. Several feelings may come up, whether you have a baby or not, as you transition into this next chapter of your life. This article provides seven holistic tips for postpartum healing for one of the most critical points on one’s reproductive care journey.
What is the postpartum period?
You may have been taught or come to understand the postpartum period as the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual changes that occur during the time after giving birth. If you were to look up the definition of postpartum, you would likely see something along those lines. In expanding our perspective, let’s come to view the postpartum period as something more. For this article and beyond, postpartum is defined as the time period after the end of a pregnancy, regardless of the outcome. That means that someone who has a miscarriage, someone who has a stillbirth, someone who has an abortion, and someone who has a live baby are all postpartum. They all need time for postpartum healing and recovery.
The state of postpartum care in the U.S.
The state of postpartum care in the U.S. is pretty bleak, and so much more needs to be done to support postpartum people. The largest portion of maternal deaths occur in the postpartum period. According to a 2020 report from The Commonwealth Fund, 52% of pregnancy-related deaths occur after delivery or up to one year postpartum. When analyzing this tragic issue further, the data shows that 19% of all maternal deaths occur between one and six days postpartum, 21% occur between one and six weeks postpartum, and 12% occur between six weeks postpartum and the remainder of the one-year period. With the most common factors contributing to death including severe bleeding, high blood pressure, infection, and cardiovascular diseases, it is so important to promote postpartum healing and connect people with culturally affirming care. Yet, that can be an uphill battle in the current culture and policy landscape.
The Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 entitles many workers in the U.S. to unpaid time off for family and medical reasons while also requiring employers to maintain group health benefits during an employee’s leave. Still, there is no guaranteed paid family and medical leave for private sector employees at the federal level. There are only a handful of states that have a paid parental leave policy: 13 states and Washington, D.C., to be exact. Many people who don’t reside in those states are rushing back to work to make ends meet without having time to properly heal during the postpartum period. Bereavement leave may be another consideration for time off for postpartum people who have experienced a stillbirth, miscarriage, or other form of pregnancy loss. However, there is no federal mandate for bereavement and most companies offer short policies of three to five days.
In contrast, in many other cultures around the world, the first 40 days postpartum or longer are prioritized for rest, recovery, and healing. In some Latin American, Asian, Middle Eastern, and African communities, the first 40 days postpartum are recognized and supported. There are also people in the U.S. calling for a greater focus on the postpartum period. Pediatrician and author Dr. Harvey Karp coined the term “fourth trimester” in 2002 to stress the importance of the postpartum period. This work has been further expanded by Kimberly Ann Johnson in her book The Fourth Trimester: A Postpartum Guide to Healing Your Body, Balancing Your Emotions, and Restoring Your Vitality. Although the book focuses on the transition into parenthood with a live baby, some healing tips and practices may be informative for people who have entered postpartum before the “fourth trimester” or have experienced pregnancy loss.
Related: Why Are The Racial Disparities In Maternal And Infant Health Considered Persistent Crisis In The US
7 postpartum healing tips
1. The old midwives’ 555 guideline
Midwifery is an ancient and sacred practice with a naturally holistic framework that has been practiced in many cultures. One of the old midwives’ guidelines for postpartum healing is 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, and 5 days around the bed. The idea here is to rest in the bed for the first 5 days postpartum and bond with your baby if you have one. For the next 5 days, sit up on the bed and start having family members and friends come to visit if you’re up to it. Continue bonding with your baby if you have one. For the last 5 days, do activities around your bed such as light household work or light movement. The motivation behind it is to help postpartum people recover safely and improve postpartum mental health.
Please remember that the old midwives’ 555 guideline is just that – a guideline. While this exact practice may work for some, it is not one-size-fits-all. Maybe you are someone who really needs time in nature as a part of your early postpartum healing, or you need more time for deep physical recovery. Even if this specific guideline does not fully align with your needs or schedule for whatever reason, it is important to set the intention for rest and give yourself permission to rest during your immediate postpartum period. Feel free to use this guideline in part or in whole as a tool in accordance with your healing needs.
2. Cultivate space for physical recovery
Cultivating space for rest and your other physical recovery needs is imperative. Setting up your bedroom and other physical spaces to promote healing can include having dim lighting, playing relaxing music, and diffusing essential oils. Lavender, jasmine, and ylang-ylang are three essential oils that have been documented to ease some symptoms of postpartum depression while also promoting a sense of relaxation in the body. Sitz baths are also a helpful recovery tool for the healing of any tearing and soreness. You can set up your bathroom to have sitz baths take place either over the toilet or in the tub. Lastly, it is vital to have moments of loving touch to honor the postpartum body in its physical recovery. This can be a massage, a somatic bodywork practice, or a simple hug from a loved one. Cultural practices for physical healing, such as belly binding, are also welcome.
3. Bring warmth back to the body
Postpartum care rituals for bringing warmth to the body have long been staples among many cultures and traditions. Bringing warmth to the body postpartum is crucial because it helps to provide a sense of comfort during the transition, supports physical healing processes, and prevents the onset of postpartum chills as a result of hormonal changes. Nutrition is the main avenue for bringing warmth to the body postpartum. This can include eating broths and soups or using spices such as cinnamon and cloves in food preparation. You can also use herbs with warming properties, such as ginger, turmeric, and star anise, in food and teas in consultation with your health provider and herbalist. Comfort measures such as heating pads, hot compresses, and warm blankets can also be used to bring warmth back to the body.
