08/28/2024
Expecting mamas!
Do you know the 5-5-5 rule for postpartum?
The 5-5-5 rule is great for learning how to practice self-care for yourself.
Five Days in the Bed
The first 5 days you spend in bed are spent allowing your body to heal without interruption. It gives you precious time to rest and bond with your newborn in a protected bubble-like environment. Your job is to sleep, nap, and feed your baby. Let others meal prep and clean, while you read, practice skin-to-skin, watch TV, breastfeed your baby, and rest, rest, rest. I know it's hard for you, mama, but really try to allow yourself this time.
Five Days on the Bed
During these next 5 days, you can start to sit up and do things on the bed. Get dressed, make the bed, and exert little movement that’s low effort while still listening to your body and not venturing far out from your bed. You should continue to have skin-to-skin and cuddle time with your baby as this will help release oxytocin hormones to help you bond and breastfeed.
This is a great time to start involving other children in your daily routine with their new sibling. Watching a show, reading books, and doing light playtime activities such as coloring or playing with toys are all great things to keep your older children involved and start introducing them to their new sibling.
Five Days around the Bed
While your focus should still be on resting, during these 5 days, you can stand up and move around the bed and maybe venture into other parts of your house. Being in other areas of the house doesn’t mean you are resuming all responsibilities you had pre-birth. If you feel up to it, you may fold some laundry or do other light activities around the bed but try to limit standing to 30 minutes at a time, and of course, listen to your body!
If you’re feeling stir-crazy or like things aren’t getting done around the house, because that’s often how new moms feel, invite some friends or family over to help with household tasks! It truly takes a village, so allow those who are able to help you.
