The 12 weeks after birth is often referred to as the fourth trimester. The fourth trimester is an intense period that can be incredibly challenging, especially if you don’t know what’s normal or expected.

After the arrival of baby Billie, Steph has put together her tips for navigating the fourth trimester second time around. Take this as your reminder that you’re doing amazing mumma and to give yourself some grace at this time.

Here’s Steph…

1. Spend as much time horizontal as possible. It’s important for recovery, it’s gorgeous bonding time for you and bub and everything else can wait. 
2. Always communicate your needs to your partner (if you have one) or to visitors. If you’re nap trapped or feeding and your water’s out of reach, ask for it. If you realised you haven’t had a shower in two days, ask if they can hold the baby while you go do so… just ask. 
3. Embrace being nap trapped. It doesn’t last forever and one day you will miss it. 
4. Meal prep in your third trimester and keep them in the freezer ready to go. Hopefully your friends and family help out with keeping this stocked up also.
5. Send out a text on bub’s arrival to friends and family setting any boundaries you have. Saves having the convo in person and sending it out addressed broadly ensures no one feels like they’re having it directed at them. Things like whether or not you’re vaccinated, how you want them to schedule in their visits etc. 
6. When someone close to you, or your maternal health nurse asks how you are doing, be honest. Be open and honest in case what you’re going through can be helped in anyway – you do not need to suffer alone and do not hold any shame for not enjoying this time if you don’t. 
7. Buy some jeans one or two sizes bigger than your pre-pregnancy body. You may never fit into your old jeans again and that’s okay. For the days when you want to feel a little more ‘put together’, a pair of jeans can help so much. but they will do the opposite if you’re trying to squeeze uncomfortably into a pair that doesn’t fit the same anymore. 

Sending love to all the mummas. 

Love Steph xox