4. Welcome trusted social support
We live in a very individualistic society which pushes this notion of independence being the ideal, but interdependence is a healthier dynamic for us to create. The truth is that no one is meant to experience postpartum depression on their own. Whether a newborn is present or not, trusted social support is nourishing for postpartum people. The central aspects of empowering, trusted social support are being reminded as a postpartum person that you don’t have to experience postpartum alone and receiving support that is provided in accordance with your needs, wants, and boundaries. This can be support provided by partners, family members, friends, and care providers.
Trusted social support can look like so many things, seeing that the needs and wants of postpartum people are unique and vast. Still, there are some core needs that most postpartum people have in common that can be planned around. Meal trains, or a coordinated schedule of people bringing food on different days of the week to a postpartum household, have been a powerful form of social support. That model can be used to have loved ones support a variety of light household maintenance, as needed and wanted, on a rotating basis. Other forms of social support can include having someone attend follow-up postpartum visits with you, participate in postpartum rituals with you, and process your reproductive care experience with you.
5. Prioritize mental and emotional processing
The postpartum period is often a major time of transition in life, so creating space to process your thoughts and feelings is paramount. A partner, loved one, or doula may be a good person to hold space for you and witness you in processing your reproductive care experience and entry into postpartum. Whether you’ve entered the postpartum period after an abortion, miscarriage, stillbirth, or live birth there may be some feeling of grief involved. You may not have been ready for a new child and knew an abortion was the right decision for you but still experience some feeling of loss. Alternatively, you may have been anticipating raising a new child, but you’ve entered parenthood having lost a child. You may have even had a healthy baby as expected but still experience grief for the version of yourself you have to leave behind in your transition to parenthood.
While you may experience grief, it likely won’t be the only emotion present. There could potentially be feelings of joy, relief, nervousness, and more, all at once. Regardless of what comes up for you, what is important is that you take time to sit with your thoughts and feelings so you can eventually make peace with them. Still, there may be experiences that can’t be managed alone. Postpartum mood and anxiety disorders are a common experience for many postpartum people. Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Consider getting mental health screenings in a facility where you feel safe if you don’t feel like yourself over a prolonged period or your loved ones are concerned because of drastic changes in your behavior. Your mental and emotional well-being is of high importance.
6. Prioritize spiritual processing
Spiritual processing is an often overlooked need during the postpartum period, but it is important for you to create or identify meaning around your experience. You can address your spiritual needs on your own terms. It can look like getting energy healing done after an abortion, creating a memento after experiencing a pregnancy loss, or holding a ceremony to welcome your new baby to the world. After being cleared by your medical provider, you can have a spiritual bath to help with processing as well. Placenta work is also a spiritual postpartum ritual that has been practiced in many cultures. In some communities, the placenta is planted with flowers and an intention, and in other communities, the placenta is encapsulated and consumed. Rites and rituals help us to create meaning in our lives and can be incredibly healing during the intense transition of entering the postpartum period.
7. Work with other practitioners to support your postpartum care needs
Remember, you don’t have to experience the postpartum period by yourself. In addition to partners, family members, friends, and medical providers, many care practitioners are ready and willing to support you. The amazing thing is that you can hire care practitioners based on the postpartum needs and desires that you identify for yourself and your household. You can work with a postpartum doula to receive holistic informational, physical, emotional, and spiritual reproductive care support within their scope of practice. If infant feeding is something you need in-depth assistance with, look into working with a lactation consultant. There are also herbalists, chiropractors, energy healers, somatic practitioners, therapists, and so many other healers and care workers that you can add to your network of postpartum support. Just make sure to choose people who are right for you and who provide culturally affirming care that aligns with your values.
Let’s connect you to empowering reproductive care support
Are you ready to experience transformative guidance and support during your postpartum recovery or reproductive care experience? Whether you are juggling all the changes that come with being postpartum, seeking non-judgmental support alongside abortion care, or ready to set your intentions for an affirming birth experience, I am here to be a grounding and compassionate support person for you and your loved ones. Check out my service offerings, and book a free 30-minute consultation call to take the first steps toward a more empowering reproductive care journey.
Disclaimer: The material in this article is for informational purposes only. It does not replace the advice or counsel of a doctor or healthcare professional.
Read more from Lamar Greene
Lamar Greene, Full-Spectrum Doula and Spiritual Coach
Lamar Greene is a passionate reproductive justice advocate who has answered their calling as a healer. Greene is a full-spectrum doula, spiritual life coach, and budding community herbalist motivated by their mother’s birthing narrative and their own life’s journey. They earned their Full Spectrum Doula Certification with Birthing Advocacy Doula Training and completed their Spiritual Life Coach Certification with Transformation Academy™. Their interest in spirituality was sparked in 2017 by a summer study abroad trip, where they lived and learned amongst Tibetan monastic communities in India. They are the founder of Doula Alchemist Healing, a Black and Queer-owned healing practice centered around reproductive justice and spirituality.
