Hallowed Mama Doula

postpartum healing

Care Team – How to Help

There’s a new baby in your future! Congratulations!! If you find yourself wanting to help, but don’t know exactly how to help, you’re in the right place. First of all, well done for wanting to offer care in this amazing time. Moms, dads, and siblings all need support and love when families welcome aboard a new member. What a blessing you are!

mom lying in bed with eyes closed holding newborn baby on her chest.

Reflecting as a mama of four, there are many things I recognize now that I could have done differently as a new mother to make life a whole lot easier for myself. I wish I would have let the wonderful people in my life help me when they offered to. Nobody expected me to entertain them, but I felt like I needed to do that when they were visiting. It would have been healthier for me to stay in bed for several days after giving birth and let go of expectations for myself. Leaning deeper into my recovery and bonding with my babies would have greatly improved my mental health journey. We all experience postpartum healing differently, but some things ring true for most of us… we are supremely sleep deprived, our bodies are sore, and we question if we’re doing things ‘right’ for our babies.

American culture does not embrace a season of postpartum healing. After giving birth there’s a strong nudge to get right back to life as if you didn’t just birth a human. The body is not ready for that, and the mind REALLY isn’t ready for that. The United States is one of the most medically advanced countries in the world with the highest incidence of maternal deaths. That often comes down to a lack of postpartum healing and bonding. Women are designed to heal and bond with our babies. If that process is strained, rushed or medically complicated it can cause significantly damaging effects. Postpartum depression and anxiety, hemorrhaging, maternal psychosis and even suicide. I realize I’m focusing on the worst-case scenarios here, but they are becoming greater realities for American mothers.

So, how do we help our mothers? As a postpartum doula, I aim to ‘mother the mother.’ It’s a support role. I simply offer encouragement and resources and try to lighten the load where I can. It’s all about mom first, then baby, then the family. It looks differently depending on the family dynamics, but you don’t have to be a doula to help. Let’s talk about some practical tips on how to help whether you’re in their home or offering care from afar.

Woman in an apron helping a young girl whisk ingredients in a bowl.

Help at Home

Being physically available to help new moms and dads at home is a true gift of self, straight from the heart. You are about to enter a raw, intimate, emotional, tired, overwhelmed, and uncertain home…in its most pure and beautiful state! Blessings abound! Before we get into specifics on how to help, I want to offer you my most important tip…

Focus your help on making mom’s recovery easier, not on meeting baby.

Everything in us tells us to scoop that baby right up, but it is just not the time. In fact, expect to go help for the entire day and never hold the baby once. I know, believe me, I want to hold the babies too! But if you and I are holding the baby, that means mom isn’t and she is not fully healing or bonding with the baby in that moment.

“Involution”

Involution is the contracting down of the uterus (post birth) and is necessary to help prevent hemorrhage and return the uterus to a non-pregnant state. When a mother touches/smells/kisses her baby, she produces oxytocin, a hormone that encourages involution and breast milk production. Similarly, an oxytocin rush will help calm her nerves and emotionally connect her to her baby. It is vital for a mother to be able to hold her baby, as often as possible.

Of course, if she asks you to hold the baby while she bathes, eats, sleeps, etc., by all means, soak up the newborn snuggles! Otherwise, it’s best to let baby stay with mom. If you are honored with holding that brand new bundle of joy, offer baby back to mom when she appears to be done with what she was doing. It might be uncomfortable for her to have to ask to have her baby back.

Secondarily, I try to refrain from telling mom and dad how to care for their baby. There are exceptions, but it’s best to let them figure out what works for their family unless advice is specifically solicited.

So, what exactly can I do?

When planning with expectant parents, I suggest they come up with a care team to-do list prior to baby’s arrival. A simple list of tasks posted for visitors. Then, the care team can complete the items they feel comfortable doing when they come to visit. In the midst of becoming parents in wildly sleep deprived conditions, it can be hard to know how to accept help in the moment. If you anticipate being able to help when baby arrives, maybe suggest to mom and/or dad ahead of time that they come up with a list of ways you can serve them best when the time comes. My suggestions:

  • Household Tasks (washing dishes, vacuuming, dusting, taking out the trash, wiping down bathrooms)
  • Laundry (changing bedding, cloth diaper care, folding clothes, picking up dry cleaning)
  • Pets (walking dogs, cleaning the cat litter box, grooming, taking to vet appointments)
  • Food Prep (bringing pre-made meals over to be frozen, starting dinner, keeping healthy one-handed snacks and drinks ready for mom, entering or picking up a grocery order).
  • Siblings (read books, walk to the park, offer to take for a sleepover, help with homework)

Encouragement! This might be the most important thing you can offer. Hug that new mama, tell dad he’s doing an amazing job, rave about how proud you are of them, “ooh and ahh” over how beautiful baby is, and let them know how blessed you feel to get to be a part of it all. You can leave quick notes on the bathroom mirror or on prepared meals in the refrigerator to remind them that they are doing an amazing job! Your presence is significant, and your encouragement hits straight to the hearts of new parents.

