by Julie Bell

Created on: October 27, 2008

In our culture, new mothers are often expected to bounce back after giving birth and carry on as normal. We can have a competitive or impatient drive to do this ourselves. But your fourth trimester" is an important and precious part of your birthing journey. This is your "Babymoon" a time for milky snuggles with this soft-skinned little person who will never be so little again, a time of healing and rest for your body, and a time for nurturing your breast-feeding relationship with your little boob-mate. It's a time to for going gently.

So often we can be rushed and driven in life, by external and even internal pressures, but if trust the wisdom of this time, and listen to our bodies, we are better able to pace ourselves according to the natural seasons of life and so avoid burn-out and exhaustion.

Take this time to rest and heal and bond, allow yourself this precious "Babymoon" that only comes once and is gone so fast. Motherhood is a long journey, full of peaks and valleys, joys and tears. As with any effort requiring endurance, pacing is critical to staying the course.

What is your body doing?

Just as during your first three trimesters, your body is doing important work. May this work be honored by those about you and by you!

Your Uterus

* Your uterus is involuting to its original size. This may be accompanied by after-pains as the baby's suckling triggers the release of oxytocin which causes your womb to contract. These after-pains can range from mild cramping to being extremely painful for some women. As with labor pain, although it's no fun, it signals that your body is working efficiently and well. Try to relax and breathe with the cramps as you did during labour, and give your womb a little pat for being such a good uterus! These after-pains recede after a few days.

Your Placental Site

* The site where your placenta attached to the wall of your womb is healing. If such a large raw area was visible on the outside of your body, it would likely alert yourself and the people around you to be caring and gentle with you until visible healing took place. The healing taking place is invisible, but nevertheless deserving of recognition and care.

Lochia

* You continue to lose lochia (blood and mucous discharge) for around 6 weeks after birth as your uterus and cervix heal and revert to the non-pregnant state. Most women would consider a 6-week menstrual period a challenge, and would rest and take nourishing food and supplements to support their body. In the same way, the

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