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Pinter & Martin Why It Matters #18
Why Postnatal Recovery Matters
During pregnancy the focus of antenatal preparation is the birth itself, and the importance of the postnatal period is often overlooked. Yet postnatal recovery (or a lack of it) can have consequences for the long-term health and wellbeing of both mother and baby.
In Why Postnatal Recovery Matters Sophie Messager draws on her experience as a scientist and doula to show that thinking ahead to after the birth can get new families off to the best possible start.
In Why Postnatal Recovery Matters Sophie Messager draws on her experience as a scientist and doula to show that thinking ahead to after the birth can get new families off to the best possible start.
- GenresNonfictionParenting
160 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2020
12 people are currently reading
62 people want to read
About the author
Sophie Messager
5 books3 followersSophie Messager bridges worlds that rarely meet. A former reproductive physiologist with a PhD, she traded her microscope for a medicine drum after experiencing the transformative power of an empowered birth. Her decade-long journey as a doula, birth educator, and author of Why Postnatal Recovery Matters deepened her exploration of the rhythms surrounding women’s transitions.
Now a holistic life transition mentor, Sophie guides women through significant life thresholds – from birth to perimenopause and beyond.
Her unique combination of scientific expertise and spiritual insight allows her to serve as a compassionate space holder for those seeking to harmonise their analytical and intuitive selves, and reconnect with their inner wild woman.
Visit Sophie's website at www.sophiemessager.com
Follow Sophie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Sophie-Messa...
on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sophie_mess...
Now a holistic life transition mentor, Sophie guides women through significant life thresholds – from birth to perimenopause and beyond.
Her unique combination of scientific expertise and spiritual insight allows her to serve as a compassionate space holder for those seeking to harmonise their analytical and intuitive selves, and reconnect with their inner wild woman.
Visit Sophie's website at www.sophiemessager.com
Follow Sophie on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/Sophie-Messa...
on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/sophie_mess...
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
February 17, 2024
Wish I'd read this book prior to my postpartum. It was given to me by my amazing antenatal teacher. So many beautiful ways to make the postpartum period more restorative, sacred and healing. Women's health has such a long way to go and this small book gives a glimpse of one area in dire need of improvement.
February 23, 2024
Such an important book. We spend so much time planning for birth (and rightly so) and buying things for the baby that we completely neglect to plan for our own recovery. This is a must read for anyone with friends and family soon to have a baby.
September 27, 2020
You can watch my full review of this brilliant book on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/gOTumY5apXs
I feel like I have been waiting for this book since the birth of my first child 11 years ago. To be fully reassured that as a new mother it is beneficial to be looked after, to be loved and cherished, like a child yourself. That this desire, or more accurately, need, does not make you selfish or immature, or weak. It is human. Thank-you Sophie Messager. It took until my third child to realise that I needed some of the things in this book, I wish I’d had more of them.
Messager discusses four main areas of postnatal care; Rest, Food, Social Support and Bodywork. Messager goes through the four areas in a good level of detail, enough to help the reader realise that these needs are valid and greatly beneficial to the mother, and her baby and her family. She also helps women (or people around them) design a personal plan for postnatal support.
There were a lot of women’s personal stories throughout, and I thought they were very strong in the book. Hearing about how looked after some women are after giving birth really highlights how much other women are neglected, and how our society encourages and enforces this.
There are many references to other cultures in the book and how they may support women in the postpartum period in a much more nurturing way. Also, very interesting, was how it used to be standard in this country for women to be much better supported, either by her local community or hired support, the new mother stayed in bed with her baby whilst someone looked after her and the home – this was normal, not a luxury.
I was overjoyed that Messager encouraged parents to consider co-sleeping. So many books skip over this subject, scared away by the risks and ignoring the benefits. There are potential risks and they should be taken into account; but for many families co-sleeping is not only a good way to get more sleep and facilitate easy breastfeeding at night, it’s also a wonderful time to share with your baby.
