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The ritual of swaddling a woman in labor after childbirth. The procedure for swaddling a woman after childbirth: restoring the psychophysical state of the mother. The Role of the Changing Specialist

How postpartum swaddling helps a woman recover emotionally, remove extra centimeters, diastasis, joint pain and other problems that appear in a mother after childbirth - says practicing swaddler and doula Maria Kireicheva.

What is swaddling

Postpartum swaddling of a woman is a procedure for recovery after childbirth using massage, aroma and herbal therapy and other techniques, which is carried out by doulas and midwives at home. It has been known in our country for more than 10 years, but is only now gaining popularity among young mothers.

Our ancestors also knew swaddling as an effective way to regain physical and emotional shape after childbirth. But, unfortunately, no one will remember now how and what midwives did two or three centuries ago. Slavic swaddling traditions have been lost.

The modern technique of postpartum swaddling in Russia was developed by midwife Alena Lebedeva, adopting the experience of her Mexican colleague Naoli Vinaver and adding her own techniques to it.

It can be done at any age, but based on the name, it has the greatest effect on the body after childbirth: from 5 to 20 days.

My husband and I do the swaddling together. He is a massage therapist, I am a doula. I am a third-year student at a medical university (currently on maternity leave), my husband has a paramedic diploma. We learned the skill of swaddling from one of the midwives who went to Alena Lebedeva.

She told us what drink a woman should drink, what herbs to add to the bath before swaddling, and also about the ritual side of the procedure.

In our business, we often meet people who formally have nothing to do with medicine. They independently master techniques because they want to help women, but in our business, knowledge of physiology and anatomy is absolutely necessary.

From a psychological point of view, swaddling is a rite of passage. We help the woman enter the new role of “mother”, we talk through what impressed us most during the birth process. Together with my mother, I go through all the anxious moments, work through them and help them free themselves from fears and doubts.

It is curious that those who give birth at home have much fewer psychological problems than those who were in the maternity hospital. The first were in a familiar environment, with family and a doula, while the second were in a hospital ward, where everything was foreign. The second are in a hospital ward, where everything is foreign.

Women after maternity hospital experience situations after which they need to speak out. Many cry as they talk about how rudely doctors treated them. One woman asked the obstetrician not to cut the baby’s umbilical cord until it began to pulsate, but he did not listen to her. Another was yelled at in the maternity hospital and pushed out of bed because she was unable to stand up on her own during pushing.

They swaddled a woman whose baby had not been brought in for feeding for two days, although she cried and asked for it. She did not have enough space in the room, and she was placed in the corridor, where, according to hospital rules, babies cannot be brought.

All emotions caused by such stressful situations can lead to severe depression and insomnia. After our procedure, mom’s fears and worries become significantly less. For some people they go away completely.

Restoration of the body after childbirth occurs to one degree or another in all women. But not everyone has it quickly and correctly. We help solve the problem of a large belly, discrepancy of the pelvic bones, dysplasia, discrepancy of the pubic symphysis, swelling, joint pain and other problems that arise in mothers.

    The first stage of the procedure is massage. We do it on a special table, which we bring to the woman’s apartment. My husband works out his back, then I do a visceral massage of the abdomen. With its help, I put the intestines and other organs in place, which significantly reduces the volume in the waist.

    Then I go to the kitchen and cook sbiten. This is a compote of dried apricots, to which I add ginger, turmeric, cardamom, saffron, star anise, nutmeg and cinnamon. I season with honey and lemon juice. It turns out very tasty.

    As soon as the sbiten is ready, I give the woman a bath with medicinal herbs. The following are used: chamomile, oregano, string, St. John's wort, yarrow, linden. As well as nettle and oak bark, which help cope with joint pain and strengthen ligaments. When mommy goes into the bath, I give her sbiten. She drinks it slowly, through a straw. An important condition of the procedure is that the body must warm up evenly outside and inside (30 minutes or more).

    In the bathroom, I wipe the woman with salt, steam with a broom, and do a lymphatic drainage facial massage. It relieves swelling. Then I let you smell different essential oils to completely relax your body.

