Your Postpartum Body - by Ruth E Macy & Courtney Naliboff (Paperback)

About the Book

"What should you expect when you're done expecting? Too many of us think that there's no way to fix everyday concerns after a pregnancy, such as pelvic floor issues, exhaustion and burnout, and getting back into a fitness routine. But it's simply not true. With this ... resource in hand, you'll learn what happens to the body during pregnancy and childbirth, common changes in function and feeling, and solutions for healing. [It] was written with expertise by a pelvic floor physical therapist who wants you to know that you can feel like yourself again--physically and mentally"--

Book Synopsis

A comprehensive, one-of-a-kind, evidence-based handbook to support postpartum healing and recovery

Pregnancy may have left you feeling that there's no way to fix common postpartum symptoms, such as pelvic floor issues, exhaustion, and burnout, and lactation woes. But that's simply not true. With this revolutionary resource in hand, you'll learn what happens to the body during pregnancy and childbirth, common changes in function and feeling, and solutions for healing. Your Postpartum Body was written with expertise by a pelvic floor physical therapist who'll empower you so that you can feel like yourself again--physically and mentally.
You've probably heard plenty of anecdotes about what might help or hurt (to Kegel or not to Kegel?), and felt unsure about what's right for you. This book is backed up with medical expertise and practical advice. Your Postpartum Body is the complete reference guide for every eventuality--hydration, nutrition, lactation, how to end lactation successfully, pelvic floor recovery, finding your abs again, reducing pain, reclaiming your sexuality, and getting back to fitness confidently--with helpful illustrations and photos throughout.
While your body is undoubtedly different (after all, you just grew a human!), you do not have to live with pain, incontinence, weakness, or feeding stress. You now hold the tools and techniques you need to heal and nourish your body and mind.

Review Quotes

"Macy and Naliboff take what most pregnancy books consider an epilogue and birth a smart, compassionate companion for parents. A must read for anyone who finds themselves staring at a new baby and feeling like a stranger in their own body and mind." -- Abby Norman, author of Ask Me About My Uterus

"Whether you are in the newborn stage or years out, Your Postpartum Body is a thorough guide for any person who has given birth. Pelvic floor issues during pregnancy and postpartum are common but not normal, and many people are left wondering what happened to their body and how they go about healing. This comprehensive guide covers changes that occur from the feet, through the pelvic floor, and into the trunk, and provides actionable guidance to resolve common issues. Uniquely, it also covers return to sport with progressive phases of movement for pilates, crossfit, and running. It is a solid resource and entry point for pelvic rehabilitation." -- Amanda Olson, PT, DPT, PRPC

"Postpartum persons need this guide for their fourth trimester. This is an excellent resource for many of the common conditions after birth not commonly discussed either by providers or amongst friends and family. Ruth and Courtney bring these issues to light, making the reader not feel alone or humiliated by these private and new concerns and give easy to follow strategies to allow healing to occur." -Melissa Collard, MD FACOG

"In Your Postpartum Body, Ruth and Courtney have birthed a comprehensive and accessible roadmap to understanding and recovering your postpartum self. I couldn't recommend this book more highly!" --Catherine Hill-Verrochi, DO, FACOG

"Even as a trained yogini I was not prepared for healing and balancing my body after a traumatic birth experience. I wish this remarkable book had been available to me during that time. The guidance in its pages is unmatched."-- Brianna Bedigian, Yoga Instructor, author of Healing Footstep to Footstep

"An empowering and loving guide for restoring and healing your body. This book is what the 6-week checkup should be - intimate, accessible, informative and full of techniques to heal and restore the postpartum body."--Mara Altman, author of Gross Anatomy

"Your Postpartum Body fills major gaps in our cultural understanding of the postpartum experience. Macy and Naliboff thoughtfully and honestly describe the physical realities of the body after birth that so often go ignored, misunderstood or dismissed. With full recognition of the fact that what should be basic postpartum care is out of reach for so many, they give detailed practical guidance for recovering and building strength. This is a postpartum must-have."--Chelsea Conaboy, author of Mother Brain

About the Author

Ruth E. Macy is a pelvic floor physical therapist with seventeen years of experience in the field. She is passionate about working with people to achieve their desired health outcomes, removing bias and exclusion in healthcare, and delivering a compassionate patient-centered approach that eliminates shame and blame in the ownership of the human body. When she's not at work, she enjoys smashing the patriarchy, paddleboarding, spoiling her dog, and winning at board games with her family. Courtney Naliboff is a teacher, writer, musician, volunteer EMT, parent, and swimming enthusiast who lives on North Haven, a tiny unbridged island off of Maine's Midcoast, with her husband and daughter. She is a longtime reporter and columnist for the Working Waterfront and has written about Jewish parenting in small-town Maine for kveller.com, heyalma.com, and the Bangor Daily News.