Messager explains the benefits of having a doula for pregnancy, labour and postnatal support. Don’t let anyone tell you that it is in anyway selfish or needy or, god forbid, a luxury! It is setting you and your family up for success, it is meeting your needs. To have someone just for you, who looks after you, supports you and is there for you as the mother. What new mother hasn’t wanted that person? If financially possible, Messager encourages women to hire a doula and any other support they think would be helpful.
Messager spoke in detail about postnatal binding and massage which I felt sceptical about at first, but I was really convinced about it by the end of the book, especially as Messager explains that these are not wacky new ideas but are instead old and beneficial wisdom.
Messager also spoke very sensitively about the loss of a baby. This is such a delicate area which many people find it easier to avoid. Messager gave it the gentle attention that it requires.
I thought this was an excellent book and I would recommend it to pregnant women, health professionals and anyone in a position to support someone who will soon have a baby. I would also recommend it to anyone, like me, who may have had their babies, but still found that it brought out deep, personal and unresolved feelings, and allowed them to be reflected on in a positive way. There is a lot of signposting in the book and links to further information, groups and websites which was helpful. There were lots of women’s experiences in the book which I found helped to reiterate the points and show the variety of experience. They also give another emotional depth to the messages of the book and I really liked them. The women who spoke of the benefits of postnatal care were inspiring and made this goal seem much more achievable. This book reinforced how special new mothers are and how important postnatal care is.
You can watch my full review of this brilliant book on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/gOTumY5apXs
I feel like I have been waiting for this book since the birth of my first child 11 years ago. To be fully reassured that as a new mother it is beneficial to be looked after, to be loved and cherished, like a child yourself. That this desire, or more accurately, need, does not make you selfish or immature, or weak. It is human. Thank-you Sophie Messager. It took until my third child to realise that I needed some of the things in this book, I wish I’d had more of them.
Messager discusses four main areas of postnatal care; Rest, Food, Social Support and Bodywork. Messager goes through the four areas in a good level of detail, enough to help the reader realise that these needs are valid and greatly beneficial to the mother, and her baby and her family. She also helps women (or people around them) design a personal plan for postnatal support.
There were a lot of women’s personal stories throughout, and I thought they were very strong in the book. Hearing about how looked after some women are after giving birth really highlights how much other women are neglected, and how our society encourages and enforces this.
There are many references to other cultures in the book and how they may support women in the postpartum period in a much more nurturing way. Also, very interesting, was how it used to be standard in this country for women to be much better supported, either by her local community or hired support, the new mother stayed in bed with her baby whilst someone looked after her and the home – this was normal, not a luxury.
I was overjoyed that Messager encouraged parents to consider co-sleeping. So many books skip over this subject, scared away by the risks and ignoring the benefits. There are potential risks and they should be taken into account; but for many families co-sleeping is not only a good way to get more sleep and facilitate easy breastfeeding at night, it’s also a wonderful time to share with your baby.
Messager explains the benefits of having a doula for pregnancy, labour and postnatal support. Don’t let anyone tell you that it is in anyway selfish or needy or, god forbid, a luxury! It is setting you and your family up for success, it is meeting your needs. To have someone just for you, who looks after you, supports you and is there for you as the mother. What new mother hasn’t wanted that person? If financially possible, Messager encourages women to hire a doula and any other support they think would be helpful.
Messager spoke in detail about postnatal binding and massage which I felt sceptical about at first, but I was really convinced about it by the end of the book, especially as Messager explains that these are not wacky new ideas but are instead old and beneficial wisdom.
Messager also spoke very sensitively about the loss of a baby. This is such a delicate area which many people find it easier to avoid. Messager gave it the gentle attention that it requires.