    As soon as we see that the body is ready for swaddling, we dry the mother with a towel, put her under a blanket, and give her a rebozo massage.

    After this, we begin the actual swaddling. Using special fabric, we alternately tighten different areas of the body. We go from top to bottom, head, shoulders, ribs, hips - and so on all the way to the heels. We wrap each zone with fabric and tighten it tightly on both sides. Keep it for 4 to 16 minutes. Least of all – feet. The longest ones are the ribs and pelvic bones. For varicose veins, we first tighten it from the head to the hips, then from the feet to the hips. The entire procedure (including massage and bath) takes 4-5 hours. In between the massage, bath and tightening, the mother manages to feed the baby several times.

We had amazing results. Once, after two swaddlings (with a difference of 2-3 weeks), a woman lost 6 centimeters in her pelvis. But such a case is rather an exception.

Before the procedure, we ask the woman in detail about her characteristics. If there are any new growths on the body, we do not tighten these places, or we do it very carefully. Contraindications are heart problems: someone should not steam for a long time and be exposed to heat. We don’t take on mothers who have thrombosis.

We always ask that you report any herbal allergies. Sometimes we take a bath without them at all, just with salt, but then the effect is completely different.

After a massage, your back may hurt, especially for those women who have never done it before. This is normal: the muscles are afraid of the sudden impact. The ideal option is to do a short massage course before swaddling, then after tightening the woman will really feel completely renewed.

It happens that after a few days the mother’s temperature rises and vaginal discharge begins. This may be caused by stagnation of the contents of the uterus. We are always very concerned about our clients and suggest who to contact in emergency situations. But, as a rule, everything ends well. For example, one woman, 2 days after the procedure, had a fever of 39, and a few hours later a piece of the bladder came out. Then she went to the gynecologist and he confirmed that everything was fine.

We do swaddling very carefully, looking for an approach to every mother. But it is very important that the woman trusts us. Only then will it be possible to achieve greater effect and bring the body and emotions into “working” mode.

Olga Panfilova, PhD, obstetrician-gynecologist at the European Medical Center:

“The method described by the authors is complex, and some of its components can certainly be used in classical gynecology to restore the patient’s condition in the postpartum period (massage, postpartum bandage, etc.). The authors themselves note that these methods came into modern obstetrics and were borrowed from the experience and traditions of the work of midwives who practiced many years ago. The technique is interesting in itself, however, if we are guided by the principles of purely evidence-based medicine, then no studies have been conducted to study the effectiveness of this method of postpartum recovery.”

Individual postpartum recovery procedure. Helps relieve such common consequences of childbirth as joint pain, swelling, exacerbation of hemorrhoids, varicose veins of the vagina, prolapse of the vaginal walls, stagnation of milk, insomnia, nagging pain in a too large abdomen, constipation and difficulty urinating, hyperexcitability, back pain, depression .

“Our goal is not to treat, but to help the body recover itself”

doula L.Lavillen

Who needs postpartum swaddling and why?

Tell me, in your family album there is an old, old photograph in which your great-great-grandmother is standing (sitting) surrounded by numerous children and grandchildren? And there are 10-15 children of different ages, and all the grandchildren did not fit in the photo. And the great-grandmother is young and slender, approximately size 46. Unfortunately, such a photograph was not preserved in my family, but I found my Tatar grandmother from a distant village, who gave birth to five children, no longer allowed by the war. Small and lively, a singer and busybody until old age. When, after the birth of my first and only child, I felt 20 kilograms of excess weight, aching pain in every joint, and for exactly 3 years I considered myself deeply unhappy, sick, with one constant desire to “sleep, sleep!” , a fat and clueless mother, I thought about Deuani more than once. Think, how, how?! In the most difficult times, without food and vitamins, did women manage to maintain health, beauty and the desire to sing and live on after numerous births? “They went to the bathhouse and did massages there with the help of a “belek” (rolling pin),” an elderly relative once told me, knowing that I began to collect materials everywhere about midwives, childbirth and postpartum recovery in Tatar and Russian villages. Today a lot is known about this. In the old days there was a tradition of midwifery for a woman in labor, which is why grandmothers were called midwives. After giving birth, the midwife steamed the woman, adjusted her joints, wrapped her in a wet diaper and laid her on the stove, and by the morning the woman in labor got up refreshed.

