The happy pictures of glowing new moms and hours-old babies you see on social media make childbirth seem easy, like it?s totally NBD. But giving birth is a life-altering event, and many women have unrealistic expectations about how fast they can (and should) get back to ?normal.? When you have a hungry or fussy newborn and birth injuries to contend with at the same time, you have to adjust your recovery timeline and go easy on yourself.
?Respect the fact that you are going through a massive life change and a massive recovery,? says Batya Grundland, a family doctor who focuses on obstetrics and perinatal care at Women?s College Hospital in Toronto. If you want to get back on your feet and feeling better, faster, here are some things to watch out for. 1. Trying to do it all
From booking a newborn photoshoot to hosting family who want to meet the baby (and cleaning the whole house before all the visitors arrive), it?s common to overdo it in those first few weeks. But even if you had a relatively easy delivery and didn?t get many stitches, you?ve just gone through a major physical trauma?experts say that for those first few weeks, rest is key. For at least the first 24 to 72 hours post-birth, spend as much time as possible in bed, skin-to-skin with the baby, especially if you?re trying to get the hang of breastfeeding, says Jennifer Brewer, a registered midwife in Toronto. Many midwives recommend a full week of bed rest, but Brewer understands that a week isn?t always possible ...