A stack of folded baby clothes with a baby rattle and giraffe toy nearby showing how to help a new mom.

Help from afar

You wonderful person, You! It can be hard to know how to support new parents when you aren’t physically in their daily lives, but you can do so much still! Your love and willingness to help is deeply felt.

  • Reach out. Call, text, video chat! If they can’t answer, they won’t. Knowing that you’re thinking of them and helping them feel connected to their life goes a long way toward feeling supported.
  • Set up meals. It’s so easy and assures they’re getting healthy consistent meals. Check out Meal Train if they have family, friends, work, or community available to drop meals by. If they are new to their area, maybe consider subscribing them to a meal delivery service like Home Chef or Hello Fresh.
  • Gift postpartum doula care. If you know your loved ones don’t have community available to help, doula care comes in all shapes and sizes. You can view my available options through Hallowed Mama Doula. There are also some really great national doula directories that will help connect you with doula care in other areas, such as Made For This Birth!
  • Hire out: dog walking, house cleaning, grocery delivery services.
  • Mass Intentions. Most Catholic churches offer the opportunity to have a Mass offered for the intentions of loved ones.
  • Creative Gifts. If you know mom wants to assemble a baby care caddy before baby arrives, offer to make that your baby shower gift. Select items from her registry and build a comprehensive basket of goodies that she doesn’t have to worry about putting together herself. Alternatively, you could also create a snack caddy or postpartum care caddy.
  • Surprise delivery. You name it, surprises are a really special touch for new parents. UberEATS them their favorite lattes, boba or an edible bouquet.
Small white and beige baby items lined up in a row (including socks, rattle, brush, headbands and pacifier).

There are so many beautiful ways to express your excitement and love during this season. Depending on the circumstances, caregiving might be more important during a woman’s pregnancy or a few months into her postpartum. It’s wonderful when everyone floods you with new baby cheer, but spreading out your help can be more advantageous at times.

What to Expect during Postpartum Life

You’ve been working diligently to be healthy during pregnancy, you’ve been reading books about breastfeeding, and you’ve attended your childbirth education class. Now you’re learning all there is to know about postpartum recovery. It’s great you’re getting a head start on what to expect during postpartum life. Let’s dig in together! You’ll find links to great books, specific blog topics delving deeper into remedies, recipes, etc., and some of my favorite items to have on hand for postpartum ease.

A trio of healing pictures for postpartum life- a bowl of chicken soup, two clear jars of healing tinctures and a woman sleeping in bed under a blue blanket

Bonding – Postpartum is Not Only about Healing

In the 1970’s the term “bonding” was birthed (definitely pun intended) out of observations between mother/baby interactions.1 While its meaning is still being measured and massaged within the medical community, a pure idea of bonding is simply permitting time and space for a mother and her baby to fall in love with one another.1 How beautiful and unique for every mother and child!

Identifying Mother-Baby Needs

Truly, a woman is designed to be all that her baby needs, for a very long time! Baby needs her warmth (to regulate temperature), baby needs her smell (to identify her), baby needs her breasts (for comfort and muscle development), baby needs her milk (for antibodies and nutrition), baby needs her voice (for brain development), etc. We can draw all kinds of beautiful necessities that baby receives from mother, but what hasn’t been stressed enough is how important baby is for mother! Mother needs baby to nurse (to stimulate milk supply and contract her uterus for healing), she needs to smell, feel and kiss baby (to help increase her oxytocin – get those love hormones flowing), she needs to hear baby’s sounds (to help her learn how and when to provide), etc. And these are just scratching the surface!

postpartum mother holding her baby as she breastfeeds.

It’s truly a miraculous, perfectly designed system of give and take between mother and baby. All of that interaction helps them become healthier, calmer and form that crucial bond. All that said, it does not always “look” the same for every mother and baby. Some mothers coo and gush and cry over the beauty of their baby. Other mothers observe quietly, touching and examining every little part of the miracle just given to her. This extraordinary time is unique and will unfold differently each time. What is important is that mothers are given this uninterrupted time with their babies to nurse, sleep, examine, talk to, smell, hold, kiss, and listen to one another. How do we create this? We offer a safe space, private to the two of them, and we support them in it!

