The Postpartum Support I Wish I Had After My Fifth Baby
Looking back at the weeks after my fifth baby, I can honestly say it was one of the most challenging postpartum experiences I’ve ever had. Not just physically, but emotionally and mentally too. I knew postpartum would be hard. I’d done it four other times. But nothing prepared me for what I faced this time.
After giving birth via my first c-section, I expected a tough recovery. What I didn’t expect was the postpartum preeclampsia that landed me in the hospital for two days, away from my baby and my family. The hospital stay was terrifying, leaving me convinced I might not leave alive. Delays in care and constant fear created massive anxiety that stayed with me well into my recovery at home. When I finally came home, the terror did not end. I became terrified to be alone, overwhelmed by panic and fear, and struggling to care for my newborn while still healing from major surgery.
Looking back, I realize how much I needed extra support, more than what my husband and mom could provide. I needed hands-on help with meals, housework, and even just someone to sit with me while I processed the trauma I had experienced. I needed reassurance, gentle reminders that it was okay to feel scared, and practical support for the things that felt impossible alone. I needed an extra hand to step in when my husband and mom needed a break.
If I could go back, I would have leaned into postpartum care the way I now encourage my clients to. I would have asked for help without guilt, hired extra support when necessary, and prioritized my mental and physical recovery as much as my baby’s needs. Postpartum is not just about healing from birth. It is about nurturing your heart, mind, and body as you adjust to life with a new little person.
To any mamas reading this who feel scared, anxious, or simply overwhelmed, you are not alone. Your feelings are valid. And if your support system feels small, it is okay to ask for more help, to reach out to a doula, or to find someone who can just be there with you when it feels like too much. I wish I had understood that better after my fifth baby. It would have made a world of difference.
Postpartum is hard, y’all. But you do not have to do it alone.
