staying warm postpartum
Postpartum recovery looks different for every woman. Something that is universally beneficial though, is the Ayurvedic philosophy of cultivating warmth in the weeks immediately following birth.
In Ayurveda, birth is considered a yang experience (energy expressed outward, associated with warmth/heat, movement + intensity). Providing balance to this energy, the the postpartum period is a very yin experience (slow, cooling, restful). It’s recognised that this yin energy can become excessive easily, and so emphasis in Ayurvedic postpartum care sits on cultivating warmth.
From a physiological perspective, during postpartum the demand on our bodies is immense. We are healing placental wounds the size of a dinner plate, working on contracting our uterus back down to its original size, healing any tears, cuts, or grazes, producing breastmilk, experiencing massive hormonal fluctuations and operating from much less sleep than we are used to (or at the very least, very disrupted sleep).
Warmth + blood flow help our bodies to heal faster and more effectively while cold constricts blood vessels and slows the process down. Not only is is physically supportive, but cultivating warmth also conveniently goes hand in hand with many of the nourishing foods that support us nutritionally through the physical, mental, hormonal + emotional demands of postpartum.
Incorporate warming elements into your postpartum period by:
Wearing warm clothes and snuggling up under warm blankets (especially focus on keeping your feet warm with some cosy socks).
Eating warm, nourishing foods such as soups, stews + curries. Go heavy on nourishing foods such as eggs, oily fish, leafy greens, eggs, meat + bone marrow, raw nuts + seeds, fruit (fresh + served at room temperature, baked or stewed) and root vegetables.
In summer when you’d rather avoid too much heat, try eating room temperature foods with ingredients that promote blood flow + digestive fire, such as cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, chillies, ginger, garlic + onion.
Drinking lots of (warm) liquids such as bone or vegetable broth, herbal teas or cacao with organic dairy milk (check out Barambah Organics for well-cared for cows)
Taking warm baths (perhaps with some healing herbs for you and baby). Read here for why I advocate for this over using frozen padsicles.
Cultivating energetic warmth - love, laughter, snuggles, good company, feeling cared for + supported. Snuggle with your partner and your new baby, enjoy visits from friends and families who come to care for you when you’re feeling ready to see others, hire a doula, cleaner or cook to help you feel supported at home. Call in your village.
I’d love to hear if you felt naturally called to any of these practices during postpartum, or what your postpartum healing looked like. Hop over to the instagram post here to share your experience!