‘Stay Ready, So You Ain’t Got To Get Ready’

My most recent post on IG was ‘postpartum care is the forethought, not the afterthought. We have given so much power to pregnancy and birth at the moment, but have lacked and often neglected recognition and action towards the preparation for either timeframe. I see this often (practitioner), and I also recognize how it impacts me (human), and also ways in which I can help (community). 

If you have followed me for a while, then you know that preparing (which includes healing from trauma and sharing stories to do so) is a ‘tool’ that I strongly recommend and encourage. 

 So, what happened to postpartum? What happened to caring for the birther? What happened to preparing meals? To postpartum ritual (closing of the womb, the bones, burying the placenta, warm foods and drinks to nourish)? What happened to the village? To nurturing and including partners as appropriate? What happened to the consideration for stem cell banking? The prep for mood disorders? The thought towards vaginal or incisional healing? What happened to our breath? What happened to the focus on pelvic healing? How did we let this go?

 I’m not as concerned with the answer as much as I am with the solutions that consist of a change in thought and action. It is time we give postpartum AND THE BIRTHERS the attention and preparation deserved. And when I say this, I mean more than mood disorders (which are extremely important).  There are so many components to this process. 

 I mean, how are you preparing for the rest of your life with a child? How will you cope with the grief of self or role change? In what ways are you prepared for your sex life to adapt to this new normalcy? Have you surrounded yourself with the people and resources that you need? Do you know what those resources are? 

 It is time we ‘take back’ postpartum and pregnancy health (and our general health as well) and that starts with thinking ahead. Yes, this means individualized care that is critical to survival and to ‘making it’ as a parent whether this is your first child or your 10th.  To be clear, preparing may not address every single need that arises—you may have some unexpected challenges. This is ok. But what I want for you is to be able to walk into your experience with as much knowledge, readiness, and resources as possible and desired. 

Let’s try our best to stay ready so we don’t have to [rush] and get ready.