Functional 4th Trimester Care and Support
How can Functional Medicine Support Moms in the 4th Trimester?
We’ve all heard about the 4th trimester as it relates to maternity leave and all the necessary needs and things to do to care for baby but what about using the 4th trimester and beyond to care for mom, too? Enter the functional 4th trimester.
During pregnancy, mom and baby have 10-15 visits to their birth care team. During the first year of life baby will have upwards of 7+ visits to the pediatrician. How many visits does mom get postpartum? – one, maybe two, visits that don’t even scratch the surface on how mom is actually doing. You get a generic depression screening, an incision check, asked how breastfeeding is going (if applicable) and offered contraception and out the door you go.
This needs to change…
I have worked with and spoken to many moms who feel let down and unsupported in the postpartum period. They are often told their symptoms of fatigue, depression, anxiety, brain fog, pain, etc are a normal part of motherhood. I know this, because I was told this, too. And this was the beginning of my quest to bring change to postpartum care, starting with myself.
so what does a functional 4th trimester look like?
Functional medicine is uniquely suited to care for mom and connect the dots as to why a mom might be feeling certain symptoms or dysfunctions at any point in the postpartum period, from weeks postpartum to a decade postpartum. We know that pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding are all very taxing on a moms body so why wouldn’t we be diving deep to assess for areas of deficiency and dysfunction to get mom back to feeling optimal? Functional medicine takes a root cause approach – not a pill for every ill or bandaid approach to covering up symptoms.
A functional 4th trimester looks like mom’s needs being heard and supported, not being brushed off. A functional 4th trimester looks like mom putting herself and her needs first so that she can feel good in and enjoy motherhood. A functional 4th trimester means caring for mom so that she can care for her family.
It is my mission and goal with Wild Rice Wellness to bring a unique perspective to 4th trimester and postpartum care. I have written extensively on different postpartum topics in the blogs below.
Pillars of Postpartum Wellness
If you are located in Colorado, I am currently taking new patients for February and beyond and look forward to helping moms, wherever they may be in their postpartum journey, return to feeling well. If you are looking for support in your postpartum journey, book a free 15 minute consultation below! A happy, healthy functional 4th trimester is waiting!