Curriculum Topic: Group Activity, Educator Demonstration
Activity Type: Postpartum, Healthy Birth Practice 6
Time Needed: 30 min with discussion of each item
Supplies: Potential Items and Key Points
1. Breast pads - Breasts may leak during sex (and whenever mom hears a baby cry).
2. Panty liner - Lochia (some educators prefer to show a“real” peripad.
3. “Baby Sleeping” sign - Limit visitors; noise levels in home
4. Shower Scrubby - Lack of time for self-care
5. Cell phone - Whom will she call when she needs help?
6. Baby sling - Benefits, convenience of baby-wearing
7. Baby product catalog - What babies really need and DON’T need
8. Sexy nightie - Resumption of sex
9. Water bottle - Importance of hydration while breastfeeding, and during exercise.
10. “Back To Sleep” sign - Importance of placing baby on her back to sleep and tummy-time
11. Tucks - Care for hemorrhoids
12. Baby lotion - Benefits of baby massage
13. Box of tissues - “Baby blues” versus signs of postpartum depression
14. Plate with serving sizes - Healthy eating choices; freeze meals during last weeks of pregnancy; ask family and friends to bring meals
15. Peri-bottle - Peri-care
16. Feather duster - Housework can wait or be delegated
17. Eye mask - Importance of taking time for self-care; napping when baby naps
18. Movie tickets - Plan a date night when you can arrange for a sitter and baby will take expressed breastmilk
Instructions:
Teri Shilling and other childbirth educators elicit laughs by beginning class wearing an old (decidedly unsexy) robe in class, with many items representing key points about the postpartum period pinned to the robe.
Postpartum Grab Bag: The items could be placed in a postpartum grab bag instead of wearing them on a robe if you prefer.Fill a bag with items that have to do with the postpartum period. Be sure to include as many positive items as you do negative ones. Examples are a picture of relaxed-fit style of clothes (takes some time to lose all the weight), picture of a smiling baby (it is all worthwhile), fast food container (no time to cook), sexy nightgown (resumption of sex life), etc. See a more complete list of items to include in handouts.
Talking Points:
Spend some time on both the physical and emotional adjustments of the postpartum period. Discuss the joys as well as the fatigue and the stress. Reassure students that their sex lives will return to a “new normal.” The new mother may be apprehensive about resuming sex until she is sure that it will not be painful. Patience is often required, along with “scheduling“ intimate times for when the baby is expected to sleep for a while. Brainstorm "survival strategies" for making it through the initial weeks.
Reference: Adapted from the Lamaze Toolkit; Teri Shilling, MS, CD(DONA), BDT(DONA), IBCLC, LCCE, FACCE
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