Pregnancy - First 40 Days - Dos and Don'ts

You have just given birth and the excitement of being a mother is seeping into you. With this new explosion of energy, you can turn two ways. Either get home feeling extremely exhausted and down and sleep the days away or go nuts with the new found energy. If you are on the verge to commit the latter, let me help draw you a list of do's and don'ts in this article.

Don'ts

Don't be a superwoman! If you're somebody who used to excel in multitasking, it's time to relinquish that title for a while. Caring for your baby and getting enough rest alone will keep you busy daily. Let hubby attend to matters for a while. Everything can be shelved; only attend to matters if it needs immediate attention. Don't commit yourself to any strenuous activity such as moving house or racquetball playing.

Workouts are a no-go for the first 40 days even if you're up and about a few days after giving birth. Your body is still not ready for the high-impact workouts for several weeks. Although most mothers are usually back on their feet within two weeks of giving birth, they better off restricting themselves to low-impact activities. It's not uncommon for many mothers to engage in yoga exercises around this time.

Sex? No! You've just had your baby hence muscles and whatnots are probably very sore. Sexual intercourse should preferably only resume after the postnatal check-up. Of course with the hormones going haywire in you, sex may be something you would pounce on. Refrain yourself for six weeks if possible. Don't say we didn't warn you!

Dos

If the previous paragraph has upset your husband, here's something he can rejoice about. When we said preferably no sex, we didn't rule out love play. Hand petting by you on him or vice versa, is encouraged. You don't want to reach a point where you both lose interest in sex (although we have our doubts over any man ever losing interest in sex!).

Do build up on good nutrition. We are not just saying this to help you get into the process of regaining your strength or to supplement Baby with the necessities when you breastfeed. We are insisting on this because studies have shown that good nutrition (with good moral support) prevent mood swings and hence decrease postpartum depression.

Do drink lots of water. Before you roll your eyes at us and mumble that you already know that, allow us to emphasise why we are not just telling you, but writing it in capital letters and highlighting it. Flushing out toxins and aiding in digestion and elimination are just general stuff water helps with. Drinking heaps of water also helps facilitate milk production.

Do get a postnatal massage if possible. The benefits of getting a massage are tenfold. Not only does the massage provide relaxation, it releases stress, relieves aches on shoulders and neck, hastens the reduction of fluid retention, helps the uterus to shrink to its original size and reduces cellulite. If you have delivered via C-section, then consult a massage therapist before you partake in this massage.

Rest and more rest. Nursing affects the hormones and thus would leave you exhausted. There is no such thing as too much rest for a mother who has just given birth. Try and master the art of catnapping. This will be extra beneficial when you need to wake up in the middle of the night and feed Baby.

So there you have it - some do's and don'ts that you should be aware of in those first 40 days. Enjoy the arrival of your little one and rest well.