My postpartum journey in four words? Magic, love, illness and loss.

(TW: postpartum loss)  

Postpartum is entirely unique for every woman, and every family. Here two mothers, Wieder Gluecklich and Michelle Macht, open the lid on their personal postpartum experiences.  

Wieder Gluecklich  

My postpartum journey in four words? Magic, love, illness and loss.  

After my first birth I didn’t have a postpartum journey, my son was terminally ill and I sat by his bed every day until my body was so exhausted, I couldn’t take any more. When he died at the age of eight days, both I and the rest of the world no longer thought about my postpartum. There simply wasn’t one. 

After my second birth, I had my most beautiful postpartum experience. My second son was our dream come true and I finally got to live out the experience of being a mum. We took him home when he was one day old. I drove myself and from the first day I did everything I’d done before the birth, but this time I did it all with one hand because I hardly every put him down. I loved this time, and my body didn't mind that I didn't rest - it worked.

With my third son I wanted to do everything differently. For the first time, I had firm ideas about what my postpartum should look like.  

Unfortunately, it didn't go to plan. We went home when he was 12-hours old and my hormones took over, and my body just functioned, just like before. 

But when he was 6 days old, my son caught a virus from his dad. It hit him really hard, and he had to fight for his life in hospital for two weeks. For the following weeks and months, he was very fragile, and constantly sick – we were terrified for him. My postpartum was constantly checking his breathing and vital signs and for the first time, I was sad that I didn’t have the usual postpartum experience.