I thought this was an excellent book and I would recommend it to pregnant women, health professionals and anyone in a position to support someone who will soon have a baby. I would also recommend it to anyone, like me, who may have had their babies, but still found that it brought out deep, personal and unresolved feelings, and allowed them to be reflected on in a positive way. There is a lot of signposting in the book and links to further information, groups and websites which was helpful. There were lots of women’s experiences in the book which I found helped to reiterate the points and show the variety of experience. They also give another emotional depth to the messages of the book and I really liked them. The women who spoke of the benefits of postnatal care were inspiring and made this goal seem much more achievable. This book reinforced how special new mothers are and how important postnatal care is.
You can watch my full review of this brilliant book on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/gOTumY5apXs
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September 28, 2020Such a huge work! I love how scientific resources and references are mixed with so many real stories from so many mums on how our Western male biased culture ignores mothers' basic needs for a proper rest, healing and connection to the baby after birth. Wow! And also positive stories on how we can do better as a society and what we all can do for the new mums. Sophie has inspired me to advertise my post natal care services more! And let's not forget the babies - safely attached babies grow into mature, happy, healthy adults.
June 16, 2020
So I cannot recommend this book highly enough, whether it's to fellow expecting mothers or to their partners, families, or support workers. I loved reading it with both my hats at the moment: the professional and the personal.
As an anthropologist, I always find it worthwhile learning about the wide varieties of ways that humans live and organise their societies. From that point of view, this book was fascinating, exploring as it does the myriad of ways that societies both today and in the past have handled the postpartum period.
But as a pregnant woman, I found it so much more essential. It completely changed how I thought about and approached the end of my pregnancy and planning for the oft-neglected time after the birth. Writing my own postpartum plan after reading it allowed me to think much more consciously about adapting to life with a new baby, and with a new body. It also helped me discuss these issues more explicitly and honestly with my partner and my family so everyone was on the same page and we could all just be excited about this new stage in our collective lives, without the anxiety of unvoiced expectations or unmet needs.
Sophie draws on cross-cultural wisdom and experience, as well as the scientific literature, to articulate how the exhausted, neglected, overwhelmed stereotype of new motherhood we have in our society isn’t an unavoidable universal but a relatively recent cultural choice. And, crucially, a choice we can be empowered to un-make with some care, planning, and support. Start by reading this book.
As an anthropologist, I always find it worthwhile learning about the wide varieties of ways that humans live and organise their societies. From that point of view, this book was fascinating, exploring as it does the myriad of ways that societies both today and in the past have handled the postpartum period.
But as a pregnant woman, I found it so much more essential. It completely changed how I thought about and approached the end of my pregnancy and planning for the oft-neglected time after the birth. Writing my own postpartum plan after reading it allowed me to think much more consciously about adapting to life with a new baby, and with a new body. It also helped me discuss these issues more explicitly and honestly with my partner and my family so everyone was on the same page and we could all just be excited about this new stage in our collective lives, without the anxiety of unvoiced expectations or unmet needs.
Sophie draws on cross-cultural wisdom and experience, as well as the scientific literature, to articulate how the exhausted, neglected, overwhelmed stereotype of new motherhood we have in our society isn’t an unavoidable universal but a relatively recent cultural choice. And, crucially, a choice we can be empowered to un-make with some care, planning, and support. Start by reading this book.
October 21, 2020
Sophie's knowledge and passion about birth really shines through in this book. It is very easy to read and full of lots of practical suggestions as to how to make the postnatal recovery period more enjoyable and more straightforward for parents.
I loved the emphasis on how time (and possibly money) spent on the planning for a postnatal period of recovery from pregnancy and birth is an investment, not only in the long-term wellbeing of the mother but also in terms of the positive impact on the whole family. Sophie describes how postnatal recovery is given more emphasis in various cultures across the globe but also how, until relatively recently we had a tradition of postnatal care for mothers in the UK too. This is no 'latest birth trend'.
While this book would be an excellent addition to the library of any parent-to-be I think it should be added to reading lists for any would-be doula, antenatal teacher or even midwife. As an antenatal teacher with the National Childbirth Trust I was already implementing ideas before I'd finished the book. I loved it so much I also took Sophie's online course on the topic.
