Getting life back to a new normal can feel amazing, which is why many new mums try to find ways to speed things up. But what I would say is remember how special these first few months are and don't let anything take away from that. Your life has has had a big change, don't fight it, embrace it. This is the first step to true recovery.

Photo source: Pixabay

If you are wondering what you can do to speed up your postpartum recovery without overdoing things, I have a guide to the postpartum recovery process below. 

How long does post-birth recovery usually take? 

No matter how you gave birth - via a vaginal birth or c-section - the first few weeks after giving birth should be reserved for resting and recuperating. Even if you sailed through the delivery process and felt that your baby came into the world rather easily, it’s still important to take the time to recover and regroup. 

When it comes to the ‘normal’ recovery time frame, it’s important to realise that every new mum - and her body - is different. There’s no set recovery period as such, but it is advised that you take the first few weeks after the birth slowly and don’t try and do too much, too soon. Make the most of that special time with your newborn and not having any other responsibilities but baby.

What can I do to get my body back to its best? 

First and foremost, it’s important to realise that your body - post-baby - won’t be exactly like it was before, because pregnancy changes the body. You might notice stretch marks where there weren’t any before or you might notice sagging skin in areas that it wasn’t before - these are both normal things to experience after having a baby. Your body will change, and that’s perfectly normal. 

When you’ve fully healed from the birth, it can help to eat healthily and exercise regularly if you want to get your body back to how it was prior to pregnancy. Doctors usually advise no exercise for at least 6 weeks. But even when you are able to exercise there are some things that it can be difficult to get rid of, such as stretch marks, for instance. So please don't pin all your hopes on retrieving that 'pre baby body'. Accepting bodily changes like this is important. Your body has just gone through one of its biggest changes and you have made something spectacular so please don't forget that. However, sometimes no matter what, there are things that just seem to bother us no matter what. For me loose skin was one of those, some choose to treat loose skin after pregnancy, but there also needs to be some acceptance for your new body. 

The main thing to remember when it comes to your postpartum body is to treat it kindly. Remember, your body has done something incredible - making, carrying, and birthing a new life - and it deserves your love, kindness, and acceptance. 

Do as your doctor advises 

If you want to speed up your recovery, make sure that you do as your doctor advises. 

For instance, while your doctor may say no heavy exercise, such as running, they may recommend practicing yoga. Don’t ignore your doctor’s advice - everything that you are told has been recommended for a reason in your best interests, so it’s worth taking note. 

If you’re not sure if something is okay, then make sure to speak to your doctor about it before doing it. After all, you don’t want to cause further damage to your body. Forcing yourself to recover quicker can actually do your muscles more harm than good.

Be willing to accept help 

As a new mom, it can feel like you should be doing everything yourself. However, that isn’t the case. If you try and do everything yourself, you will end up over doing things, and will most likely feel rubbish as a result. 

Instead, be willing to ask for help and accept help. You can’t do everything yourself, and there’s no shame in accepting help. Whether that help is from a partner, a parent, a sibling, or friend, there’s no reason to turn down help or to be afraid to ask for it. 

The fact is, if you want to get things back on track, you need to take time out for yourself, and in order to do that, you need to be willing to accept help. 

There you have it, a guide to how you can effectively speed up your postpartum recovery process, and get life back to normal as quickly as possible by essentially taking it slow!

Amina x