If you know us, you know we love to talk about postpartum recovery and postpartum care. And I always like to clarify that when we talk about postpartum, we are just talking about a period of time: post, after, and partum, birth. All we mean when we say postpartum is the period of time after you give birth. And how long that time lasts can vary, depending on who you ask; some say it’s the first 6 weeks, for some it’s the first 3 or 6 months, but we like to talk about it as the first year after giving birth. Heck, I’m 6 years out from my youngest and I still feel like I’m in the postpartum phase sometimes.

So when we talk about recovery, we are really talking about healing from the pregnancy and birth processes (spoiler alert: it takes more than six weeks), because even though they are natural things that your body does, they are still a big deal and need some recovery time, particularly if you’ve given birth surgically. Not to mention, you have a brand-new baby to care for as you are recovering, and you are making the huge adjustment to what it means to be a new parent (or a new parent of two, or three, or… you get it).

This week, we talked in our Doula Jam (did you know we do them on our facebook page every Wednesday morning at 9amEST?) about tips for recovering after a cesarean birth. And honestly, our biggest recommendation is to get some help. Whether it’s family, friends, a religious community, other moms, your partner, anyone (supportive) you can line up is great. AND! Did you know that postpartum doulas are a thing that exists? I’m honestly asking, because I didn’t know about postpartum doulas when my first guys were born, and boy do I wish I had. Here at Rising Tide Women, we offer exceptional postpartum doula support through all of Cape Cod and the South Shore, including overnight care.