I loved the emphasis on how time (and possibly money) spent on the planning for a postnatal period of recovery from pregnancy and birth is an investment, not only in the long-term wellbeing of the mother but also in terms of the positive impact on the whole family. Sophie describes how postnatal recovery is given more emphasis in various cultures across the globe but also how, until relatively recently we had a tradition of postnatal care for mothers in the UK too. This is no 'latest birth trend'.
While this book would be an excellent addition to the library of any parent-to-be I think it should be added to reading lists for any would-be doula, antenatal teacher or even midwife. As an antenatal teacher with the National Childbirth Trust I was already implementing ideas before I'd finished the book. I loved it so much I also took Sophie's online course on the topic.
June 16, 2020
I love this book. I have facilitated postnatal groups for many years, so I am acutely aware of the huge hole in support and information for those starting their lives as mothers. This book goes a long way towards filling that hole.
Sophie is a scientist turned doula, so is beautifully qualified to offer practical, evidence-based information with compassion and empathy. She gives us pointers to things we should all know, but have somehow lost in our rushed and internet-obsessed world. Based on her four pillars of postnatal recovery - rest, nutrition, social support and bodywork - she gently guides us through practical steps to support an optimal postnatal recovery.
Packed with common sense and wisdom, with enjoyable personal stories and references and resources second to none, this book has something for everyone who is pregnant or has just had a baby. I not only recommend it, I would go so far as to say I think it is essential reading.
Becky Reed
Midwife and Postnatal Group Facilitator
Sophie is a scientist turned doula, so is beautifully qualified to offer practical, evidence-based information with compassion and empathy. She gives us pointers to things we should all know, but have somehow lost in our rushed and internet-obsessed world. Based on her four pillars of postnatal recovery - rest, nutrition, social support and bodywork - she gently guides us through practical steps to support an optimal postnatal recovery.
Packed with common sense and wisdom, with enjoyable personal stories and references and resources second to none, this book has something for everyone who is pregnant or has just had a baby. I not only recommend it, I would go so far as to say I think it is essential reading.
Becky Reed
Midwife and Postnatal Group Facilitator
June 19, 2020
"This book is bursting with common sense. It addresses an area of childbirth that has been desperately neglected. Sadly the postnatal period has been the brunt of modern cost cutting, leaving new mothers with very little in the way of support. Sophie captures the need for reestablishing some of the old traditions and customs. She introduces customs from around the world, emphasising the importance societies everywhere put on this special time.
Sophie uses her “four pillars of postnatal recovery” to illustrate how vital postnatal recovery is to mother, baby and family. In a world where families are often living miles apart and new mothers do not have a close support network, where mothers are expected to bounce back to pre pregnancy “normal” and the pace of life is fast and constantly interrupted by technology, there is an enormous need for a book like this. Sophie offers sensible, realistic advice in an easy to read amusing book. I recommend it highly!
Siobhan Taylor
Midwife and community postnatal supporter
Sophie uses her “four pillars of postnatal recovery” to illustrate how vital postnatal recovery is to mother, baby and family. In a world where families are often living miles apart and new mothers do not have a close support network, where mothers are expected to bounce back to pre pregnancy “normal” and the pace of life is fast and constantly interrupted by technology, there is an enormous need for a book like this. Sophie offers sensible, realistic advice in an easy to read amusing book. I recommend it highly!
Siobhan Taylor
Midwife and community postnatal supporter
October 10, 2020
A caring book.
This is such a gentle and caring book that I was touched by the softness with which doula Sophie talks about new motherhood. I am six months postnatal and having had a baby on the cusp of an international lockdown the points Sophie has made in this book has touched me at so many levels.
This is a great collection of resources and empowering inspiration for not only new mothers and her care givers but for our society at large.
This is a practical book that will help new mothers have a conversation around their postnatal needs. The chapter on how to write a postnatal recovery plan is gold. It has simple yet amazing tips on how to request for support and to plan for this rather than leave it to chance or simply expect that others may notice the help we need.
