As you prepare for your postpartum, I wanted to summarise a few points in case you overlooked them
The FOURTH TRIMESTER
During Pregnancy, the focus is always on the bump. Even after the birth, the focus goes to the unborn child. As a postpartum Doula, my focus is on the mother so she can look after her family with renewed energy, in calm and supportive way after all the extra support has gone. Because babies don’t come with a user manual, my aim is to help you as a family to thrive in your new roles.
They say it takes tonnes of consistency to turn something into a habit. Establishing new family routines can be tough. It takes patience and consistency.
My own understanding of the 40 Day rest
Traditionally we would stay away from the outside world, so in confinement for 40 days after childbirth to recuperate, re-energize and stabilize ourselves. The only contact is with the immediate family living in the homestead with the new mother and baby. The baby is not exposed to outside energies for fear of diseases and bad spells too. In Africa it is believed that babies are pure and evil spirits are attracted to them, so you may find a newborn baby with a drawing on her forehead to waide away the bad spirits, or mothers using bottle covers to cover their babies food away from people's eyes
This practice has been going for all the times i can remember. My own mother came to the Netherlands to honor my 40day period with both my pregnancies and births. Culturally and Traditionally, we name the baby on the 40th day and the hair is shaven to pace way for a new beginning and then everyone is welcome to hold the baby etc. Therefore; I understand first hand the importance of rest after birth
So traditionally i was raised with the culture and it is imprinted in me naturally :-)
A son in my culture is welcomed with Bow and Arrow to signify his sex (male), the sourcer and finder for his family. After the naming ceremony and shaving of the hair, the baby is now called by his given name 🙌🏾. I am from the Mijikenda tribe, the people of the Coast