The Kind Mama by Alicia Silverstone

Author:Alicia Silverstone
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harmony/Rodale
Published: 2014-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

You Might Get Backed Up

Your entire body needs to recalibrate after giving birth, and that includes your bowel movements. The foods and dishes recommended in “The Food Remedy: Your Healing Postbirth Menu” will help your system return to its regular self.

For Gentlemen Only: Protecting the Nest

By the time your baby is born, your lady will have been on one of the trippiest rides she could ever have imagined. Her body, her brain, her hormones, her spirit, her emotions—just about every particle of her being has been taken out, shaken up, and rearranged. She’ll need to physically heal and she may need to emotionally recalibrate, too.

That’s where you come in. You are the protector of the mama-baby cocoon. Any actions you can take to ensure your partner is nourished, comfortable, content, and free to do nothing but bond with baby is helping your little family put down strong roots. But remember to take time for yourself, too. This incredible baby vacation is yours to enjoy just as much as it is your partner’s. By making it your job to soak up every bit of this incredible time, it’ll be so much sweeter for everyone.

Here are a few tips for navigating this new territory:

Run interference. Of course, your friends and family will want to see the new baby. But visitors are not always beneficial in the first few weeks after birth. If “zero visitation” is how your lady chooses to proceed after the baby comes, let people know that she and the baby are happily nesting and that you’ll gladly open your home to visitors when the time comes. If you do have guests over, let them know what kind of foods to bring, whether there are any errands they might be able to run on their way over, or if there’s something around the house they might be able to handle on your new family’s behalf.

When guests are there, pay close attention to your partner and her body language. If she’s looking a little droopy or is giving you the wide-eyed “Get them out of here!” look, it’s time for you to escort everyone out the door. No one will think you’re being a jerk for asking them to leave. You’re simply practicing an important part of being a parent: preserving your energy so baby can have the best of you.

Keep the nest neat. There’s nothing more irritating to a new mom—or most women, really—than clutter. Every morning, take the time to walk around the house and straighten up anything that might be distracting.

Anticipate her needs. Healing and nursing mamas need plenty of nourishing snacks and fluids. Take a peek at the special healing foods listed earlier in this chapter and surprise your partner by making sure the house is well stocked with healthy provisions. Offer them to her from time to time without her having to ask, and she’ll melt with gratitude.

Assert yourself. While the most important thing a new mama can do right after birth is spend all day

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