Our friend Jodi Wilson shared her preparations for the fourth trimester of her fourth child, Marigold on her blog Practising Simplicity a little while ago.  We love this idea of full rest and recuperation for mamas, and a time to fully have the space to bond with their new baby.  Jodi also talks about how this may look when you have little ones in the family too.

Jodi shares some of her favourite quotes from the book ‘The First Forty Days by Heng Ou', such as:

Warmth “…a woman’s blood volume almost double during pregnancy to support her growing baby; after birth, the loss of this excess of warm, circulating blood, combined with her open state, means that heat must be recaptured and circulation boosted to optimise healing…there is one piece of the warming approach that is timeless: eating soft and easily digestible foods in the early days after birth, to support the weakened digestive fire and gently help to stoke it.”

Support “….what helps put all of this care – warming food, naps and rest, cocooning without errands – within reach? Having some kind of support system to help pull it off…with a little advance planning, a mother-to-be can put out a call for support in the weeks to come, and she may be surprised who responds and how. Society may not offer safety nets any more, but we can start to make our own.”

Rest “…there is no getting away from the fact that the sheer energetic expenditure of recovery and newborn care accrues for every single woman, even the ones who have straightforward births. And if this expenditure is not met with enough rest and quiet, it leaves a deficit that catches up with her down the line.”

A lot of this homely newborn bliss can be achieved through some planning months before baby is born and extending a call for help to friends and family can make a world of difference.  We loved these tips from Jodi:

1. Most cooked foods keep for three months in the freezer so once you reach 32 weeks pregnant, plan some big batch cooking. Alternatively, utilise your slow cooker (and make sure your partner knows exactly how to use it, too!).  When it comes to food for the newborn phase remember that nourishing, warming foods are key. Steer clear of salads and opt for roasted vegies, casseroles, broth, soups etc

2. In the weeks leading up to your birth, if friends and family ask you what you need, tell them: food! After all, there are only so many muslin wraps and teddy bears that you’ll need. If you’re having a baby shower request that a two-week meal roster is set-up and let your friends know that while sometimes you’ll be up for a quick chat when they drop a meal around, sometimes you’ll be in bed, resting.

3. Stock up on snacks – lots of them! New mothers have an insatiable appetite so do a bit of baking in preparation.

4. Stock the pantry and embrace online grocery shopping. This is an integral part of nesting and absolutely vital during the first few weeks so you really can stay home and cuddle up with your baby.

5. Organise family, friends or babysitters to take your older children to pre-school, school or for daily outings to the park.

6. If someone asks you how they can help, tell them! Waking up to a clean kitchen or freshly folded washing are little things that are so big when you’re a new mum.

7. Learn to accept help – it’s a skill for life.

Pop over to Jodi’s blog, Practising Simplicity to read the full post and take it easy, mama's.

x Nb