How to Pack Your Post-Birth Bag - Naturopathic & Ayurvedic Tips!
Some women start packing their post-birth bag as soon as they find out they’re pregnant. This might sound a little extreme, but at the same time, you also don’t want to wait until the last minute. Being prepared gives you one less thing to worry about so that you can focus all your energy on birthing your baby.
Whether you are planning a home birth or a hospital/clinic birth, being prepared for your early postpartum days is deeply nourishing after the transformative ordeal that is childbirth.
As you’re preparing for delivery day, what should you include in your post-birth bag? We’re sharing a few of the less familiar items that are easily overlooked but will make you glad you packed them:
Warm Socks and Breast-feeding Friendly, Natural Fibre Clothing
After women give birth, many traditional medicine modalities recognize that a woman's body is susceptible to excess 'cold'. The extreme physical exertion, the loss of blood and bodily fluids, and the drastic hormonal changes all contribute to this.
Beyond the practical recommendations of keeping the heat in the mother's body with warm socks, suitable clothing made of natural fibres and avoiding cool food and drinks to stay physically warm, it is also recommended to increase warmth in the abdomen.
Eye Mask/Pillow & Essential Oil Diffuser
Whilst you may feel exhausted after you deliver, for many reasons including an intense adrenalin rush or bright lighting, you may find it difficult to actually sleep. Be prepared for this and prevent postpartum depletion by having a simple eye mask like when you fly to block out any harsh lights and encourage the mind to slow down. Diffusing relaxing oils like chamomile, orange, lavender and ylang-ylang will also help your mind relax and soothe your nervous system.
Postnatal depletion is a serious condition that can affect your mental and physical wellbeing, to learn more about this condition we recommend you check out the Book by Dr Oscar Serrallach: "The Postnatal Depletion Cure: A Complete Guide to Rebuilding Your Health and Reclaiming Your Energy for Mothers of Newborns, Toddlers, and Young Children".
Ayurvedic Perineal Mist
A tender perineum deserves a cooling and soothing Repair and Tone mist. Natural anti-inflammatory ingredients like yarrow root and witch hazel help with healing, while rose water and cucumber soothes and cools. Spritz the mist to reduce swelling and ease comfort in the bathroom.
You can even spray the mist onto your maternity pads for extra comfort.
Vata Oil
After women give birth, no matter what their original constitution is, they are high in Vata due to the space left in their womb and oils help to combat this whilst the cloth helps to ‘seal’ the space.
This vata herbal body oil blends several restorative herbs, including ashwagandha, sandalwood, cardamom, and chamomile (among many others). It’s ideal for promoting better skin health and restoring a youthful glow, as well as hydration and brightening. Use it for post-partum massage (particularly around the joints that were subjected to pressure during pregnancy and delivery) and give yourself a pick-me-up to remove some of the “hospital feel” from your skin.
Belly Bind
Belly binding, or belly wrapping, is an ancient Ayurvedic practice that promotes faster recovery through abdominal repair. Your body has experienced a lot during pregnant, and a belly wrap helps to provide extra support for your healing womb and surrounding organs. It also helps to take the pressure off the back and neck, ensuring new mums feel comfortable and supported as they move through a new chapter in life.
Applying warm oils and binding with a benkgung is a critical component of preventing deletion in postpartum women in Ayurveda. Traditionally, warming herbal oils are applied to the abdomen prior to wrapping to prevent excess air accumulating in the abdomen and stimulate womb healing and balance.
Motherhood Tea
A blend of shatavari, fennel, and hibiscus, our delicious motherhood tea supports postnatal recovery and lactation.
The shatavari helps to reduce feelings of stress and make your transition into motherhood a happy occasion. The loose-leaf tea can be made by the cup for extra freshness or in large batches for busy mamas.
Spicy-sweet fennel boosts milk supply and supports digestion for mama and baby. Anti-inflammatory Ginger and nutrient-dense nettle promote physical recovery. Calming Chamomile soothes the nervous system, Hibiscus flowers assist in mood stability, and Lemon balm nourishes the nerves and immune system.
Nursing Pads
If you are planning on breastfeeding, these are essential! Depending on the length of your hospital stay, your milk may come in before you arrive home. And when it does, you’ll be glad to have some absorbent nursing pads on hand.
Your baby doesn’t require much milk in its first few days of life, so your production won’t be as high. But you might still seep through your clothes which can leave you feeling wet, sticky, and uncomfortable.
We recommend this new motherhood bundle that includes two eco-friendly handmade nursing pads and our motherhood organic tea.
Nutritious Snacks & Supplements
Hospital cafeterias mean well when it comes to feeding their patients, but many underestimate just how much of an appetite you work up during delivery. It’s a good idea to pack healthy snacks that you can eat between meals instead of taking multiple trips to the vending machines.
We love having a thermos filled with tea, dates, nuts, seeds, and nutrient dense broths and juices for those early days when your digestive fire may still be a bit weak.
If you can prearrange your postpartum meals that is even better, there are many wonderful postpartum doulas offering their services these days with incredibly nutrient dense foods.
Get inspired by checking our books like "The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother" Book by Amely Greeven, Heng Ou, and Marisa Belger for recipes and postpartum tips.
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