What to know about Postpartum Soreness

Some women really luck out in this area and don’t experience too much discomfort after giving birth. Conversely, some of us experience all of it. Most of us have some kind of perineal discomfort. The perineum is the tissue between the vaginal opening and your anus. It is the area most prone to tearing during birth. Many doctors have retired the practice of performing episiotomies (cutting the perineum to widen the vagina for birth), but if you received one this is the area affected. You might also feel some discomfort around your labia (vaginal “lips”), your anus, or your pubic bone. Swelling, tenderness, stinging and occasional sharp pains are sometimes expressed.

Bring on the relief!

If you choose to not aid the healing process at all, your body will heal from birth – it’s just designed to! There are many ways to bring some relief during that process though. Why not have a few items on hand before going into labor so they’re ready to go when you need them. If you’re looking for a fast solution, you can find soothing perineal products in sprays, balm and witch hazel pads. Look for natural ingredients without added dyes or fragrances.

If you’d rather prep your own items, here’s a great Sitz Bath Herb and Padsicle DIY! You can usually find toilet top sitz baths in local drug stores or something comparable online to use with your herbs. If you choose to make your own herbal blends, look no further than Mountain Rose Herbs for the best selections.

Why Is My Body So Sore?

Additionally, you might experience fatigued muscles as if you put in a solid day at the gym. It might sound funny, but if you were on your back for a long time, in a prolonged squatting position, or bracing yourself with your arms those muscles might be tired. While women are encouraged to try to keep from clenching our muscles during labor, it can be hard to stay fully relaxed in such an intense state. Depending on how long you were in labor, if you were active, you might have gotten in a bunch of steps too! Your whole body has just worked very, very hard and it makes sense to feel the effects of it in many places. Check out bengkung belly binding, a tried-and-true method of providing support to the postpartum core.

A profile picture of a woman laying in a bath tup with her eyes closed.

After Pains?

Let’s talk about after pains. After pains are usually a new sensation for first-time moms and it can be concerning if you aren’t prepared for it. “Involution” is the continued contracting of the uterus. It can be uncomfortable for a few days after birth, but it’s an important part of the process to shrink the uterus back down to size.

You might notice that these after pains are quite intense while breastfeeding – breast stimulation encourages the oxytocin production that is responsible for these contractions. You might also experience this sensation when you hear your baby crying, or any baby crying for that matter! Women often experience more intense after pains with subsequent pregnancies because each pregnancy stretches the uterus a bit more than before. If you’re dealing with a lot of after pain discomfort you can use a mild heating pad or throw together a super simple rice sock to snuggle up with.

There’s never been a better time for a bath!

Okay, so I’m not much of a bath girl. I’d much rather take a fast shower and move on with my day. That goes for most of my postpartum recoveries too! Having said that, the entirety of the body and mind benefit from taking postpartum baths. I did manage to force myself into a few baths after babies and I never regretted it. Truly, if you’re dealing with perineal pain, body aches, after pains, constipation, headaches, bloating, engorged breasts, hemorrhoids, or otherwise, do yourself a favor and take a bath. Baby can join you if you need some encouragement to stay seated in there for a while. Let the water relieve your discomfort, soften muscles, and calm your mind. You can assemble herbal bath packs ahead of time to keep on hand and throw in to steep while you’re filling the tub.

What to expect – Postpartum Bleeding

Lochia is the period of time you experience bleeding after giving birth (generally 2-6 weeks), whether you’ve delivered vaginally or via cesarean. Over the course of your pregnancy, the lining in your uterus (endometrium) builds up a thick, nutrient dense layer of blood to grow and nourish your baby. When you deliver your placenta, it leaves an open wound in that space that bleeds. This is what your body is expelling after birth. The first 2-3 days after birth will be the heaviest flow of blood, similar to heavy bleeding during your period. If you deliver in a hospital, please feel comfortable asking your nurses about your bleeding if you have any questions or if it seems excessive.

Fundal “Massage”

Shortly after delivering your placenta, your OB or midwife will perform fundal massage – the fundus is the top of your uterus. It’s a little unfair to call it “massage” because it can be pretty uncomfortable, but most medical practitioners agree that it’s necessary to help hasten healing and avoid hemorrhage. This massage encourages your uterus to start contracting down in size. Your OB or midwife will assess the fundus (generally a couple of inches below the belly button at this stage) to make sure it’s firm. If it isn’t, they will perform fundal massage to tighten it up. You might feel cramping, a gush of blood or passing of a clot while they are massaging the uterus.