This book has made such an amazing case for postnatal doula support too. Many women make all the plans for pregnancy and birth and find themselves at loss during the vulnerable postnatal times. This book remedies that and should definitely be on your reading list as you prepare to become a new mother.
This is such a gentle and caring book that I was touched by the softness with which doula Sophie talks about new motherhood. I am six months postnatal and having had a baby on the cusp of an international lockdown the points Sophie has made in this book has touched me at so many levels.
This is a great collection of resources and empowering inspiration for not only new mothers and her care givers but for our society at large.
This is a practical book that will help new mothers have a conversation around their postnatal needs. The chapter on how to write a postnatal recovery plan is gold. It has simple yet amazing tips on how to request for support and to plan for this rather than leave it to chance or simply expect that others may notice the help we need.
This book has made such an amazing case for postnatal doula support too. Many women make all the plans for pregnancy and birth and find themselves at loss during the vulnerable postnatal times. This book remedies that and should definitely be on your reading list as you prepare to become a new mother.
January 28, 2025
This is a great, simple overview of traditional postpartum practices and what it could look like to bring that focus on healing back into our modern world. I only wish there was an American version, because there are definitely some norms she describes that are more British, and very few of the specific resources listed are relevant internationally.
There are other books that go way more in depth into all of these topics, but most are more focused on either a specific aspect of recovery or a specific cultural approach and you would have to do a ton of reading to cover everything this book does. I really appreciate Messager's broad overview with an emphasis on understanding the big picture and picking out what is helpful to you
There are other books that go way more in depth into all of these topics, but most are more focused on either a specific aspect of recovery or a specific cultural approach and you would have to do a ton of reading to cover everything this book does. I really appreciate Messager's broad overview with an emphasis on understanding the big picture and picking out what is helpful to you
June 16, 2020
Sophie’s book is a powerful call to action and essential reading not just for those who are pregnant or have had children – but for all of us. At some point in our lives we will come into contact with a loved one who is expecting or has recently had a child and Sophie’s book reminds us of an age-old universal wisdom about caring for the mother. The book is a wonderful resource including poignant personal stories.
My hope is that the book will have a ripple effect. Caring for mothers during this precious period after birth is an avenue not just to look after two individuals (baby and mother) but a step towards creating better societies.
My hope is that the book will have a ripple effect. Caring for mothers during this precious period after birth is an avenue not just to look after two individuals (baby and mother) but a step towards creating better societies.
February 9, 2021
Lovely book - particularly enjoyed the international perspectives (living between U.K. and NL has already made me aware of how some countries really do ensure parents are supported postpartum) and approaches. Sign me up for the French physiotherapy and Dutch home help!
Well laid out and easy to understand. Plenty of practical suggestions and I enjoyed reading the case studies/comments from parents.
Will be giving a copy to pregnant friends.
One star less due to the inclusion of alternative (the ones which have been researched but not effective - not the traditional therapies that are as yet untested) therapies - which I was surprised at given the background (PhD) of the author!
Well laid out and easy to understand. Plenty of practical suggestions and I enjoyed reading the case studies/comments from parents.
Will be giving a copy to pregnant friends.
One star less due to the inclusion of alternative (the ones which have been researched but not effective - not the traditional therapies that are as yet untested) therapies - which I was surprised at given the background (PhD) of the author!
June 16, 2020
By sharing the experiences and concerns of modern women during their postnatal journeys, Sophie unveils for us the wisdom of postpartum care across the globe and echoes the voices of traditional midwifery throughout time.
Thorough research, easy to follow advice and lots of useful resources make this book a must read!
not only for mothers to be, but for all of those who understand that perinatal health is a key element to help our communities thrive.
Thorough research, easy to follow advice and lots of useful resources make this book a must read!
not only for mothers to be, but for all of those who understand that perinatal health is a key element to help our communities thrive.
February 1, 2025
A book that really opened my eyes to the postnatal period.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews