Treating Yourself Well After Pregnancy

Getting back into the swing of things as a couple after pregnancy and delivery can take some planning on your part. You need to be creative to handle the demands on your time and energies, and to reward yourselves occasionally. Think about ways you can pamper yourself and your partner. The following suggestions may help you make your lives together, and as a family, more enjoyable.

Take care of yourself at home. Find some quiet time for yourself. When your partner can tend the baby, treat yourself to a long soak in the tub or spend some time alone reading or doing crafts. You may want to get out of the house to do a bit of shopping or to meet a friend for lunch. Allow your partner some time to himself, too. He may want to work on a project, do some research on the computer or play a game of golf. When each of you is allowed time alone, you renew your inner strength and your commitment to your life as a couple.

Pamper yourselves as a couple. Do something special for yourselves when you can. Order a great dinner from a good restaurant (we're not talking fast food here). Set the table with your good dishes, add flowers and candles, and maybe a glass of wine. Dress nicely. Plan to sit down and eat after you put baby down. Take your time, and make your dinner as romantic as you can. It's your special time together. Another suggestion is to hire a sitter or ask friends or family members to take care of baby while you go to a movie, a play or a concert. A couple of hours away from the house and baby allows you to renew your relationship.

Massage is good for your soul. Each of you can learn some massage techniques to help the other relax. There are some excellent books and videos available to check out at the library or to rent or buy at a video store that provide instructions on "couple massage." We're not talking about anything sexual; the techniques we recommend are for relaxation and stress reduction.

Ask for, and accept, help from friends and family. When someone wants to help you, let them! If they ask how they can help, there are many things you can ask them to do. Ready-made meals to put in the refrigerator or freezer to eat later are always welcome. Cleaning services and laundry help are great gifts. You may be grateful if someone can watch the baby while you rest or take care of other tasks. Tending your baby is especially helpful if you have other children and want to spend some time with them.

Be creative. If you have personal needs, ask someone to help you meet them. If you don't have family near and your friends are unable to help you during the day, consider hiring someone to do various chores for you.

More on: Postpartum Health

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Copyright © 2002 by Glade B. Curtis and Judith Schuler. Excerpted from Bouncing Back After Your Pregnancy with permission of its publisher, Perseus Books Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

To order this book visit perseusbooksgroup.com.