Postpartum Care: How the First 40 Days Affect the Next 40 Years
It is said that how a mother is cared for in the first 40 days after birth sets the stage for the next 40 years of her life. Some traditions refer to it as a “sacred window” of time when a mother’s baseline health can be increased or decreased.
During pregnancy your body is expanding, stretching, making new organs, and utilizing a lot of energy and resources to grow and then birth another human being. Once your baby is born your body is starting to come back into itself — tissues that were stretched during pregnancy are now starting to return back to their former state; your brain is rewiring to attune your vulnerable newborn’s needs on an instinctive level; your hormones are changing; and your body is trying to replenish its nutrient stores — all while you are likely massively exhausted from from birth, adjusting to erratic sleep schedules, and if you’re breastfeeding, continuing to use your nutrient stores to nourish your baby.
Given all of these changes, it is clear why receiving proper care that is aligned with your body’s physiology is so crucial. For example, your pelvic floor muscles and abdominal muscles need time to recover before you start engaging in activities like walking, running, or lifting heavy objects. Following postpartum traditions’ prescription for rest allows healing to occur — which can prevent future health issues such as pelvic floor disorders like urinary incontinence (not being able to hold your pee) or prolapses (your rectum or bladder coming through your vagina), core issues like diastasis recti (separation of abdominal muscles), or back pain.
The importance of this time frame is even recognized by our medical system, marked by the “clearance visit” at six weeks after birth. Jumping back into even seemingly light exercises like walking within days after birth is a big strain on tissues that have been massively stressed during pregnancy and birth. Rest and healing practices allow your body to recover and rebuild the foundation for the rest of your life. Interestingly, hormones that women have during our menstruating years can somewhat mask these issues, only for them to resurface at menopause with the drop in hormones.
Aside from the physical changes, mental and emotional support are important. Proper attachment and bonding are crucial during the early days. As your brain is rewiring itself to meet the needs of your new baby you shouldn’t be expected to immediately return to the outward world. The ability to bond with your newborn and settle into life as a new family during the early days sets a foundation for a regulated nervous system for both mom and baby, and a lifetime of love and trust. This can even prevent postpartum mood disorders.
To be clear, postpartum care and healing go beyond the first 40 days. However, having support during this critical initial period — which is crucial for rest, recovery, and bonding — can facilitate faster and more complete healing. This sets foundation for the rest of your postpartum journey, which lasts a lifetime.
Do you feel like you received adequate postpartum care after giving birth? Are you planning anything differently next time? Let me know in the comments below!