Beyond Birth Program

9

Modules

1

Hormone Test

12

Support Group Sessions

Weekly Modules

Do You Have a Support Team?

  • Family & Friends
  • Lactation Consultant
    • Monitor breastfeeding
  • Postpartum Doula
    • Newborn care
    • Breastfeeding/formula feeding
    • https://doulamatch.net/

    • https://www.dona.org/what-is-a-doula/find-a-doula/ 
  • Chiropractor
    • Help with post-pregnancy pain
    • Support for newborn as well
  • Craniosacral Therapist
    • Process the birth
    • Tongue/lip ties
  • Acupuncture and/or Reiki
    • Process the birth
    • Restore energy levels
    • Help balance nervous system

Unwelcomed Visitors

  • Support team
    • Navigate unwelcomed visitors
  • Make a list of how they can help
    • Does not have to include coming to your home
  • Set limits
    • Visiting times
    • Tasks
  • Remember your priority is caring for yourself and baby


Benefits of Breastfeeding

  • Successful breastfeeding is best
  • Nutrients
  • Immunity
  • Gut Health
  • Palate formation
  • Speech

Healthy Formula Alternatives


Additional Considerations


Self-Care

  • Prenatal Vitamin
  • Rest, rest, rest
  • Focus on quality nutrients
  • Ask for help
  • Join support group
    • Free with this course
  • Consider scheduling “you-time

Healing


Sleep Deprivation

  • Normal Newborn Sleep Patterns
    • Wake to eat
    • Shorter sleep cycles
    • Unregulated circadian rhythms until 6 weeks
  • Mother’s lack of sleep can impact physical and mental health


How To Maximize Sleep

  • Rely on your support team
  • Sleep when baby sleeps
    • Focus on 7-9 hours total
  • Keep baby close when sleeping
    • Invest in a co-sleeper
    • Bassinet near the bed
    • Co-sleeping
  • Involve your partne


Support Baby’s Sleep

  • Sunlight
  • Well fed
  • Use calming music
  • Diffuse lavender oil
  • Warm bat

 

What’s The Difference

  • Baby Blues
    • Normal & common in the 2 weeks after birth
    • Caused by hormonal changes & experience of being a new mom
    • Really happy to very sad
    • Does not need treatment
    • Partner can also experience
    • Lasting longer – sign of postpartum depression
  • Postpartum Anxiety
    • Constant worry or feeling of dread
    • Having trouble sleeping or staying asleep when baby is sleeping
    • Racing thoughts
    • May require medical care
  • Can also include physical symptoms
    • Heart palpitations
    • Hyperventilating
    • Nausea, shaking/trembling

What To Do

  • Rely on your support team
  • Focus on sleep
  • Schedule some self-care
  • Find a new parent support group
    • Join our Balance, Blossom, Birth Support Group
  • Avoid alcohol and caffeine


Prevention

  • Rely on your support team
  • Focus on sleep
  • Schedule some self-care
  • Find a new parent support group
    • Join our Balance, Blossom, Birth Support Group
  • Avoid alcohol and caffeine
  • Eat healthy & exercise when you are ready
  • Incorporate healthy fats
    • Cod liver oil

 

How Long to Wait

  • No timeline for when
  • Recommend waiting until bleeding stops
  • C-section
    • Note abdominal muscles
    • Can take 3-6 months to feel back to normal
  • Vaginal birth
    • Note tearing and/or stitches
    • Can take 7-10 days to heal; talk to your doctor/midwife


Things to Remember

  • Weight loss postpartum varies from person to person
  • Lack of sleep can impact weight loss
    • Higher levels of cortisol
  • Hormones take time to return back to normal
    • Impact cortisol
  • Exercise will be limited
  • Returning to work can ad additional stress
  • Experience of being a new mom

Where to Focus

  • Healthy fats
  • Avoid processed sugars and simple carbs
  • Eat enough clean protein, greens and veggies
    • Prenatal/postnatal vitamin
  • Exercise (when ready)
  • Poop everyday, well-formed
  • Spend time in the sun daily
  • Self-care

 


Hormones After Birth


How To Balance Hormones Naturally

  • Focus on- Focus on healthy fats
  • Cut out- Cut out processed sugars and simple carbs
  • Eat- Eat enough clean protein
  • Add- Add lots of colorful greens and veggies
  • Move- Exercise (when ready) and maintain a healthy BMI
  • Poop- 3 times a day, well-formed

Support Group Access

On-Going Weekly
Mondays at 6:00PM EST/ 3:00 PM PST