A 26-year-old new mother got on Reddit and posted about the "555" rule she created in order to have healthy boundaries as she healed after birth. After that was published, a wave of postnatal mothers began using it as a guideline for personal healing after giving birth. New mothers are entering an entirely different reality when they come home with their newborn babies. In order to help assist them in managing stress and taking good self-care, this 5-5-5 guide to postpartum was created and is being practiced around the world.
The 5-5-5 guide states that new moms should spend the first 5 days in bed, the second 5 days on the bed, and the third 5 days next to the bed. The first 5 days are about the mother and father bonding with the baby, and the mother healing from one of the most traumatic experiences a human can ever experience. It is a time of resting, feeding, snuggling, and staying inward in the "bubble" of Love in bed. It is not a time for visitors, for being active, or for going out in public. The second 5 days are about being on the bed, or a little more mobile. Mother and baby will still focus on rest and recovery, but now they are getting dressed and moving slowly around the space in order to create circulation. If there are other children or animals in the household, it is a time to introduce them to the baby and start to create home rituals together in order to bond the family as one unit. The last 5 days are about being next to the bed. This means to still rest and recover, but move around the home, get sunshine in your yard, take naps, and only stand for a maximum of 30 minutes at a time. This does not mean getting right back into old routines, but it does mean slowly integrating mother and baby back into the world and out of the womb. Friends and family that are close to the parents may come for short visits now, and outside help is welcome to the extent that the mother, baby, and father are still feeling at peace and in harmony. The mother can always decide to shift gears when needed.
The "Golden Month" or "First 40 Days" signify the first 40 days of the baby's life. As the Indian saying goes, "The first 40 days of life will impact the next 40 years of life". Ideally, a new mother would spend time healing and setting this seed with her baby, but we live in a very fast-paced, money-driven world that doesn't always have time for this process. This is why the 5-5-5 guide is so helpful in supporting new families integrate back into life and out of the womb. Healing takes time, and it is vital in the mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing of the mother, the baby, and the father. The gentle approach is a nurturing way to bring care and self-Love into the postpartum period. It will also help with the bonding and integration of this precious new life into the physical world.
Comments