You have Postpartum?!
Postpartum? You mean depression? Postpartum Depression?!!
As a childbirth educator and doula, I talk about postpartum ALL the time! I talk about it on a daily basis; in my childbirth classes, with my labor doula clients, and in lactation consults.
When postpartum is mentioned now a days, it is synonymous with anxiety or depression. So when someone starts to talk about your postpartum there can be a lot of confusion, uncomfortable feelings and emotions. When you Google postpartum the first thing that pops up is the clinical definition of Postpartum Depression with various links for treatment, recognizing it and stories to understand the process.
However, I would like to clarify this word so that we know what exactly what we are talking about when discussing postpartum. Postpartum simply is the time following childbirth. Every woman that has a baby is postpartum and our postpartum recovery period (the time it can take to physically recover from birth) lasts between 6-8 weeks after baby is born.
When we talk about preparing for your postpartum. We are not talking about depression. We are talking about the time immediately following the arrival of your baby. So let's not get the two confused. Postpartum Depression and anxiety are serious issues that affect many women, but not all women. However, ALL pregnant women experience postpartum, the recovery period following the arrival of their baby.
Labor of Love Birth Services offers many resources to support this transitional time. We offer childbirth classes that address preparing for postpartum and making a plan. Our labor doulas work intimately with you throughout your birth journey and are there with you during the initial stages of postpartum. Our postpartum doulas are connected to the inner workings of your home and family by helping with the transition from baby-in-belly to baby-in-arms. We also offer bi-monthly meet ups for postpartum support.
We are here to help you navigate your journey through your postpartum period. We are here to support you with your specific postpartum needs. We are also here for you if you feel you are experiencing anxiety or a deeper level of depression during this time. You can ALWAYS reach out to us for support & resources. You are not alone.
