why postnatal recovery rarely looks the way we expect

So you’ve had your baby, you’ve survived the first few rollercoaster weeks. You book in for your 6 week GP check, expecting a deep dive into your birth, recovery and some helpful advice on how to rebuild your strength and confidence. Sadly for most of the women I work with, their 6 week appointment is nothing more than a tick box - how are you feeling? do you want any contraception?

And that’s it! You’re released into the wild - postpartum forever, but feeling maybe - a litte lost? Maybe you expected that by the magical 6 week cut off you would feel like “you” again? It’s a bit of a shock when you don’t, right? But that’s because we take actual years to return hormonally, physically and emotionally to what we were before we were pregnant (although in actual fact, our brains are forever rewired- but that’s for another blog!). And for many women, the postnatal recovery process is only just beginning at 6 weeks. If you are experiencing pelvic floor dysfunction, ab seperation, scar sensitivity - none of this disappears at 6 weeks, no matter what society tells us.

So what do we need? Firstly we need to be gentle with ourselves. We are not going to bouncing back to our pre-baby selves in 6 weeks. And that’s absolutely fine. We are going to be growing forward, not looking back.

Maybe we can reach out to a specialist for some pelvic health advice (I would recommend this even if you are not experiencing symptoms or you had a c-section as everyone can benefit). Google mummy MOT in your area If you’re experiencing symptoms, see your GP as a first port of call.. And adding in some gentle exercise can be a great way to regain core strength and function. Walks with your pram are a great option and postnatal yoga gives you a safe space to move your body and recentre your mind.

Using your hypnobirthing techniques can help you manage the ups and downs of postnatal life - breathwork, deep relaxation and affirmations can all help to build a positive mindset. We do all of this in my postnatal yoga classes - and keep an eye out for exciting postnatal yoga online stuff arriving soon!

And as you continue to move through the postnatal period, there are more transitions to deal with - which is all part of our postnatal journey. Returning to work can feel like a huge milestone, which is why I offer coaching to help explore your feelings around returning to work and equip yourself with practical tools to thrive in your next step.