PART II:
Postpartum Resilience
03/20/2020
Guest: Susana Marquez, LMFT
Being a new mom is undoubtedly one of the most transformation experiences in our lives. This postpartum stage is an exciting, life-changing and overwhelming experience that many of us failed to prepare for. Here are some amazing recommendations shared by Susana Marquez, LMFT that could help you normalize your experiences and have some sort of comfort during this very interesting stage of your motherhood journey.
Helpful Recommendations for Moms during the Postpartum Stage
- Have a support system. We can't do it alone. We need to be able to articulate and express effectively what we need with a good group of people, whether it be family or friends. Ask for additional help, or if you need to seek professional help, or need a day for yourself. Having someone else stepping in and taking care of your baby could create that beautiful bond between the community. You as a mother should have that support system for yourself, too, this could be your family and friends or some professional help or a support group with other moms. Knowing that there's someone for you to count on and knowing that there are other people experiencing the same can help normalize the process and provide a sense of help.
- Create a safety plan. Being a new mom can bring so many vulnerabilities and expose you to different kinds of emotion. It can even bring a lot of fear and uncertainty, you may ask yourself “how many times is he going to wake up?” “What am I going to do? or “oh, my God, what if something happens”. It can be such a scary and intense moment especially if you’re doing it all yourself. Creating a safety plan or a postpartum plan while you’re pregnant could greatly help you to be more ready when the baby comes. Identify the people who could help you at three in the morning when the baby is colicky, or when you need a shower or just need a 15 minute break for yourself.
- Take care of yourself. Something that we often forget in the process is taking care of our health. If you’re not healthy, then you can't take care of others especially your children. Try to get as much sleep and rest as possible, and maintain a healthy diet to help your body heal in no time. Having a good support system could greatly help you take care of your overall health, too. There's no other way around that but really taking care of yourself in order for you to take care of your family.
It is also important to remember that every new mom is different. Not everyone will have the same experiences and not everyone will get used to being a mom at the same rate. While postpartum can be a difficult time, don’t forget to also enjoy this wonderful stage with your newborn.
The Postpartum Support International, which is being supported by Susana, has a Helpline: 1-800-944-4773 where mothers can be directed to all different forms of postpartum care like if you are seeking for a lactation consultant or therapy or a mom's group. From wherever you're at or whatever city you're in, they have different coordinators that would assist you.
Susana’s work purpose is that mothers during this stage reach out and learn that there are tools and professionals out there that are ready to help them navigate this stage. You can reach her at www.wellnessparalamama.com, through her Instagram account @wellnessparalamama, or via email at [email protected].
To listen to this amazing episode with Susana Marquez, LMFT, please visit https://www.thebeyondresiliencelife.com/blog/post-partum-resilience.
With love,
Lydiana