Clotting

You might experience some clotting (sometimes as big as a golf ball). The blood pooling in the uterus will start to clot while you’re lying down or sitting for an extended period of time. Then, when you stand up, the clot passes. You can help decrease your clotting by continuing gentle fundal massage of your uterus before getting up to use the bathroom. You’ll also want to make sure to empty your bladder regularly to prevent putting extra pressure on your uterus.

Quick side note…generally, the more toned your uterus is (and your overall fitness) prior to labor, the shorter duration of bleeding you will experience. Your bleeding might also be a good indicator of whether you’re over-doing it by increased bleeding after activity. You want to avoid a resurgence of bleeding as postpartum hemorrhaging is possible for several weeks after giving birth.

  • gentle massage of the top of uterus (fundus) prior to using the bathroom
  • avoid strenuous physical activity for the first 30 days after birth (including vacuuming, exercising, heavy lifting, shopping, etc.)
  • avoid tampon and menstrual cup use
  • change disposable pads regularly (reusable cloth pads not recommended for postpartum bleeding)
  • drink lots of water
  • eat iron rich foods (red meats, kidney beans, dark leafy vegetables, and dried fruits)
  • consider taking placenta pills

Sluggish Digestion is part of postpartum life

Your body just worked very hard at birthing that beautiful baby and some of your other systems of the body might seem a little out of whack. Your digestive system is one of those! Digestion tends to become very sluggish after giving birth. In fact, you might become constipated and/or not have a bowel movement for 2-3 days. On the other hand, some women have that initial surge of hormones and experience diarrhea. Your system will right itself, but there are a few things we can do to help it along.

If you delivered in a hospital, there’s a good chance you’ve been prescribed over the counter stool softeners to help make your first bowel movement after baby a bit more comfortable. While I prefer recommending food and drink to help regulate bowel movements, sometimes we just need a little extra help. In lieu of pill stool softeners, my favorite digestive aid is Natural Vitality Calm. It’s a magnesium supplement drink that you can take warm or cold – nonGMO, vegan and gluten free. It’s also safe during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Win, win, win!

a duo of nutritious food for a healing postpartum life - a pitcher of lemon gingerade with fresh lemons, ginger and honey next to it. Second, a bowl of oatmeal topped with blueberries and shaved almonds.

Hemorrhoids…ugh!

If everything above isn’t already enough, some of us extra lucky ladies also develop hemorrhoids during labor/birth. You’re extra prone to these if you had them during pregnancy or if you had to push for a long-time during labor. Some suggestions are:

  • Warmth! Keeping warm helps speed circulation and in turn, digestion. At a minimum, keep your core warm (wear multiple layers of clothing, belly bind, keep a rice sock on hand, etc.)
  • Focus on eating small, easily digestible, warm meals of green leafy vegetables and high-fiber foods like oatmeal, soups, stews and this delicious postpartum porridge.
  • Water is your best postpartum friend. If you drink a cup of warm water prior to eating a meal it can help your digestion release. If you’re dealing with constipation or hemorrhoids, you need extra.
  • Tea for two!
    • Chamomile tea is a new mama’s calming friend! It has relaxing properties for muscles and the mind. It is safe for baby to receive through breast milk and can help milk come in.
    • Save your caffeinated teas for down the road, or down below! For hemorrhoids, steep a caffeinated tea bag, gently wring it out and apply the tea bag directly to the hemorrhoid. When done, make sure you gently pat yourself dry (no rubbing).
  • Avoid straining during bowel movements or long periods of bearing down.
  • You can also sit on a cushion or donut to avoid adding extra pressure to your already tender bottom.

Breast Milk Production

You might have noticed during pregnancy that your breasts were already starting to produce a thick golden milk, colostrum. For the first couple of days after giving birth, your body will increase colostrum production. This is the only thing baby needs to consume these first days. It is wildly rich in nutrients and antibodies and sets the stage for a healthy gut biome for your baby. You will be breastfeeding frequently in the first weeks as the size of baby’s tummy is only about the tip of your thumb. That beautiful colostrum burns clean and quickly for baby. Generally, anywhere from 2-5 days after birth, your milk production will change in composition, color, and quantity. It’s much thinner than your colostrum and generally more bluish white in color. Additionally, it contains a higher amount of sugars so if you taste it, it will be sweet!

