Although it may sometimes seem that postpartum difficulties will never end, be assured, they will. You will come to know what are postpartum issues and what are life issues. These are the issues that have been there in the background vaguely (or not so vaguely) hanging about from before. What helps to get through postpartum? Time - It will take as much time as it takes, there is no specific amount of time. You are unique as are all the others who experience this. You will have your own unique way of getting through. At the same time you are part of a large crowd of courageous women. There are those who have come before you and those who are still to come to this time of their lives. Self Care - I cannot stress how important this is in this process. Taking care of oneself everyday a little or a lot. It can be as small as a 5 minute rest, a flower on the table, a few rejuvenating deep breaths or a favorite beverage or food item. It can be medium, a warm bath or shower, an exercise class, a walk on a sunny day. Or it can be larger, and some of these take time to work up to, a day or weekend away doing something that you really love, alone or with a friend or partner. The possibilities are endless and very individual. You will know what it is that nurtures you and you will begin to see that what lies under the self care is something so necessary - self acknowledgment. If you don 't know now, that's okay, you are learning and this is very exciting because you are learning about a very special and important person, you! A wonderful resource is, The Woman 's Comfort Rook by Jennifer Louden. Support - People in your life for different needs. I have a wonderful friend named Helen. I share birthdays with her, coffee, recipes and she is interested in my children, but I don't share the very intimate details of my fears and challenges. Now Maureen is one of my most special of friends, and we don't often share recipes but with her I share my difficulties, my hopes, my fears, my secrets and my dreams. Kerry is very dear to me; she and I discuss what it's like to be mothers of many children and spiritual aspects of mothering and wifing. Sheryl has been my buddy since I was seventeen years old. You can bet she knows a lot about me (from puberty to premenopause). And then there is Sandy and she and I have great walks and enjoy great wine. These and others hold a special place in my heart. I can have fun with them. I can laugh with some and cry with others. To some of these friendships I bring all of me, and that is truly a wonderful gjft. To others, I take parts of me and this too, is a gift in its own right. Yourself - Trust yourself, remember to listen to your intuition, those feelings and that small quiet voice inside (or maybe you have a loud voice inside) that directs you. Focus on what is in your heart and ask that special place of wisdom within, for clues and answers. It may be impossible to believe right now, but good can come from this very difficult time. You will have learned many things about yourself. You will have learned transferable tools that you can use to assist yourself and others in the future when other life transitions come up. I wish you the best!
Linda King
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