Today, this postpartum recovery procedure has again become very popular; doctors of various specialties, women, midwives, and psychologists have realized its usefulness. It would seem that new times have come, childbirth takes place in comfortable conditions, the woman receives adequate nutrition, her life is organized. But at the same time, there are a huge number of complaints about chronic malaise and depression after childbirth. Where are we missing something important? Maybe in the management of childbirth itself, or in the regime after it? Nowadays, getting up early and being active immediately after childbirth is widely accepted. Such recommendations are heard by postpartum mothers from both doctors and midwives. Once upon a time, a woman lay down after giving birth for at least a day, preferably nine days. It is curious that in one of the medical clinics in Czechoslovakia, in the 80s, they checked the correctness of modern recommendations. All postpartum women (about 200 people) in the study were divided into two equal groups. In the first, main, strict bed rest was observed for three days, care was provided by hospital staff, in the second, control, the usual regimen was observed, with getting up no later than 4 hours after birth. The results stunned the researchers: in the main group, on the 4th day, the uterus contracted perfectly in everyone; not a single postpartum complication or case of postpartum depression was noted for 40 days after birth. Postpartum women of the second group showed the usual average results. Unfortunately, the results of this study did not serve as a reason to revise official medical approaches to the management of the postpartum period.

Childbirth causes great changes in a woman’s body, and in her consciousness, and in the sensory sphere. Recovery requires time and effort, and that is exactly what is in short supply: in the maternity hospital, the protocol for active management of the postpartum period is followed, then - early discharge and, please, you are a happy mother and a squirrel in a wheel - in one bottle. Frequent consequences: joint pain, swelling, exacerbation of hemorrhoids, varicose veins of the vagina, prolapse of the vaginal walls, stagnation of milk, insomnia, nagging pain in an overly large abdomen, constipation and difficulty urinating, hyperexcitability, back pain, depression. The modern procedure of postpartum swaddling allows you to successfully cope with most of these problems. It is recommended starting from the 5-9th day after birth, when it would seem that a lot has already been missed, because special mobility of the joints remains for 1-2 days after birth, and everyone has already stood up, bent over, the stomach has not been tied up, and there are already problems , and probably for a long time. But! The swaddling procedure involves internal (using a drink) and external (massage, oils, bath) heating. Its goal is to bring the body to its original, “soft” state, and then something can be carefully corrected, and favorable conditions are simply created for most restoration processes.

So, the purpose of swaddling is to restore the strength and harmony of the female body, which went into ensuring pregnancy and childbirth, with the help of natural influences.

In the process of swaddling, the following tasks are partially or completely solved:

- changing dynamic stereotypes

“The change in the center of gravity of a woman’s body, which occurs smoothly during pregnancy, occurs very sharply during childbirth. But the conflict between the body and the nervous system is that the brain has already formed a dynamic stereotype. He controls movements based on the past - pregnancy. The only way to erase the memory of acquired movements during pregnancy is through deep relaxation. This is achieved by slow deep warming, massage, a favorable psychological atmosphere that needs to be created, and consistent relaxation of the whole body through static pressotherapy.” A. Lebedeva.

- stimulation of hematopoiesis

“Deep heating and massage, as well as static contraction (static pressotherapy) of the body stimulate metabolism and hematopoietic functions. Deep regeneration processes are activated; in fact, you can call it rejuvenation. All blood depots are also actively used, which allows a woman to recover quickly.” A. Lebedeva.

- detoxification of the body

Lymphatic drainage used in the procedure is the basis for internal cleansing processes and a means for the deepest possible cleaning of tissues from cell waste products. Warming and massages increase lymph flow, while ensuring speedy recovery.

- removal of tissue edema, restoration of figure

At the same time, lymphatic drainage ensures a more uniform distribution of fluid or its partial removal from the body. The swelling subsides, metabolism improves, and the figure returns to normal. To enhance the effect, special oils and spices are used.

