The Sacred Art of Rest: Why Resting After Birth Matters for Your Whole Self

In Australia, we often celebrate pregnancy and birth — but the weeks after a baby arrives can be overlooked. In fact, research shows that 1 in 5 Australian mothers experience postnatal depression (Centre of Perinatal Excellence, 2024), and fatigue is one of the most common concerns raised with GPs during the first three months postpartum. Yet rest — true, intentional rest — is one of the most powerful ways to support your recovery, your mental health, and your connection with your baby.

In many traditional cultures, the first 40 days after birth are considered sacred. The new parent is nurtured, fed, and shielded from household responsibilities. While this practice is less common in modern Australian life, the need for deep rest remains.

Your Body: Healing from the Inside Out

Birth is a profound physical process — whether vaginal or by caesarean. Your uterus is contracting back to its pre-pregnancy size, your blood volume is normalising, and your tissues are repairing. Hormonal shifts are intense, and your body is also learning to produce milk and regulate energy.

Pushing yourself too soon can lead to slowed healing, increased bleeding, or long-term pelvic floor issues. Rest supports your physical recovery by helping to:

• Reduce inflammation and aid tissue repair

• Support healthy milk supply

• Restore iron and nutrient levels after blood loss

• Rebuild core and pelvic floor strength

Tip: The Australian Physiotherapy Association recommends avoiding high-impact activity for the first 12 weeks postpartum, focusing instead on gentle rest and gradual movement.

Your Mind: Space to Adjust

The transition to parenthood is as mental as it is physical. Sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, and new responsibilities can affect mood and focus. Around 1 in 3 Australian mothers report high levels of fatigue in the first three months postpartum (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2023).

Taking moments of rest — even short ones — helps regulate mood, improve memory, and lower the risk of postpartum anxiety or depression.

Your Spirit: Honouring the Transformation

Birth changes more than your body — it changes your identity. You are meeting your baby, but also meeting yourself in a new role. This is a rite of passage that is often underestimated, your journey into matresence.

Rest creates space to:

• Bond deeply with your baby through skin-to-skin and eye contact

• Reflect on your birth experience

• Integrate the emotional shifts that come with parenthood

These quiet moments, even if brief, are a form of spiritual care — they help you anchor in the present, instead of rushing through it.

Practical Ways to Make Rest Happen

Modern life in Australia doesn’t automatically make room for postpartum rest — but with planning, you can protect it.

• Plan your postpartum period like you planned your birth — include rest in your “to-do” list.

• Limit early visitors so you can prioritise healing.

• Say yes to help with meals, errands, or holding the baby while you nap.

• Keep essentials close in a “rest station” — water, snacks for yourself, nappies, and burp cloths within arm’s reach.

• Release the guilt — rest is recovery, not laziness.

You Deserve to Rest

Your body has done something extraordinary. Your mind is adapting. Your spirit is stretching to embrace this new life. Rest is not selfish — it’s an essential act of love for both you and your baby.

Slow down. Honour the first weeks. The laundry, the dishes, and the emails can wait. You and your baby are worth it.

References:

1. Centre of Perinatal Excellence (COPE). Postnatal Depression Statistics, 2024.

2. Australian Institute of Family Studies. Life During the First Year of Parenthood, 2023.

3. Australian Physiotherapy Association. Postnatal Recovery Guidelines, 2023.