Pregnancy and motherhood is a vital and joyful part of life. Many young women dream of motherhood, and experienced moms emphasize the importance of cherishing those first days and months with their newborn. Often overlooked in the excitement of having a new baby, postpartum care for mothers is an important aspect of this reality that can often be largely disregarded.
From before birth prep to community resources, Texas A&M School of Medicine clinical assistant professor and new mom Katie Jo Light, M.D., sat down with our team to discuss all things postpartum from the bad to the good and everything in between.
The Bad: Is Something Wrong?
The miracle of childbirth is a journey with many twists and turns that new parents might not expect, especially new mothers who are now learning to care for a small baby and go about her own everyday life. Upon birth many new moms begin to see changes or challenges with their own recovery that they might not have expected or prepared for.
“People don’t talk about just how hard [postpartum] is,” Dr. Light says. “We’re calling it the fourth trimester now because there’s so many changes and things that happen and could potentially happen that women still need care for, it doesn’t just end with the delivery of the baby.”
During the postpartum period, women will notice many obvious physical changes: breasts are engorged as the mother’s milk comes in, the uterus will contract as it goes back to a normal size after housing a baby and the body presents scars and tears that will heal over time. Simultaneously, Dr. Light explained, drastic hormonal shifts are occurring to adapt to the mother’s postpartum needs. This, in addition to the mental load of caring for a new child, can quickly take a toll on the new mother.
“Depression and anxiety are some of the most frequently overlooked issues that show up in the postpartum period,” Dr. Light says. “It’s very normal to feel a lot of emotions after delivery, but unfortunately, a lot of women think it’s something they have to deal with themselves.”
Due to the ongoing shift in stigma towards mental health issues, Dr. Light hopes that women will feel more confident seeking help. She also emphasizes the importance of trusting yourself to recognize when something is wrong, emotionally or physically. “You know your body best,” is her advice to all patients, and it’s better to be safe than sorry.
“Roughly 20% of people go back to work 10 days postpartum, and another 20% go back within 40 days postpartum,” Dr. Light says. “There’s a lot of change really fast and then they’re expected to go back to their normal day-to-day, so we want to make sure that they’re taken care of.”
Though there are a lot of challenges that women have to face, there are still plenty of positives when it comes time to start sharing their bundle of joy with the world.
The Good: Prevention and Resources
Dr. Light says there are also ways women can prepare their bodies for delivery that can allow for a more smooth postpartum healing process, which in turn can help when emotions and physical challenges begin to run rampant.
“You can prepare for postpartum by starting habits even before pregnancy,” Dr. Light says. “Eating a healthy diet, exercising and overall just having your body in shape for labor will help you postpartum because it is very long and it is very labor intensive (no pun intended).”
Typically, the easier the delivery is, the easier the healing process, she says. Luckily, as science progresses, more preventative measures are being discovered to help women through this process.
“One thing I wish I would have known about during my pregnancy is pelvic floor physical therapy,” Dr. Light says. “They help you prepare the body for delivery (labor positions, pushing, etc), address any concerns with bowel, bladder, pain, sex and get you back to your goals postpartum. Overall a great resource for pregnant and postpartum moms.”
Many postpartum moms suffer long-term effects after birth that are left unaddressed. A 2021 study found that nearly 22% of postpartum women experience urinary incontinence, while another study by the National Institutes of Health concluded that almost 12% of women suffer pain during intercourse 24 months after delivery.
“I feel like sometimes people are embarrassed to bring those sorts of complaints up, and unfortunately a lot of women don’t know that it doesn’t have to be their normal,” Dr. Light says. “Making people aware that it’s an option to seek help or go see a specialized physical therapist is the first step to fixing that.”
In many cases, the resources women need for a smooth recovery are out of their reach but in our area, the programs are plentiful to help in the transitional period. Whether it’s educational support or emotional guidance, the Brazos Valley has many programs to help new moms throughout their journey such as La Leche League, a breastfeeding support group, and Hope Pregnancy Center, which provides free ultrasounds and other free resources.
For women who have recently had a child, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, Dr. Light says it’s important to know that the postpartum journey will look different for every woman. The most vital thing that mothers can do is to talk to their doctors about any concerns they may have or questions that pop up along the way.
“Everybody heals differently because everybody’s birth is different,” Dr. Light says. “It’s important to be well educated about the possibilities, and a lot of that comes with going to birthing classes and talking to your provider about realistic expectations."
Meet Dr. Katie Jo Light
Dr. Light is a clinical assistant professor for the Texas A&M School of Medicine where she recently completed residency, graduating this past June after serving as the advanced obstetrics chief. She is now working as faculty with the Texas A&M Family Residency program and practices at the Texas A&M Health Family Care Center and CHI St Joseph Hospital. Being a new mom herself, Dr. Light has a passion for women and child health care.
