Congratulations, Mum, you did it! You brought this little miracle into the world that will call you mummy and bring a smile to your face for the rest of your life.

You pulled through the whole pregnancy with its morning sickness, cravings and swelling and pushed through the birth of your baby! Doesn’t matter if it was one hour or 24, vaginal birth or C-section, one or three babies, you managed to keep your body and soul together through the greatest transformation a woman could ever have.

Your body has just pulled off one of the most magical jobs ever: growing a little human! And now you’re back home with your precious gift after the long 9-month wait, and while you couldn’t be happier, you’re also facing some unexpected challenges in your new-mum era! While you only have eyes for your cub, don’t forget about that incredible body and mind of yours!

You’re entering the postpartum recovery phase and it’s going to last more than a few weeks. Even if some momma bears feel recovered after six to eight weeks, it’s totally normal if it takes a little bit longer for you. Your body might not feel like your own with emotional swings, hormonal imbalance, postpartum body, and postpartum bleeding, but don’t stress – your body is not a machine and can’t be programmed to reset itself after the delivery.

So, darling, give yourself some credit and be grateful to have this magical body that brought your baby to life. Rest extensively, eat lavishly, and nourish your body with all the best treatments to recover after birth. You deserve all the love and care in the world, just like that precious little one of yours.

How long does it take to recover

No matter whether you had a C-section or V-direction, your body needs lots of rest and the most intensive part of postpartum recovery generally lasts around six to eight weeks after childbirth.

It's all about healing and nurturing yourself and that doesn’t mean you'll immediately return to the pre-baby version of yourself. And that is totally okay!

The first weeks will bring a lot of changes – from new levels of exhaustion (like it wasn’t enough during pregnancy) to hormonal rollercoasters (and the same goes for that). In six weeks, your vagina, perineum (thin layer of skin between vagina and anus) or C-section scar should be healed, and your baby’s former cradle (womb) should return to its normal size. The emotional and physical changes will continue after these six weeks as the complete postpartum recovery takes around three to six months.

Remember that C-section and vaginal birth have different healing timelines. If you had a caesarean, you shouldn’t lift anything heavier than your baby for the first six to eight weeks. Whereas vaginal healing usually takes from four to six weeks.

Hormones in their postpartum era deserve a show of their own. If you ever checked a hormonal graph during the menstrual cycle, you'd realise we don’t have it easy. Our hormones are jumping up and down throughout the whole monthly cycle, the situation only intensifies during pregnancy, and after giving birth, your body goes through an earthquake. Imagine the hormonal swings you usually go through in one month, squeezing into one day – that's what it usually feels like. But don’t worry, your happy hormone (oxytocin) increases, and your hormones will normalise within three to six months, or longer if you continue breastfeeding.

The most important thing you have to remember is: YOU ARE DOING AMAZING, MAMA!

Don’t compare yourself to all the (wanna-be) perfect Instagram stories and TikToks that influencer new mums are posting on social media – they're not real. It's just a snapshot of a moment from an imaginary life. Every new mum faces challenges of their own and every newborn is different – and that’s the magic of it.

Enjoy in your own story and trust that everything will be okay.

What to expect when you’re not expecting anymore – postpartum physical & mental changes

What's there to say? Expect endless changes to your body, mind, and environment. Your life changed and you became a mummy. Wear this title proudly and you will overcome every challenge.

What challenges in particular?

• Postpartum bleeding – Known as lochia, typically lasts four to six weeks. It begins after giving birth and then it gradually decreases. Don't panic, it’s totally normal. What's not normal is bleeding through one pad an hour for more than two hours or noticing bleeding and blood clots after four weeks – in that case call your care provider. As far as the first period after birth is concerned, it depends whether you decide to breastfeed or not. You can’t precisely forecast your first period, but it’s supposed to arrive a couple of months after you reduce breastfeeding, or when you stop completely. If you feed by the bottle, you can expect the first period from one to three months after birth.
• Postpartum night sweats – Yup, the sweating isn’t over yet. Because your hormones are unhinged, you can sweat excessively at night. Totally normal, just take care of hydration and drink enough water, and wait a couple of weeks for it to fade away. 
• Postpartum hair loss – We know, it’s not exciting to hear about that. It usually peaks at around four months in the postpartum period and should stop a year after birth. You can support your hair regrowth with collagen supplements or our Double Hair capsules (but be careful: only if you're not breastfeeding)!

• Postpartum belly – It can take around two months for your belly muscles and organs to return to their usual place. This postpartum belly is a former home to your baby and a reminder of what magical things your body is capable of. You can try to speed up the process with light exercises, hydration, and some skincare products for skin elasticity.
• Postpartum joint pain – You were so brave and powerful carrying your baby’s weight for so long that you may feel some joint pain, now that your baby is out. It's not the same for everyone, so you can feel joint pain from a few days to several weeks. You can help yourself with massages, hot and cold compressors, and most importantly straight posture!
• Baby blues – Along with all the oxytocin explosions and happy feelings, you can also suddenly start feeling sad and anxious. Believe us, you’re not alone. FYI, 80% of new moms experience baby blues and they usually go away in a fortnight. If the low mood lasts longer or the symptoms become more severe, don’t hesitate to call your care provider. To get things off your chest, it’s good to have a deep talk with your partner and loved ones. And your day can get brighter by discussing your burdens with your fellow mama friends. Perfect date for strolling!

