Two-Part Event on Postpartum

The Bag is packed. Inside you have a change of clothes, a snack, shir hamalos and list of people to daven for, make up and a nice tichel for later when visitors come. Taxi money and notes from your birthing classes are folded in the outer pocket. A tiny gender neutral newborn outfit is tenderly folded on top. Your doula is on call. You feel prepared and ready. You are serene, excited and nervous. You can’t wait to breathe again without the baby pressing against your ribs.
You are ready to give birth.

Six weeks later.
Your bag is still sitting in the corner it was left in when you came home with your new bundle of joy.

Your makeup hasn’t come out since the day you packed it. The breakfasts, suppers and well-wishers are long gone. Your mother has flown back home. You sit on the couch, exhausted, and think to yourself “why didn’t anyone tell me?”

***

Be it the first child, the fifth child or the fifteenth child, every birth is a new journey on the roller coaster of motherhood. Sometimes straight and smooth, sometimes with lots of ups and downs, the early days (and months, and years) of life with a newborn is always a big adjustment.

Crown Heights Jr. Nshei is coming together in a two part program to inform, educate, support and empower all new mothers.

“I swear that I stilled and silenced my soul, like a suckling child at his mother’s side, like the suckling child is my soul. Let Israel hope to G‑d, from this time forth and forever (Psalms 131: 2-3).”

There are many references throughout Torah of a mother nursing her child. The Midrash draws a parallel between a nursing infant’s dependency on its mother nourishment and our own dependency on Hashem to sustain us. The consistency of a mother’s changes as her baby grows to provide the exact nourishment needed at that specific time, in the same way that Hashem provides us with exactly what we need, in the right moment.

A woman feeding her baby with her own milk is more than just physical nourishment. Our Chachomim recognize that Moshe Rabbeinu’s ability to be a modest, kind and compassionate leader was due to the fact that he spent his fundamental years in his mother’s bosom.

Statistics say that up to 92% of new mothers experience some difficulty nursing their baby. In one study, Mother’s milk contains all the vitamins and nutrients a baby needs in the first six months of life, in addition to being packed with disease-fighting substances that protect the baby from illness.
While many women are aware of the benefits comprised in nursing and set out with the intention of nursing, most do not have the support or the information necessary to help them reach their goal.

In our first program we will be privileged to hear from Mrs. Shoshana Edelkopf, ICBLC who has over a decade of experience working with new moms in Sharei Tzedek and Crown Heights. Shoshana will expound on the right approaches to successful nursing as well as correct popular myths and misunderstandings. Women will learn practical tips and information on how to get a baby to latch correctly, what is a tongue tie, how to know if your baby is getting enough milk, and how to get relatives and friends on board as a support team. No mother should every have to feel frustrated trying to feed her baby. This class with Shoshana Edelkopf will leave you feeling heartened, encouraged and confident in your ability to nourish your baby.

Our second program will give us a glimpse of the underbelly of new motherhood. Together we will hold hands and take a peek behind closed doors into an arena rarely spoken about to expectant new mothers and often shrugged off and ignored by many experienced mothers. Postpartum depression affects 10-15% of women and can occur after any birth, regardless of number of child or birth experience. Symptoms may occur soon after birth or surface up to a year later. With fast action, a mom can feel relief within a number of weeks. Untreated, it can last for months or even years.

Most moms experience baby blues, but how many know what is in the range of normal? When a woman feels that she needs to push herself, does she know at what point it’s ok to recognize that things are not ok? What should a person look out for? Who should a person call? How can one look in the mirror and see, not a failure, but a warrior fighting a hidden dragon? How can a person support their friend or loved one who might be suffering?

Mrs. Nechamy Rabin has faced the dragon. In an intimate encounter Nechamy will share her experiences, her struggles, her pain and her triumphs. She will inspire us with her bravery and her journey. She will teach us that there is more than what meets the eye. Nechamy will hold up the torch and show that that there is light in the darkness, there is help and there is healing, and most of all there is guidance and support.

Join us as we support the hundreds of postpartum women in our community. This Wednesday, 26 Shvat- Feb 22 at the Lounge 556 at 8:15PM.

See flier for additional details!