- normalization of mental state, prevention of postpartum depression

After childbirth, quite a lot of endorphins are released to support a woman’s tired body and psyche. But on the 5th day they disappear. The woman begins to feel the true state of her body, and her mood worsens significantly. Warmth, rest, care from others, and relaxation help to level out a woman’s hormonal background, bring it into harmony and get rid of depression.

- normalization of intestinal function

“Often after childbirth, atony occurs in the intestinal muscles; it is very difficult for a woman to go to the toilet. The length of the small intestine depends on its tone. Its long, attenuated loops can creep onto the large intestine and partially pass into the small pelvis, preventing the uterus from not only contracting, but also moving into place. Warmth and gentle abdominal massage, as well as properly selected drinks, help solve this problem.” A. Lebedeva

- correction of pelvic joints

“During childbirth, the pelvic bones undergo many movements - counternutation, rotation, nutation. This happens to make it easier to pass the baby's head. Therefore, the pelvic bones are also out of place after childbirth. Many people suffer from these problems for a long time - pain in the sacroiliac joints, discrepancy of the pubic symphysis. When the pelvis is pulled/tightened, these problems go away. When pulling/pulling the legs, the position of the pelvic bones is corrected by rotating them. The woman, starting from 4 minutes, feels some sensations in her back when adjusting her legs. After this, hemorrhoids caused by childbirth and vaginal swelling disappear” A. Lebedeva

- prevention of premastitis conditions

“Due to the alignment when pulling/tightening the thoracic regions and the return of the internal organs to their place, the tendency to pre-mastitis conditions during feeding goes away. Even lactostasis that has already begun can be relieved by warming up and improving milk flow, as well as stabilizing hormonal levels. In addition, this is also the prevention of mastopathy.” A. Lebedeva

The procedure time is 3.5-4 hours. It is advisable that the woman be able to lie down for a few more hours afterward. Before the procedure, it is important to cleanse the intestines. The task of work during the first half of the procedure is diagnosis and correction of the pelvis, pelvic floor, position of internal organs, and uterine ligaments. The task of the second half of the procedure is deep relaxation and then returning the body to its boundaries.

The main condition is relaxation. For this, warmth, darkness, silence, massage, and everything that allows a woman to relax more completely are used. For greater efficiency, warming up is required. Internal heating occurs due to special drinks (base - tea or cocoa). You can use spices, herbs, and berries for them. Mommy herself takes part in preparing the drink.

Drag - 7 rounds of approximately 5 minutes each.

Round 1 - head.

Round 2 - shoulders.

Round 3 - ribs in the solar plexus area, possibly together with the elbows.

Round 4 - iliac bones.

Round 5 - middle of the femur.

Round 6 - mid-calf.

Round 7 - metatarsals.

During each round, the woman wraps herself in a long linen towel or sling. The tension of the fabric is dictated by the woman herself.
Then the belly is swaddled, the swaddle is worn for 9-14 days, with a break for night sleep.

Throughout the entire procedure, the postpartum woman can talk through her memories of childbirth, her feelings and emotions. Those accompanying the swaddling during childbirth are always ready for contact, response, and discussion of any topic proposed by the woman. Their job is to let mommy speak. Sometimes swaddling takes place in almost complete silence.

What does a postpartum mother need to prepare for herself?

Linen towel fabric (width - 50 cm, length - 6 meters), preferably mixed: linen - 50%; cotton - 50%;

Milk for cocoa - 0.5 liters,

2-3 rugs or woolen blankets;

Wool hat and socks;

Large terry towel;

Bed sheet.

Experts bring everything else (spices, tea, cocoa, oils, etc.) with them.

It should be remembered that the effect of swaddling is long-lasting, but not eternal and needs to be supported by gymnastics and a healthy lifestyle.

Article from the magazine "Baby" (09.11)

The postpartum recovery procedure known as swaddling is becoming increasingly popular among young mothers. Many years of practice have proven that this difficult procedure can not only help the functioning of internal organs, narrow the pelvis and waist, but also set the woman in labor up for quality motherhood. We talked to postpartum recovery specialist Victoria Ripp about whether this is actually true.

