Woman shares the '5-5-5 rule' new mothers should follow for better postpartum healing

The postpartum period can be as excruciating as the pregnancy period. The most crucial part after pregnancy is to look after one's body and health. However, experiencing so many changes and having to take care of a child makes it stressful to figure out what to do. Oriana Barger, a pelvic health physical therapy assistant and a new mom, shared a rule for postpartum healing and health that is going viral.

The physical therapist stated "the 5-5-5 rule" for postpartum moms to help with their healing and changes in their bodies. She started her video by saying, "5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed and 5 days near the bed. That's the 5-5-5 rule you should be following if you're in the postpartum period." Acknowledging in the caption of her video that not all birth givers have the privilege of having help, she shares that they can prioritize tasks to schedule as much rest for the body as possible as the body needs it to recover.

Barger went on to stress the need to take care of one's body post-pregnancy and said, "The uterus created a lot of pressure in the abdomen and all of a sudden a lot of that weight is gone." Barger then said that you need rest for this healing which is effectively practiced via the 5-5-5 rule. She elaborated on the rule saying, "5 days in the bed where you don't do anything. You just have people come help you, it's just you and the baby." The next 5 days are on the bed where Barger explains, "You're still on the bed but you're pretty much upright doing stuff." The last 5 days are devoted to being near the bed where one isn't doing any chores but ideally relaxing.

Barger also suggested the possibility of walking and said, "Can you go on a walk? Yes. But if you notice bleeding, you did too much." Being a new mom herself, Barger empathized with fellow moms explaining that "each day feels like a week and the idea of laying in bed feels like a lifetime. But your body needs it." She also states that birthgivers might feel like they are going crazy while adhering to the rule which can seem restrictive initially. @godeberta88 said, "Definitely was in bed for more than 5 days but it totally worked." @saranicole_77 said, "Yes, this is amazing! I did this with both of my babies. You have to prioritize yourself and your baby."

The immediate thought one gets pertaining to the 5-5-5 rule is that being alone at home or having so much to do for a newborn baby, how could one possibly stay in bed? Barger clarified these doubts in her next video. She began by saying that she understands how tough it is for mothers when they're by themselves at home stating that having help in the postpartum period is a "luxury." She then added, "The reason why I think it's important to bring up the 5-5-5 rule is because patients do too much too quickly because they think they can." It is ideal to incorporate resting to activate the healing as well.

Barger then said, "If you have a toddler and have to go to the doctor, I recognize that these things are part of the postpartum experience." She mentioned that though you're unable to rest all the time as per the 5-5-5 rule, the thought of the same will allow you to make time to rest. She further added, "The 5-5-5 rule doesn't mean that you're always in bed. You're getting up to pee, to change the baby and so on." All in all, mums can agree that the 5-5-5 rule is more of a knowledge to keep in mind so they can prepare themselves to have the much-needed time of rest. Because let's be honest birthing is hard and painful and needs a well-deserved rest.