Open Letter to Postpartum Women

​​Hey there, you. Yes, I’m talking to you.

I see you. You’re a new postpartum mom on the outside. That’s what they all see right now. But I know where you are and where you were. You don’t fool me. There is so much more on the inside than what meets the eye. I know you haven’t gotten to focus much lately on your passions, your dreams or your feelings. You’re in a place where everyone seems to think that you don’t get to decide how you feel.

I want to tell you that they’re wrong.

You get to decide how you feel. You have to feel your truth. They don’t get to silence you just because they have a picture perfect vision of what it “should” be. You have transformed, for better or worse. No matter what you feel, having those feelings doesn’t make you bad or different. Do you know what it makes you?

It makes you human.

You see, the truth is that we need you to be ok. Your baby needs you to be ok. Society needs you to be ok. But if you’re not ok, that’s ok too. I just hope you’re given the ability to get there.

As mothers, sometimes the best advice can be found from the flight attendants.

“Under your seat you will find your baby’s life jacket. In the compartment up above there is an extra oxygen mask for him. You have a flotation device and an oxygen mask as well. Please take heed, and secure them on yourself first before assisting your baby.”

We live in a day and age of technology, where every article is thrust upon us as to how best care for a baby. How many articles have been shared around social media with information about how to care for you?

We need articles. We need gentle reminders. We need showers, food and exercise. We need physical touch, quality time with loved ones and moments where we can laugh and celebrate who we are. Sometimes we need help, whether it be others coming into the household to assist us, time away from our daily routines or medication to help us over the road bumps that can occur during this transformational time. It’s a pretty big deal what our bodies and minds have been through. Don’t discredit yourself just because women do it every day. You did it, and you’re wonderful.

As mothers, all of our needs are different. We can’t stamp the same cookie cutter over every postpartum woman and not expect there to be outside pieces, which are just as deserving, just as beautiful and just as beneficial.

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