DIs swaddling really necessary? If so, who first?

No, swaddling is not necessary. It is done only for those who experience any difficulties during the postpartum recovery period. Because swaddling is a holistic procedure that affects many aspects of a woman's life after childbirth, it can therefore help in a variety of situations. For example, when poor health in general- both physical and emotional: when a woman who has given birth feels out of place, feels anxious, powerless, despondent, upon arrival from the maternity hospital she cannot get into a groove for a long time, gets very tired, and cannot cope with the load.

But euphoria is also a bad symptom. Women who are in euphoria, having just returned from the maternity hospital, call friends and family, serve guests, clean, cook, walk with the child... But after two or three weeks they collapse from fatigue and then recover for a very long time and with difficulty. This is a very common behavior provoked by hormonal levels and social stereotypes. It seems to the young mother that she can and should (everyone!) do the same thing as before, plus take care of the baby, stay awake at night, but she doesn’t feel her real state at all - she can’t calculate her strength...

A striking example from practice is Katya. She swaddled in the third week after giving birth, and all this time, starting from the second day after returning home, she received guests, and later went to visit herself - far away, on public transport. During the day she was very active, but at night she did not sleep, cried, experiencing a lot of fears and suffering from a frightening feeling of emptiness in her stomach and from the fact that she did not understand at all, did not feel the child and did not know what to do with him. But none of her relatives knew this, because during the day she was always in a good mood. Katya wanted to go back to the first day after giving birth to start all over again.

This happens to many women. It may not look so bright, but certain manifestations of depression and “escape from oneself” are very common. Young mothers sometimes do not realize their condition or are afraid to admit it to themselves and others. As a result, it can become chronic.

Swaddling also helps those women who have had difficult labor or caesarean section. A difficult birth is a huge stress, and a woman needs to recuperate. The body remembers a caesarean section as suppression of the most important program: over the course of nine months, the body changes, develops in a certain direction and waits for climax, but it does not happen. And swaddling, at least a little, compensates and completes this process.

Practice shows that swaddling, while solving the main problem of speedy recovery, also helps with specific problems: a very large belly, prolapse of organs, pelvic displacement, poorly contracting uterus, constipation, hemorrhoids, difficulties with urination, enlarged feet. As well as pain in the perineum, muscles, pelvic joints, lower back, between the shoulder blades. Indications for swaddling are also symptoms such as insomnia, weakness, lethargy, apathy, swelling, too much appetite or lack thereof.

One day I was swaddling Anya. Four months have passed since the birth. And all this time she suffered from severe noise in the ear - such that in order to fall asleep, she had to sit for a long time, pressing a hand or pillow to her ear. When we got to the point of pulling the pelvis, the noise immediately decreased significantly, and after a day it completely subsided.

It’s also very nice when you manage to straighten your pelvis, because during pregnancy the load on the joints increases, the muscles work differently, the center of gravity changes, as a result of which the pelvis often shifts. Recently I swaddled my friend, who had very severe pain all over her body for two weeks; she lost feeling in one arm and could not sleep at all. After swaddling, she measured the volume of her hips, and it turned out that it had decreased by eleven centimeters: the pelvis changed shape and “closed.” By the way, swaddling in no way implies a cosmetic reduction in the size of the hips or waist, much less weight loss! This can only be a pleasant “side effect”, but not the goal.

What can a woman expect after the swaddling procedure?

Of course, the disappearance of those complaints that exist at the time of swaddling. For example, the issue of stagnation of discharge (if the uterus contracts poorly) is perfectly resolved.

As a result of the procedure, the center of gravity returns to its “pre-pregnancy” state. The back straightens, the abdominal muscles are tightened and the diastasis (divergence) of the rectus abdominis muscles is reduced.

It is important that swaddling serves as a prevention of problems that may appear in the future due to possible prolapse and displacement of organs. By the way, it is very important to understand that the abdomen should have a toned shape due to correctly positioned and well-functioning organs, when their natural rhythm and blood supply are not disrupted, and not due to pumped up abdominal muscles, since active exercises can cause organ displacement.

Is swaddling a new technology or a tradition?

Both. The body-pulling portion of swaddling is a Mexican folk procedure. The rest is years of development.

The fact is that pulling and gentle warming up is an undifferentiated technique, that is, a technique that can be applied in any situation and to any person. From experience we can say that it relieves pain in muscles and joints, relieves physical and emotional stress, and gives the mother in labor a feeling of relaxation and care.

How is the swaddling procedure carried out?

Sitting on either side of the woman, we tighten her body alternately in eight places. Many people imagine something like a motionless mummy, but in fact, this is not the case. It’s just that a woman lies under a warm blanket, and we pull a sling scarf first on her head, then on her shoulders, ribs, pelvis... The tightening force is regulated by the woman herself, based on her feelings. This is usually a very pleasant procedure as it “closes” the body after childbirth.

Tugging is the final stage, after which the woman lies, eats and rests.

If children require a lot of attention, then swaddling can last for eight hours, because we are not in a hurry and do everything at a pace that is convenient for the family. But the necessary stages of the procedure still usually take at least six hours. It is worth considering that after the procedure you cannot get up for at least four hours.

How to do without swaddling if it is not available?

Some women can easily do without the swaddling procedure - everything will return to normal by itself. The main thing is to eat well, try to rest, do not lift weights and do not pump your abs. Others will have a more difficult time: they cannot do without gymnastics. For the first three months, simple exercises at home will be enough. Afterwards, it is best to give preference to Pilates, body flex, belly dancing, swimming (avoid strength exercises on machines!). It is advisable that the instructor understands the peculiarities of the postpartum period. Massage (in courses) is also useful, and ideally, consultation with a competent osteopath.

A visit to the bathhouse is a great way to help you recover after childbirth.

It is important to remember that during the postpartum period the body is more vulnerable than ever. Problems that appear during this period may remain for a long time. Therefore, you need to try to rest more, take care of yourself and ask loved ones for support and help.

Swaddling a woman after childbirth - postpartum recovery.

  • Swaddling has a certain structure, it lasts about 4 to 7 hours.
  • One or two diaper maids come to your home, introductions and preparations take place, tea and herbs are brewed. There is a conversation about your birth, which, depending on your need for this conversation, can last an hour or two or take a short time, if such a need is not great, the child can be with you during the conversation.
  • Then, for about 40 minutes, rebozo swaddling or other preparatory techniques take place, during which it is better to be without the child. After this, the baby can be fed.
  • Next we go to the bathroom, the bathroom takes 30-40 minutes, it’s also better to be there without a child.
  • Next comes oil rubbing of the whole body with special attention to the stomach and back. If necessary, you can also feed the baby after this.
  • Next, tugs are performed directly, which last about 40 minutes and at this time it is also better to be without the baby.
  • This is where the swaddling itself ends, you can drink tea together and share your feelings.

What is postpartum swaddling and why is it necessary to close the birth.

  • Physical restoration of the body and restoration of energy centers that are overly open after childbirth is the goal of a woman’s postpartum correction. Postpartum editing is designed to help the mother in labor put her body in order and improve her mental balance. Correction straightens the spine, puts the pelvic bones, internal organs, and uterus in place, relieves tension in the muscles, and helps remove increased levels of hormones from muscle tissue, and relieves postpartum stress.
  • After childbirth, a woman’s healthy body independently restores its physical and energetic balance. Within 40 days after birth, the uterus contracts and takes its previous shape and takes the correct position. There is a restructuring of the hormonal system from the state of pregnancy to the state of lactation. The pelvic bones narrow.
  • Energy flows are being restructured in accordance with new tasks. This happens easily with a large supply of vitality, a favorable environment, living in nature, good physical activity and proper nutrition. However, in modern conditions, not everything is so smooth.
  • The technique of postpartum correction activates the body’s natural recovery mechanisms, and no less than after a natural birth helps the mother recover after a cesarean section. If the birth went well and smoothly, then this correction is also very useful, helping natural recovery, reducing its time to two weeks.
  • Intra-abdominal pressure after childbirth decreases, and internal organs are displaced, the tone of the pelvic floor muscles decreases, hemorrhoids and constipation may also occur, often in women the uterus may contract poorly, urination may be difficult, and the legs may swell.
  • Swaddling techniques are precisely designed to speed up and improve recovery, eliminate these problems, protect the stomach from sagging, the uterus from endometritis (often after swaddling, large pieces and blood clots from the placenta come out of the uterus), and the back, neck, tailbone and lower back - for pain. This technique normalizes sleep, protects against postpartum depression, and restores digestion.
  • During pregnancy, a woman's center of gravity shifts and the load on her muscles changes, because the body moves differently, and the muscles distribute the load in accordance with changes in the center of gravity. Swaddling restores the pattern of movement inherent in the body before pregnancy, protecting posture from distortion.
  • These changes are especially relevant for mothers of many children. Swaddling provides lymphatic drainage, eliminating swelling and cleansing the tissues of toxins. Swaddling protects against mastitis, endometritis, eliminates constipation, hemorrhoids, and varicose veins of the vaginal vessels. This practice protects women from having to resort to medication for recovery after childbirth.
  • There are various postpartum recovery techniques. Belly tying, closing the seven keys (rebozo), swaddling and wrapping.
  • All these similar techniques for postpartum restoration are ancient, their origins go back to the common past of all mankind, and therefore they are found everywhere and intersect with each other, constituting a single technique for postpartum correction. The essence is the same, but the methods differ slightly among different nations. As, indeed, with different masters.

After giving birth, a woman passes forever to her new state. Her body is changing and just the first time after childbirth (the fifth or sixth day) is the most optimal time for postpartum swaddling of a woman, which in ancient times helped mothers in labor restore their strength and health. What does postpartum swaddling mean?

Previously, in Rus', swaddling meant for a woman to visit the bathhouse at least three times in order to regain all her strength, achieve rapid contraction of the uterus and normalization of discharge. Nowadays, postpartum swaddling means accepting:

  • massage treatments;
  • rubbing with herbal oils;
  • warming up with bath or water heat;
  • drinking warm drinks, infusions, decoctions.

A woman who has given birth is busy with the baby for the first 24 hours, and the first three days pass while waiting for the milk to come in, so postpartum swaddling is best started after moving home from the maternity hospital room, that is, somewhere on the 4-5th day.

A woman needs to prepare the warmest possible bath and make a warm spicy or herbal drink to effectively warm up all the deep tissues. When all the muscles relax and warm up enough, you can proceed to the massage procedure. Massage promotes even greater relaxation, improvement of metabolism, lymphatic drainage, blood flow, internal organs return to their usual position as before pregnancy, the uterus contracts, and the stomach goes away. After relaxation procedures, which are best done with the use of essential oils, herbal infusions, creams, masks to enhance the effect, the swaddling itself is carried out: eight zones of the woman’s body are tightened with a long towel:

  • feet;
  • head;
  • stomach;
  • shoulders;
  • hips;
  • rib cage;
  • shin.

It’s good if after such a contraction a woman can fall asleep and spend at least 4 hours in this state. If you need to feed the baby, this can be done at any time, since postpartum swaddling is carried out in the presence of the newborn, so that both feel closeness, you just need to hand the baby to the mother for feeding. The procedure for this wrap lasts up to 8 hours, although less is possible.

What benefits does postpartum swaddling give to a woman?

The benefits of such swaddling are felt by a woman after the first session. There is an improvement in the condition in the following parameters:

  • the dynamic way of movement of the woman is restored, that is, the previous center of gravity is restored, the woman stops moving, as during pregnancy, her gait is restored;
  • the former elasticity of body tissues returns, they become less elastic, and therefore muscle tone improves;
  • stimulation of the hematopoietic organs occurs (after all, a lot of blood is lost during childbirth);
  • Toxins and waste are actively removed from the body through the sebaceous and sweat glands;
  • swelling of the limbs is eliminated;
  • postpartum depression is prevented;
  • until the bones are restored to their previous state and have not taken on irregular shapes, this process is stimulated from the outside, that is, the figure is effectively corrected;

the functioning of the body returns to normal.