Optimizing Weeks 0-2 Postpartum
Baby Feeding.
The first few weeks are all about adjusting to your new life with baby. And that largely looks like you sitting on the couch, trying to figure out how to feed your baby. Regardless of if you are breastfeeding, bottle feeding, pumping, or a mix — you spend A LOT of hours sitting. While you should be resting and recovering during this time, all that sitting can be problematic, if you don’t use proper ergonomics.
Below are my top recommendations for proper ergonomics while baby feeding to save your back, tailbone, neck, and shoulders from pain:
Opt for firm chairs with lumbar support.
Avoid crossing your legs and sit with feet planted on the ground or on a step stool for my shorter moms.
Bring baby to you, don’t lean towards baby.
Use pillows like a nursing ring and a lumbar support roll. If you’re experiencing tailbone pain, use a tailbone cushion.
Switch sides you feed from.
Start some gentle stretching to help counteract all the time you are spending sitting. Check out our Free Baby Feeding Stretches download.
Postpartum Meal Prep.
In the early postpartum period, breastfeeding may be at the forefront of your mind. It's a remarkable and energy-draining task, especially in the initial learning stages. During this time, it's crucial to nourish your body properly and take care of yourself. Remember, prioritizing your well-being is not selfish — your body needs extra care and attention to heal and recover during this time.
Below are simple tips to focus on when preparing food to eat postpartum:
Prioritize protein with every meal and snack. This will not only ensure that you have steady blood sugar and energy levels, but proteins are also the building blocks for tissue healing during this time.
Choose galactagogue foods to help promote your milk supply. Foods such as oats, sweet potatoes, flaxseeds, and dark leafy greens are all excellent choices.
Choose energy dense foods and high quality fats. Calorie needs increase during your postpartum period, therefore it is important to prioritize foods that are high in healthy fats to help keep hunger at bay.
Try and prepare 1-2 warm, comforting meals to quickly reheat postpartum, as well as a few grab-and-go snacks that are nutrient dense. Middle of the night feeding hunger is real! My favorites are lactation cookies, make ahead smoothie bags, and nutrient dense meatballs.
Consume foods that promote healing and replenish nutrients after delivery. You want to avoid postpartum depletion by increasing the intake of nutrients lost during the birth experience like protein, iron, omega 3 FA, B vitamins, and zinc.
Stay hydrated! Regardless of if you are breastfeeding or bottle feeding, hydration is important for healing and milk supply. A large water bottle helps - this one is our current obsession.
Bonding & Soothing.
Bonding with your baby does not always come immediately. Despite what you see on social media or in the movies, this is quite common! And if this resonates with you, know that you will develop a bond with your baby, in time.
Here are 8 ways to foster the bond between you and baby that are also good strategies to soothe a fussy little one.
Skin-to-skin: allowing baby to feel your skin, provides comforting physical touch, which fosters a sense of security and promotes tactile sensory development.
Baby massage: helps you create a mental map of your baby’s body, thus increasing your confidence in baby handling (diaper change, putting on/taking off onesies, bath time). A massage also provides comforting physical touch.
Look at your baby while talking to them: they love to hear your familiar voice. Pause and narrate before interactions (picking up, moving rooms, meeting new people). They’ll squirm, stretch, flicker eyes - this is their way of communicating with you.
Smell your baby: smelling your baby has been shown to release dopamine (i.e. “a reward response” like getting food you’ve been craving) and it promotes relaxation for you.
Use minimal scented products (shampoos, soaps, etc.): your baby quickly learns to associate your smell with comfort and safety. And you’re not imaging a stronger body odor than normal… this is a normal, temporary part of the postpartum experience due to significant hormonal changes, increased sweating, and your body's process of eliminating excess fluids after pregnancy. Some believe this helps baby recognize and bond with you!
Move with baby: try moving in a rocking chair while early postpartum. After a few weeks you can try baby wearing, walking with baby in a stroller, or holding them while bouncing on a yoga ball. Slow, gentle, and rhythmic movement is generally calming.
Shush rhythmically, loudly, and “competitively” with baby’s crying volume. Two effective ways to shush:
Think of a sound machine, one long “shhhhhh”
Short, repetitive bursts “shh, shh, shh, shh”
Allow baby to suck: sucking is a calming reflexive movement that babies are born with, so use it, whether that be your breast, a bottle, or a developmentally recommended pacifier.
We are here to help.
If you are looking for more guidance around any of these topics, check out OPTimize Postpartum: our comprehensive postpartum guide to fulfill all of your pelvic health, infant development, and postpartum recovery needs. Motherhood is a time of great change and starts with a steep learning curve. We created this guide to help you navigate through these postpartum changes and ease your transition. You can lean on a trusted, comprehensive, evidence-based resource as we hold your hand and give you relevant information for each week of your recovery and baby’s development. Rather than spending late nights googling and stressing, spend more time confidently bonding with baby and healing your body.
If you are looking for more individualized support, book a 1:1 consult.
