Managing Postpartum Discomforts

When you’re expecting a baby, there is so much time spent focusing on taking care of yourself during pregnancy and preparing to give birth, that sometimes what to expect during the postpartum can be overlooked or more of an afterthought. But that’s not a good way to set yourself up for success! It takes just a little bit of time and planning to gather the items that will help ease your transition to motherhood and prepare you for an easier postpartum. Let's talk about your postpartum recovery and how you can incorporate Motif Medical products into your healing journey.

When you’re wearing a postpartum recovery garment, it should provide gentle support and not be uncomfortable. You should never feel like you can’t take a deep breath and it shouldn’t pinch anywhere. If it does, try a larger size or loosening the garment. And you don’t have to wear it all the time! It’s best to only wear it when you’re out of bed or moving around your house. If you’re napping or resting, don’t worry about wearing it! 

Some women experience swelling and night sweats after they give birth and this can be a really normal part of postpartum, especially if you received a lot of IV fluids during labor. If this happens to you, you’ll want to have a pair of compression socks handy! Compression socks improve circulation and help your body get rid of the extra fluid that causes swelling. You won’t need to wear them while you’re laying down, but lots of postpartum moms think it’s helpful to put them on before they even get out of bed! 

If your baby was born by cesarean section, you will also want to check out Motif Medical’s C-Section Dressing System! This three-step series of bandages were created to improve healing time and reduce scar tissue formation after surgery.

The 3-step system starts with the Healing stage: these bandages protect against bacteria, are waterproof, and are designed to provide a physical barrier to the incision site.

The second stage, called Protect, promotes healing by giving the incision some gentle compression that also makes it more comfortable as you start moving around.

And the final step in the Motif dressing system is the Restore phase. These bandages help reduce the thickness of scar tissue formation and softens the scar tissue to make the incision site flexible so it will be more comfortable when you get back to your normal activities.

If you plan on your baby being born vaginally, they you may want to prepare some ice-packs to put on your perineal area after birth. You can purchase pre-made ones online, or you can easily make your own! Use organic pads and squirt witch hazel (100% witch hazel, make sure it doesn’t have any alcohol in it) and aloe gel on a pad and then fold it back up and put it in the freezer. You can make as many as you want! If you find you need more, you can ask one of your helpers to prep a few more for your freezer so that you can be at ease after birth. 

And don’t forget to keep taking magnesium when you’re postpartum! Magnesium is used in so many of our body’s processes. It helps with healing, milk supply, digestion, sleep, muscle function, and so much more! Particularly for the postpartum, magnesium is beneficial to prevent constipation, ease postpartum cramping, and help you get good quality sleep when you are able. Magnesium can also decrease some of the new mom anxiety that can be felt in the postpartum. But sometimes it can feel like there are just too many things to try and remember after birth, so before baby arrives, you might want to set up “stations” around your house where you think you’re most likely to feed your baby. You can put your supplements, support garments, water bottle, and snacks in an easy to reach spot so you can take care of yourself even while you are taking care of your baby. 

Information provided in blogs should not be used as a substitute for medical care or consultation.