Your body is working hard yet again to bring in your milk and you might notice some physical changes. Sometimes women run low fevers, have hot flashes (full body or just in your breasts), fluctuating emotions, sore breasts and engorgement. When I say engorgement, some women will easily go up 3-4 bra sizes while nursing. Read more about breastfeeding here!

Emotional Fluctuations

A postpartum mother wearing a white sweater holding her baby over her shoulder who's wearing a green long-sleeved onesie.

What a crazy ride! Am I right? Pregnancy was a good introduction to the wild swing in emotions that fluctuating hormones can create. I hate to break it to you, but postpartum brings on its own hormone rollercoaster. This hormone shift is the single greatest naturally occurring hormone fluctuation that can occur in humans! It makes sense that it’s going to take some time to adjust.

Hormone Heavy Hitters

There are many hormones at work during postpartum life, but the biggest players are progesterone, estrogen, oxytocin and prolactin. Your progesterone and estrogen levels are extremely high at the end of pregnancy and as soon as you give birth their production reduces significantly, prompting the wild increase of oxytocin and prolactin. Throw in cortisol production, your thyroid hormones, physical recovery, sleep deprivation, and probably a little dehydration and you’re well on your way to feeling somewhat “out of sorts.” While all of this is necessary in facilitating your healing, bonding and breast milk production, it can sure take its toll on a mama.

You might experience fast and frequent swings of overwhelming love (for your baby and partner), joy, euphoria, gratitude, sadness, overwhelm, irritability, impatience, or apathy. It seems bonkers, but you really can experience all of these in a postpartum day and other times just kind of bump back and forth between a couple. These early on hormonal imbalances earned their name, “baby blues,” and are considered normal within the first 2 weeks after giving birth. If you continue to have these extreme fluctuations or a general lack of connection with your baby or loved ones beyond this timeframe it would be good to reach out for professional guidance. There’s no shame in it. There are amazing options available to help moms through this time. Advocating for yourself is taking care of your baby, too!

  • good nutrition (limit caffeine, alcohol, sugars)
  • continue taking prenatal vitamins
  • gentle moving (stretching, casual walk around the block)
  • help from care team
  • increase water intake
  • do something you love to do
  • herbal aids/placenta pills
  • rest and sleep

Read more about postpartum depression and anxiety here.

What to Expect – Other Postpartum Quirks

  • hair loss (typically 3-6 months postpartum)
  • swollen extremities (hands, feet, legs, etc.)
  • hot flashes and/or chills
  • joint pain
  • new food aversions
  • bloating/gas
  • varicose veins.

And still, your beautiful baby is worth all of the challenges postpartum healing brings! You’re fully living that postpartum life, mama. The bittersweetness of it, is that it will be gone in a flash. Allow yourself to be taken care of, rest often, eat well, and lean into every second with that beautiful baby.

You are living a miracle!

a top-down picture of a postpartum mother and her baby sleeping on a bed. mother is holding baby's hand.

1Romm, A. (2002). The First Days after Birth. In Natural Birth after Healing (pp. 85–87). Healing Arts Press.

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Belly Binding

Cultures around the world utilize belly binding as an essential part of postpartum care. Techniques vary, but most involve starting with an application of a warming paste on the abdomen. Then, winding a strip of muslin cotton around the abdomen we form a frontal ‘spine’ with a series of knots. We always start from the pubic bone and work up to the sternum.

A trio of a woman having a traditional bengkung belly binding applied.

A Cultural Caregiving

In Malaysia, traditional belly binding is called bengkung (meaning undergarment or girdle).1 Bengkung belly binding is practiced 12 hours a day during the confinement period (42-44 days). The womb is considered the center of woman’s whole well-being, and she seldom leaves her bed during this time. Mother’s are fed, bathed, warmed, and wrapped by loved ones. It’s all about healing and bonding!

The supportive binding promotes healing and support to the postpartum body. Women often experience swelling, sluggish digestion, temperature swings, hormonal surges, and slow circulation as the body lets go of the last bits of pregnancy. Sometimes a sensation of emptiness in the womb or being off-balance occurs too. The body expels unnecessary water, fat, air, hormones, and blood – all so important to our pregnant body and baby’s development. Another aspect of the postpartum period is that of emotional transition into motherhood. The body has spent its pregnancy filling with life and preparing mom for this new phase. Belly binding offers an emotional sense of closure to her previous self as she embraces her own birth into motherhood.

