Postpartum Recovery After an Unmedicated Birth: Rest Is Revolutionary
By Hadassah | Black Midwife Serving Maryland, Northern Virginia & Washington, DC
You’ve just brought life into the world — without meds, without fear, and with a whole lot of power. Whether you gave birth at home in Alexandria, in a birth center in DC, or surrounded by family in Prince George’s County — one thing is true across the board:
Your body needs time to heal. Your spirit needs time to settle. Your village needs to show up.
As a licensed Black midwife offering holistic home birth care in the DMV, I want to share what real postpartum recovery looks like — especially after an unmedicated birth. Because you didn’t just deliver — you transformed.
A new mother in a cozy beige sweater enjoys a warm bowl of nourishing soup, resting peacefully during her postpartum recovery.
🌺 The 5-5-5 Rule: A Midwife's Guide for Families in the DMV
No matter where you gave birth — your cozy home in Northern Virginia, a birth suite in DC, or a peaceful water birth in Maryland — I recommend following the 5-5-5 postpartum rest rule:
5 days in the bed – Rest like royalty. Let others serve you. This is your sacred time.
5 days on the bed – Light movement, lots of cuddles, still resting.
5 days around the bed – Easing into daily life, with boundaries and support.
✨ Repeat after me, DMV mamas: “Recovery is not a race. It’s a ritual.”
🍲 Meal Trains & Support Planning for the DMV Birth Community
Organize a meal train to help you focus on rest, bonding, and recovery. Whether you're in Fairfax, Silver Spring, or Southeast DC — folks want to help, they just need direction.
Set up a MealTrain.com link
Ask for warm, nourishing meals (soups, stews, porridges, greens)
Create a “do not disturb” rule for week one unless folks are delivering support
Midwives in Northern Virginia and DC, myself included, often say: If they’re not helping, they’re not visiting.
🌿 Warm Healing Foods & Herbal Teas
Your womb is open. Your body is healing. Warmth is key.
Try:
Soups and stews with sweet potato, okra, lentils, collards
Warm porridges with cinnamon, coconut milk, nutmeg
Herbal teas with red raspberry leaf, ginger, nettle, fenugreek
From DC to Bowie, healing foods help with:
Uterine recovery
Emotional balance
Breastmilk production
Rest and warmth
🧡 African & Black Diaspora Postpartum Traditions
For families in Prince George’s County, Northern Virginia, and Washington DC, here are some traditional healing practices to consider:
Yoni steams with mugwort, basil, rosemary
Belly binding with traditional cloths
Postpartum massage and womb wrapping
Spiritual baths and anointing with oil
Healing soups and teas passed down from aunties and elders
These traditions are more than cultural — they’re healing tools passed through generations.
🛑 Hosting Can Wait
If you gave birth anywhere in the DMV — Alexandria, Capitol Heights, Laurel, or downtown DC — hear this:
You don’t owe anyone your time or couch during postpartum.
Let people show up for you, not to you.
🫶🏾 Plan Your Postpartum Support Now
As a Black midwife in the DMV, I help families prep for birth and postpartum with love and intention.
Start now:
Build your postpartum team
Prep meals or hire help
Communicate clear boundaries
Schedule check-ins with your midwife or doula
In Closing: Your Healing Is Sacred
Whether you’re in Northern Virginia, Washington DC, or Maryland — your body deserves rest, warmth, and care. Healing after birth isn’t a luxury — it’s your right.
So sip your tea, breathe deeply, and let the village do its job.
Because you are the balm.
💛 Looking for Midwifery Care in the DMV?
If you're preparing for a home birth and want postpartum support that’s holistic, culturally competent, and rooted in love, I serve families across Maryland, Northern Virginia, and Washington, DC.
Let’s build your village — together. Contact me today to start your journey.
