Essential Postpartum Recovery Tips: Sacred Window Healing for the First 40 Days

Bringing life into this world can be an exciting experience as much as an exhausting one.

As I entered the depths of motherhood, I very soon realized the lack of support that new moms receive in modern-day postpartum. Often in our culture, we are praised for the quickest “bounce back” rather than the time it takes to actually heal our bodies. This, in turn, creates unrealistic expectations for mothers and creates an emotional feedback of guilt and comparison. These emotions create higher stress and cortisol in the body, which increases the risk of postpartum depression and suppresses the (already) very low sex hormones, leading to intense mood swings and feelings of overwhelm and despair. There is so much that plays a role in postpartum healing (outcome of your birth, support system, finances, etc.) that I could write a whole book! But for the sake of this blog and keeping it short, I will only share what I feel are the most important tools and takeaways.

The entrance into motherhood is deeply sacred. Not only is she bringing something spiritual to the physical world, but she, herself, also passes through the spirit door. Whether this is her first birth or her seventh, it is always an initiation - a very real ego death and a “birth” into a new self.

In Ayurveda, we recognize this deep shift that happens within the mother as the Sacred Window. The sacred window prioritizes deep rest and spiritual nourishment within the first 40 days after giving birth. It is believed that during the sacred window time, she will ultimately determine her overall health and vitality for the next four decades!

So the question is, where do we begin when it comes to postpartum care? The answer is first understanding the doshas and the elements that are increased postpartum, so we can begin to bring harmony back into the body. The elements that are most prevalent after childbirth are the elements of Air and Ether. After the birth of the baby, the mother is filled with lots of mobile, light, and dry qualities that define air and ether; these qualities are both increased in her mind and body, and these qualities are especially enhanced by the now very large space in her abdominal cavity (where the baby once was). Major sleep deprivation and fatigue are also big factors in the new motherhood role that increase these qualities.

The three main pillars to support the above qualities are diet, rest, and oil massage for the full forty days after delivery. By calming these elements and nourishing the mother's body, we can stabilize hormones and spiritual well-being through this transition.

Warmth and Oleation (oil therapy)are two practices that I incorporate daily for the first 40 days of my recovery, and these therapies were used externally and internally through the foods I consumed regularly. A few times a week, I would perform a self-massage (including my belly) with warm sesame oil (abhyangha). It is wonderful bonding to do with the baby as well. If I did not have time for the abhyangha, I would apply warm castor oil to the naval and belly and apply heat this way. This extra warmth will soothe Vata dosha (air and ether) and will also help to support your quality of sleep.

The hit your hormones take right after delivering the placenta is more dramatic than your period and menopause combined! So if you are feeling extra emotional, irritable, and every emotion under the sun, it is perfectly okay! Do your best not to be so hard on yourself. Some of the best ways you can help support postpartum anxiety, baby blues, and mood swings are by allowing yourself to fully rest and reducing stress as much as possible. Asking for support from family, a partner, or a doula is always recommended, and even taking adaptogenic herbs like Ashwagandha can be helpful during this time

This is the most raw, sacred, and vulnerable time you will ever go through in your life. Remember to give yourself grace in moments of difficulty and to do your best to take care of yourself.