Despite the common phrase “Pregnancy is not a disease”, it is difficult to ignore the fact that in the process of bearing a child, a woman’s body changes seriously.
And after childbirth, everything goes completely differently than before: physical and psychological changes can be quite serious.
Many are sure that the body itself knows exactly how to recover after childbirth and no additional procedures are required. Everyone knows that “they gave birth in the field – and nothing”, and therefore what kind of special post-natal recovery can we talk about? However, history keeps a lot of facts in favor of the fact that a lot of time was devoted to the recovery process after childbirth: special herbal decoctions were used to stimulate the process of uterine contraction, and a special message, time was given to communication – the woman who gave birth could speak out and cry out, throwing out the accumulated after childbirth and the first days of motherhood emotions.
Now young parents are immersed in caring for the baby, trying to simultaneously establish breastfeeding, sleep, fight colic, and also maintain their usual level of comfort at home. Mom is often in no hurry or does not want to seek help, taking on an incredible burden in the first weeks after childbirth. She often does not have time or energy to think about her own recovery after childbirth.
The well-being of women who have given birth, especially in the first weeks after childbirth, can hardly be called excellent – postpartum bleeding, lochia, lasting about 5-6 weeks, constipation, headaches, back pain, damaged nipples. Up to 40% of women after vaginal delivery and 60% of those who have had a cesarean section experience pelvic pain. In addition, psychological problems are not uncommon – anxiety, depression, and increased emotionality. It is difficult to enjoy motherhood, as required by society, on all fronts in this state.
Postpartum recovery is an important stage that obstetricians advise to pay special attention to. One of the effective methods that have been gaining popularity in recent years is postpartum swaddling, which is part of the closure of childbirth.
How is postpartum swaddling going?
“Postpartum swaddling is a set of measures aimed at the recovery of a woman after childbirth. There is an opinion that it affects all the main aspects of a woman’s life: it helps her restore psychological comfort and physiological health, ”explains Elena Ordiyants, doctor, obstetrician-gynecologist.
Different nations have traditions of closing childbirth – despite some differences in the techniques used, the general principles of this process are similar. Postnatal swaddling is carried out no earlier than 40 days after childbirth. The woman is offered a warming drink, such as spiced tea or cocoa, and a hot herbal bath. “In addition, it is at this moment that the pronunciation of childbirth takes place,” says Irina Zakharchenko, a practicing midwife. “A woman speaks out, gives out her emotions and experiences, often talks about her problems and anxieties that are not related to childbirth”
Then there is work with the internal organs, primarily with the uterus, the so-called “ladder” of the abdomen, says Irina, for which each specialist has his own techniques. The final stage is actually swaddling. “We choose aromatic oils together, and I cover the woman’s entire body with oil, and suggest that she put on warm socks and a hat. After that, I start swaddling – carefully, like a baby, first I swaddle my arms, then my legs, then my whole body, up to 7-8 layers. The procedure is emotionally very discharged, women often begin to cry in the process.
Mom is really swaddled like a baby. The procedure takes quite a lot of time, on average 4-6 hours, and therefore those who decide on it need to think in advance about who the baby will be with during this time. Irina notes that in the initial stages, until swaddling, the baby can be applied to the breast or held in her arms, but at the final stage of the procedure, the mother will not be able to feed the baby.
Does postpartum swaddling help you recover faster after childbirth?
But is postpartum swaddling really a necessary procedure for a woman who has recently given birth? Irina Gavrilova, a well-known blogger, and mother of six children shared her impressions of the closure of childbirth on her Instagram (The social network was recognized as extremist and banned in the Russian Federation): “But it was great to feel this care on the 40th day after childbirth, how in the old tradition. There was a bath with herbs and conversations, then a thorough massage, scrub, and the actual swaddling, called “7 locks”. I don’t know if the name itself comes from Mexican or Slavic traditions. Because Mexican women traditionally tied the woman who gave birth with rebozo scarves, our midwives did the correction of the abdomen and pulled (swaddled) the mother with towels.
The popular TV presenter Tutta Larsen also chose such a procedure for herself after the birth of her son Vanya: “In theory, after swaddling, there should be such an effect that all internal organs fall into place and you return to normal almost immediately. My postpartum swaddling became more of a soothing event for me, I would even call it cosmetic-psychological, but I can’t say that it was a real help for me in restoring my internal organs.”
“Yes, postpartum swaddling can restore psychological balance, and calm a woman and her nervous system, but scientists do not yet have objective data on the effect on physiology,” recalls doctor Elena Ordinance. – Still, one should not expect a pronounced improvement in the physiological state. The minimal effect, of course, maybe, but it is more related to the study of psychological problems. If we are talking specifically about physiology and diastasis, as well, then there is not enough data to assert this.
It must be understood that most women experience tremendous psychological discomfort after childbirth. Alas, it depends on many factors – where, how, and with whom she gave birth, how the first postpartum period went, what kind of people and what care was around the woman. And if such an injury occurs, then swaddling can really help a woman cope with this period.
Do not forget that this procedure is expensive (in Moscow it will cost 23-25 thousand rubles), and the effect strongly depends on the “guide” who conducts it. In the process of swaddling, an intimate and very deep conversation with a specialist takes place, and very close contact is established between the woman and the “guide”. It is important that the specialist is competent and does not harm the psychological state. Reviews about postpartum swaddling are mostly positive – as well as about seeing a good psychologist.
Postnatal swaddling is one trend that is gaining popularity, though not as weird as an umbilical cord necklace, for example. We talked with the trainer about other ways to recover after childbirth – and collected his recommendations in a separate article.
