In this episode, we get to hear from an amazing woman and cheerleader for moms, Andrea Faulkner Williams, co-founder of this month’s podcast sponsor, Tubby Todd Bath Co.
Andrea is a mother of four who is passionate about empowering women to take care of themselves while they take care of their little ones–and this is never more important than right after a woman has a baby.
Childbirth and the postpartum recovery are soul-stretching, and in today’s episode, Andrea Faulkner Williams focuses on the importance of taking care of Mom after she has a baby – no matter if this is her first baby or her fifth baby. Every single birth and postpartum experience is completely different, and we do ourselves and each other such a disservice when we minimize or rush postpartum recovery, self-care, and community-care for new moms.
I know that after my daughter Sally was born, I needed so much more hands-on help than I was expecting. I’d had a difficult pregnancy and delivery and needed to do a lot of physical healing, and on top of that, my hormones and emotions were out of control, with debilitating anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks.
I was also in a unique position because I was already a mother via adoption, but this was my first time ever delivering a baby–so I was healing from that AND learning how to breastfeed and doing all of the “first time” mom things, even though I wasn’t a first-time mom.
My mother-in-law had come to town to help me for the week after the baby was born, and I’d thought that would be more than enough help. I quickly discovered that we needed her to just take care of my toddler and the house, and I needed someone to take care of me and the baby–to help me hobble to the bathroom while I was healing, bring me food and manage my emotional breakdowns. I felt like a wimp that I needed so much help, but my good husband tried to call into work to get a few extra days off. Unfortunately, he was fairly new at his job at the time, and they weren’t very flexible with him, which was honestly really disappointing.
I only share all of this to say that childbirth and postpartum is no joke, and I really do believe that we as a society need to do a better job of supporting new moms and encouraging them to take care of themselves without feeling guilty or weak.
Andrea Faulkner Williams is here today to teach us three ways that we can do a better job of caring for ourselves after a baby, no matter if it’s our first baby or our fifth!
3 Takeaways from Andrea Faulkner Williams about Taking Care of Mama after a Baby-
- Listen to Mama. As new moms, we need to listen to our intuition as it guides us to what our bodies and souls need. We also need to be aware of our negative self-talk so we can STOP listening to it.
- Give yourself time. Remember that when you add a new human to your family unit, everything changes, and it may take months or even years to get into the groove of a new normal. Be gentle with yourself and with your relationships. Ask God for one or two things that you can focus on doing for yourself and your family and let go of the rest until a different season.
- You’ve got this, Mama! This is the truth, and you deserve to believe this–and if you can’t yet believe it because you don’t have the adequate resources in your life, then please reach out for professional support and social support. Your kids deserve a happy mom, and you deserve to be a happy mom.
>>>Did you relate to Andrea Faulkner Williams’ tips on self-care after you have a baby? What would you add to her takeaways? Tell us in the comments below!
–Show Notes-
- Andrea Faulkner Williams’ Instagram: @andreafaulknerwilliams
- Tubby Todd Bath Co
- Use the code 3IN30TT for 15% off!
- Tubby Todd Instagram: @tubbytodd
- Andrea Faulkner Williams’ book, You’ve Got This Mama!
- Episode with Andrea’s sister, Alison Faulkner! Episode 122: 5 Things to Do When You Feel Like You’re Going to Spontaneously Combust // Alison Faulkner
- Episode with Andrea’s mom, Marilyn Faulkner: Episode 118: How to Raise Confident Children
-Related Episodes-
Did you enjoy this episode about postpartum recovery with Andrea Faulkner Williams? You might also like:
- Episode 143: Healing Emotionally after a Traumatic Birth // Mia Hemstad
- Episode 060: Three Facts you Must Know about Infant Sleep // Dr. Katie Penry
- Episode 107: Surviving Depression in Motherhood // Sarah McKenna
-Additional Resources from 3 in 30 Podcast-
- Reserve your copy of the Flecks of Gold Journal, a three-year journal to help you gather the golden moments within your motherhood!
- Join our community of heart-fueled mothers on Instagram!
- For a monthly recap of ALL of the takeaways from the month, sign up here.