Can I make postpartum recovery faster?

Now let's have a word about taking care of that postpartum body of yours. The first thing that needs healing is your perineum – be gentle and ask your nurse for some soothing measures. And if you had a C-section, don’t forget to treat your healing scar – a beautiful reminder of the amazing job you accomplished.

Hint: Have a chat with your care provider, when it’s best for you to start the C-section scar massage! It can prevent complications in your pelvic floor and abdominal wall, and help you speed up healing!

Your body can ache and hurt during the postpartum period. The best thing you can do in that moment, is to relax in a warm bath with some soothing music while your partner takes care of the little one. After that you can gently stretch your limbs or ask your partner for a massage to ease any discomfort. Strolling around the neighbourhood will have a positive impact on your mental and physical health, so put your cub in a stroller and spend some time outside.

Don’t forget about Kegel exercises. If you don’t know what they are, imagine sitting on a marble and squeezing your pelvic muscles to lift the marble. Focus for three seconds, then relax for the next three. Repeat five times. For best results, focus only on tightening your pelvic muscles – you know, for the muscle-mind connection to do its trick

And finally, and most importantly, keep up with those doctor’s appointments and dig into nourishing meals. Don't start any diets in this period – you need every possible calorie and nutrient to heal and recover your body and be a strong momma to your baby.

Postpartum essentials

We prepared a short list of postpartum essentials you might find useful to care for yourself in the postpartum recovery period. So, what should you have on hand when you arrive home?

• Prescribed pain relief medication – Prescribed pills can help soothe aches and pains and after consulting with your doctor you’re free to help yourself with them. Before taking any over the counter pills or pain relief, always consult with your care provider.
• Maxi pads – In postpartum recovery you have to forget tampons – they can easily cause an infection. Instead, you will be comfortable in very absorbent maxi pads for bleeding and other discharges.
• Granny panties – 100% cotton panties are the best option for bleeding on and off and healing after birth. Put your lingerie away for a little while and stay comfortable through this transitional period.
• Ice packs – This cold, natural pain relief is an effective way to fight inflammation and pain. You can buy wearable ice pads (for perineal and vaginal area), but a homemade ice pack in a towel is going to save you from discomfort just as well.
• Peri rinse bottle – Fill it with warm water and you have your own healing and cleaning wonder. It's perfect for rinsing off after a toilet break, without having to wipe the sensitive area with toilet paper.
• Sitz bath – Perfect for physical and mental healing! Three in one solution, clean your perineum, sooth irritation and help yourself with postpartum haemorrhoids by sitting in warm, shallow water. P. S. You can do it in a bathtub or in a plastic bowl, anything works.
• Nursing bras & pads – breastfeeding brings changes with it, including an appropriate bra. Nursing bras are designed for new moms, with flaps that open and make it easy to feed your baby. A comfy bra that fits well is crucial to prevent milk ducts from clogging – tight clothing can cause pain, discomfort, and clogged ducts can escalate to mastitis. As for pads, they protect you from milk leakages between feedings. They soak up leaks and keep your shirt dry.
• Adapted milk – or better known as formula, is a great way to keep your baby full and fed. If you’re facing problems with breastfeeding, find help with a lactation consultant, but don’t be too hard on yourself! If the milk flow isn’t exactly flowing, a bottle will do - the important thing is that your little one is fed.
• Stool softener – during the postpartum recovery you may face constipation, haemorrhoids and hard times on the toilet. But that can easily be solved with stool softeners that make your poop softer and easier to pass.

Nutrients for mommy & baby with just 2 capsules a day? 

Apart from physical healing and mental challenges, you have to face lack of time for things you did before. Right now, your little miracle depends on you 24/7 and of course, you can’t find time to cook healthy meals and sleep as much as you did before. Besides all that, you may also breastfeed your baby and that means producing milk takes most of the nutrients and calories you put in your body. Sleep deprivation and not eating balanced meals may also take their toll on you.

Intake of postpartum vitamins is crucial for your recovery. All of the changes that happen in this period, take a lot of energy from you. That's why we designed our post-pregnancy multivitamin Super Mom to support and take care of you in this beautiful, yet demanding phase of motherhood.

With 24 bioactive vitamins, minerals & DHA omega-3 it supports your postpartum recovery and helps you regain strength and vitality. We didn’t forget about your baby’s health – this formula supports the growth and development of breastfed babies, ensuring they get the nutrients they need. Also, we thought of lactation and breast health, that’s why we added oregano extract for health and support of this process.

Always keep in mind that you are the perfect mummy to your little joy, and you are doing the best you can. Give yourself a pat on the back and congratulate yourself on doing the most challenging (but also the most beautiful) job in the world!

Sources

Baby blues after pregnancy. (n.d.). March of Dimes. https://www.marchofdimes.org/find-support/topics/postpartum/baby-blues-after-pregnancy