It's a boy!! The truth of the after birth effects.

Image The Age

It's a boy!! We all love the arrival of a healthy little bub, it's thrilling and ever so exciting but often the pain and the changes of a womans body is rarely talked about. We just don't talk about the after effects of birth.

I'm here to tell you, its not so glamorous and can be painful for a while. I have the philosophy of telling my patients that over the next 3 months - consider them your fourth trimester. Rest, Recuperate and Recover.

When I had my first baby, my friends couldn't believe that my tummy was still full - they visited 14 hours after the birth! I too was slightly surprised that it was still protruding 3 months later! Yes it can take that long and this is the reason that I now support the use of a belly wrap. I used a belly wrap after the birth of my second son, it was amazing and assisted my uterus retracting back into my abdomen very quickly, I looked back to 'normal' in weeks.

The pain and discomfort after birth, where do I start; vagina, breasts, bottom, tummy everything is painful, you have just birthed (on average) a 3.5kg baby and placenta. I was in pain after my first birth for four weeks, it was incredible. Mind you I had a relatively good first labor experience; 6 hours, no drugs, natural birth - how could I be in so much after pain! Let me tell you I was.

Image The Age

There is pain when your milk comes in, your breasts swell and fill. There's also nipple pain, the Australian Breastfeeding Association say that there should be no pain when breastfeeding, and they are right to a degree, but initially you have never had anyone suckle from your nipples as much as your newborn and it irritates the skin and is a new sensation. Relax in the comfort of your own home, braless, use some nipple cream if needed. Drink plenty of water and keep hydrated.

The uterus starts retracting when you start feeding your baby and for some women this again is painful and uncomfortable, I'm not making it sound too good but I'm re-enforcing the need to Rest, Recover and Recuperate.

And then there are the 'baby blues', your bodies hormones drop and the tears flow. This can occur around day three after birth or later. Sometimes the blues can turn into post-natal depression, don't be scared if you can't connect with your baby there is support. Speak to someone close to you, or contact PANDA. 

Rest, Recover and Recuperate. If you were lucky enough to live in some villages in China, you would recover for 3 months in bed and bond with your gorgeous baby when he or she needed feeding. Motherhood is really a beautiful experience but we all need to respect our bodies and recover. Eat well, rest, drink, love and laugh, I've written before about my tips for new mums here.

Most of all give your self a BIG pat on the back, you've just grown and birthed a beautiful little human - CONGRATULATIONS.

Tips for new new mums

Image Pinterest

As we welcomed a new baby son in October, yes it was really that long ago. Another beautiful boy to add to our family, I thought I would list some simple tips on how to keep a new mum sane!

'Tips to help settle into being a new mum' but I think you all know the golden rules.

• First week (or first 3 months) be INDULGENT and loose all GUILT, sleep, accept all offers of help, have no shame just say YES and if you are not particularly good at it learn fast.
• I can't emphasise enough how slow you should take it; REST. Think of the next three months as the fourth trimester.
• EAT. Eat good healthy wholefoods, forget biscuits and cakes, eat real food, nurture your body. Almonds are a great to snack.
• DRINK lots of water, keep rehydrated especially if you are breastfeeding, fill a jug of water to have on the bench and just keep topping up your glass through out the day
• SLEEP and generally rest and hang with your baby.
• Slowly reintroduce yourself back into the world and BE GENTLE with yourself DON'T PLACE UNREALISTIC GOALS ON YOU OR YOUR BABY.
• Want that tummy to return to normal? Try these Belly belt it will be the best investment you can ever make and will help your uterus contract and your tummy retract. (Wish I'd known about this post my babies, I wore high waisted bike-like pants; it was very difficult to go to the toilet!)
• Begin activating your PELVIC floor as soon as possible after the birth. The sooner you get started the sooner you will be in better shape in more ways than one. I wore these great high waisted 'contour shorts', yes very attractive but they pulled my uterus in much faster than after having my first child. Your tummy may never be the same as prior to pregnancy but CORE STRENGTH activation will certainly help.
• Don't make too many rules or timetables as you may just come unstuck and no-one wants that, not you nor your husband/partner or family. Everyone does love a new mum and is only willing to help - Just ask.
• Take a good quality SUPPLEMENT to help with your energy levels, best to see a health professional and be prescribed the correct therapeutic doses.
• Get out of the house and WALK, breathe FRESH AIR and mostly ENJOY your new bub because as everyone says 'they grow up so quickly'!
• Welcome to motherhood

What's your best tip for a new mum? 

Happy 2012

Hello - Welcome 2012.


So much has happened in my life since I have last blogged, and boy am I really starting to miss it (especially since it has taken me nearly 2 weeks to load this post)!!!!


Firstly, happy new year, I hope that you have taken the time to reflect and think about the exciting new year ahead. I certainly have - I have set myself achievable goals. I believe all new starts are exciting and essentially highly motivating! So knock yourself out.
Secondly, I have been slack on the blogging front as we welcomed a beautiful, healthy son - he (and Master 2) have been taking up a lot of my time. In fact it is back to not beating myself up if only one task a day gets completed, the bar hasn't been set too high! We have all been muddling along and trying to find a rhythm with our new family member. It is truly such a beautiful and exciting time to welcome a new baby if not a little hectic. He's another good bub so I can't complain - I really do love them so much - it 's crazy a parents love for their children - you really don't think you can love someone so much - argh the human body/mind/being!


Hence, my blog has suffered and I often wonder how do mums do it - that is live, look after children, cook, clean, shop, wash, have moments to themselves? Well, I guess we all learn a rhythm that suits us and our family. I had a rhythm but it's now up in the air, so I am now learning a new one.


I have been meaning to write a post on 'Tips to help settle into being a new mum' but I think you all know the golden rules.

• First week (or first 3 months) be indulgent, sleep, accept all offers of help, have no shame just say YES and if you are not particularly good at it learn fast.
• Eat good healthy wholefoods, drink lots of water, sleep and generally rest and hang with your baby.
• Slowly reintroduce yourself back into the world and be gentle with yourself.
• Want that tummy to return to normal? Begin activating your pelvic floor as soon as possible after the birth. The sooner you get started the sooner you will be in better shape in more ways than one. I wore these great high waisted 'contour bike shorts', yes very attractive but they pulled my uterus in much faster than after having my first child. Your tummy may never be the same as prior to pregnancy but core strength activation will certainly help.
• Don't make too many rules or timetables as you may just come unstuck and no-one wants that, not you nor your husband/partner or family. Everyone does love a new mum and is only willing to help - Just ask.
• Take a good quality supplement to help with your energy levels, best to see a health professional to be prescribed the correct therapeutic doses.
• Get out of the house and WALK, breath FRESH AIR and mostly ENJOY your new bub because as everyone says 'they grow up so quickly'!