Full benefits of belly binding

  • Helps regain non-pregnancy form of ribcage, belly, and hips.
  • For mild cases of diastasis recti, it encourages drawing in and support of abdominal muscles.
  • It is holistic in nature, utilizing only herbal methods.
  • Supports the body’s natural spine, core muscles and posture realignment.
  • Prevents slouching while nursing which can cause additional muscle strain.
  • Draws organs toward the core in a supportive, upward lift, taking pressure off the abdominal muscles and pelvic floor.
  • Often reduces postpartum bleeding time by supporting the uterus in a contracted position and overall support to the womb. This support encourages involution (shrinking) of the uterus.
  • Herbs/oils improve circulation and digestion through ‘warming’ properties.
  • The wrap itself increases core warmth promoting better circulation.
  • Provides emotional comfort for postpartum anxiety/depression, birth trauma, and bereavement.
  • Encourages mom to rest as it limits movements such as bending down, twisting, lifting from the floor, etc.

Relaxin is a remarkable hormone that a woman’s body creates when preparing for birth. It allows the bones, organs and ligaments to shift and become flexible for baby’s passage through the birth canal. Relaxin remains in the body during early postpartum months making it an ideal time to belly bind as the hips, organs, ribs, and muscles are malleable for quite some time.

Spices aren’t just for cooking

Traditionally, a warming paste (bentonite clay, cloves, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, kaffir lime, calendula, and turmeric mixed with a carrier oil) is applied to the abdomen prior to wrapping the belly. Those herbs contain ‘warm’ properties that when applied to the skin mildly increase core warmth. Warming the body increases circulation of blood. In turn, it promotes faster healing and speeds up digestion – both important to postpartum healing. For women that don’t want to use the paste, essential oils can be substituted with carrier oil instead.

A top down picture of a table containing small jars of various herbs and spices.

What does a typical binding session look like?

For American mamas interested in belly binding, a version of the Malay bengkung can be adapted. It isn’t considered ‘traditional’ binding unless utilized to the extent of the Malay confinement period. That said, the benefits are similar if practiced in even a shortened amount of time.

I suggest binding for at least five consecutive days for 12 hours at a time (the more days, the better). I encourage moms to bind late in the evening right before going to go to bed. It is not necessary to bind at night however, it will be snug. For comfort (and to help it stay in place), lying down is optimal. Unless you have full-time care available during the day, it’s easier to get your wrapped hours in at night.

An evening of belly binding

This is just an example of what an evening with belly binding looks like. When I come to wrap you, my time is yours for the evening. Newborn life is unpredictable, and I fully anticipate going with the flow.

  • I arrive at your house at 7:30 P.M.
  • I check in with you to make sure you’ve eaten dinner and see where I’m most needed.
  • I (or your care team) take baby while you bathe and get ready for bed. (If baby is being cared for, I will make you tea, clean up dinner, change bedding, etc).
  • We will talk through your day, giving you time to nurse baby, have a snack, use the bathroom, etc.
  • Once settled, I will apply the warming paste/oils (if you choose) with cover slip and then the wrap.
  • I’ll check in with your care team before leaving or finish up odds and ends, if time permits.

Outside of other activities, it usually takes about 20 minutes to get the full wrap on. Baby can absolutely stay with us and I’m happy to baby wear while wrapping mom if baby needs soothing. This is also a great time for dad to bond with baby – diaper changing, readying for bed, bouncing to sleep, etc.

Mom determines the snugness of the wrap and can easily adjust as we apply it. It should feel like a supportive hug, but never painful. As the evenings go by, most women tend to increase the tightness of the binding. It’s also easy to remove, so when you’re ready to take it off, you can do so independently.

Belly binding limitations

As with many postpartum practices, results of belly binding will vary. Some mamas may not be good candidates for binding. While bengkung belly binding is considered safe, certain health concerns may prevent some from safely binding. Women experiencing extreme diastasis recti (requiring surgery), significant hemorrhoid discomfort, recovering from surgery, significant organ prolapse (uterine, bladder or rectal), or significant incontinence should consult their doctor prior to any binding. Women that have had c-sections are eligible for binding after the 6-week recovery period or once their incision heals.1

I was honored to obtain my Postpartum Belly Binding certification in 2022 based on these traditional Malay bengkung techniques. If you have questions, you can find more information here or reach out to me personally to chat!

An up close picture of the knots of a muslin bengkung belly binding wrap.

1Learn Belly Binding https://www.learnbellybinding.com/

Belly binding images shared with permission from Positive Body Mind and Baby, LLC