Your Postpartum Vacation
Monday, October 6, 2025
Question for you: have you, or do you know someone, who's ever thought that “postpartum” or “parental leave” might be a little like a vacation? Maybe not “write the Great American Novel” level time-off, but a rejuvenating privilege nonetheless. We still hear whispers like this, especially from first-time parents who don’t know what they don’t know.
And how could they?
The rawness and vulnerability of postpartum life is something most people hide. The absence of which fits perfectly into our cultural narrative that parents will just “bounce back.” Bounce-back culture isn’t just about your body returning to pre-pregnancy shape—it’s the expectation that everything else in your life like work, hobbies, travel, friendships etc, should stay the same, just with a small +1. This is true for partners as well.
If you missed it, last week we published our Postpartum Planning On-Demand Class, and I thought I'dd share a little more about _why_ this class exists—and why we want everyone: pregnant people, partners, grandparents, aunties, uncles... to respect, honor, and prepare for what’s coming (besides the baby!)
Most people think the postpartum period involves:
1. Recovering from the birth experience, and
2. Learning to care for a newborn
Those _are_ two hugely important things. And within that, there are huge unknowns to consider: will the birth be uneventful or long and taxing? Might you, or your partner, be recovering from major abdominal surgery or perineal tearing? Was your baby born healthy and full-term, or are they spending time in the NICU? Does your baby eat, sleep, and poop predictably—or are they sensitive, fussy, or in need of more care than you expected?
Beyond that, we also want folks to realize that postpartum isn’t just about the birth and newborn care. Most folks don't consider that "postpartum" also includes:
- Recovering from your fertility journey: Maybe you conceived after a “straightforward” 40-week pregnancy. Or maybe it was years of trying to conceive, loss, IVF, alternative care, and the emotional ups and downs along the way.
- Recovering from pregnancy itself: We're talking weight gain, hormonal changes, postural adjustments, abdominal separation, and pelvic floor stress.
- Hormonal shifts: After your placenta is delivered, estrogen and progesterone drop to pre-pregnancy levels within about 48 hours. If you’re breastfeeding, lactation hormones kick-in too, creating even more changes.
- Mental health changes: Even when we "do all the right things," hormonal changes and disrupted sleep can create instability in your mental health. Postpartum Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADs) can occur anytime in the first year, and partners can be affected too.
- Physical changes: Beyond involution, the uterus shrinking back to pregnancy size, your body will feel different moving through space, and clothing sizes may change. Walking, pelvic floor exercises, and rehab strength training can be wonderful. Buying new pants can be wonderful as well!
- Identity, values, and sense of self: Given all the above: who are you now, and what matters most? Do you have the room and support you need to consider this?
- Relationship dynamics: As with all of the above, your relationship with your partner, family members, and friends will evolve. What do you need now? What can you give? How can you communicate that?
- Household logistics: We can't say exactly why a tiny human is so distributive to previously well ordered routines but the truth is that, at least for a little while, meals, chores, sleep, budgeting–even walking the dog require recalibration.
That’s why we created The Postpartum Planning Class: to guide you before and after your baby arrives, so you can step into this new chapter feeling more confident.
This class would also be a great refresher for grandparents, or an introduction for well-meaning friends, who want to understand how to help most effectively!
Find live, virtual & on-demand classes and support groups near you: