As Mother’s Day approaches, we’ve been thinking about those first dreary-eyed and sleepless weeks and months after birth. Days spent with burp cloths, forgetting when you last showered, rushing to doctor’s appointments. It’s that whirling time when you’re no longer the person you once were. And have not yet come out the other side to the person you are becoming.
What surprised you most about postpartum?
Our Executive Director, Rachel Scandling, shares her personal experience:
“I wasn’t prepared for how not in control I felt. I had unexpected postpartum preeclampsia and was hospitalized for a week. I was so grateful to have family support, but everything I imagined–breastfeeding, recovering at home, my health–went differently than expected. It was overwhelming in ways I didn’t anticipate.”
Rachel went on to discover that her experience of feeling surprised and vulnerable was more common than she thought.
“As I got closer to this work and met more moms and birth parents, I realized I wasn’t alone. So many mothers are navigating intense transitions while also recovering from birth, figuring out childcare, if they qualify for leave, and trying to hold everything together.”
We often assume families recover from birth and care for a newborn with support. But the reality is, we expect families to transition into postpartum without the care they need.
As we approach Mother’s Day, we hope you’ll pause with us to acknowledge that mothers and expectant parents must be valued and celebrated. They also need real support.
At 4th Trimester, we’re working to build a world where no parent has to navigate postpartum alone. Where every mother can access unconditional care with dignity.
If this resonates with you, join us to support more mothers during the crucial postpartum time and make sure they aren’t alone.
We’d also like to invite you to offer your own reflection and experience, if you’re open to sharing:
What surprised you most about postpartum?
We’d love to hear from you.
