Kiara Devika Galardi
Kiara is passionate about self-nourishment in every way and supports clients to bring a sense of balance and space into their lives and work. She works as a life and business coach as well as a consultant for those in the hospitality industry, drawing from her years of experience including running her own business where she felt the drain of pushing too hard and running herself to the ground. This experience, her passion, and her extensive knowledge of all things nourishment brought her to this role today supporting others in their lives, businesses and beyond.
Find Kiara on @kiaragalardi_
HOW WAS YOUR POSTPARTUM EXPERIENCE?
My postpartum experience was a bit of a mixed bag. I was elated with my tiny precious baby, I spent a whole month pretty much in bed resting, which was incredible. I also found a deep shift in myself and it brought out a protective and fierce energy and an absolute incapacity for anything that no longer served me and my baby girl.
I was really well supported by my doula and midwife, who rose above and beyond their roles and checked in on me frequently, did post-labour care and check-ups and made sure I was doing well mentally and emotionally which was an amazing support - especially as no official post-partum support was available where I was living at the time.
WHAT DID YOU FIND MOST CHALLENGING?
I found it lonely and exhausting at times, the emotional rollercoaster of hormone shifts, the exhaustion of sleep deprivation and the difficulties in the first couple of days of getting the hang of breastfeeding.
In my personal experience, I had big issues come up with my partner and this made me feel much more alone, unseen and unsupported at home which was really hard.
“MY PERSPECTIVE ON SURVIVING ON PRACTISING SELF CARE:
I’ve chosen practicing self-care as sharing this is really a big part of my life’s work I’ve come to know!
I like to label it self-nourishment because I feel like self-care has a bit of a superficial label these days, linked with taking bubble baths and pseudo-spirituality. But nourishment is vital, and can really look like anything you do with intention, even a bath!
In the postpartum period, it can be really hard to make the time and space for yourself, you have a new tiny being to take care of, one who’s very demanding of your time and attention!
It is in these times that it’s as important as ever to make the space to nourish yourself, and realising that it doesn’t need to look a certain way!
You likely won’t have the time, energy and space to do long practices, baths, etc but it doesn’t mean you need it any less. What I’ve found to be helpful is setting an intention and releasing any time frame I may have set before. For example, I used to meditate for 20 minutes, once or twice a day, well now I just make sure that before I turn my phone on, I do a short meditation, and there’s no time limit attached. It might look like 3 deep slow breaths, 2 minutes of stretching or hip circles while I brush my teeth or really being present while I take a hot shower. These small acts of nourishment could just be a passing moment in time, or they could be the moments of presence that bring you back to yourself, that allows you to take that pause and come back to your day, your child and yourself with more presence and more spaciousness. Bringing it all back to intention and letting go of expectation has been everything for my practice and my sanity!
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HOW DID YOU PREPARE FOR YOUR POSTPARTUM?
I read many incredible books that really prepared me mentally, I also shared a lot of this knowledge with my partner as he was the one who would be preparing food for me so he knew what I needed. Unfortunately, I’d just moved house and my baby came a little earlier than expected so I wasn’t able to fill my freezer with food, which I’d intended to do!
My work with my doula pre-birth also prepared me for what was to come, so I wasn’t shocked. But generally, I guess nothing can truly prepare you for any of this life-changing experience!
IF YOU WERE TO DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY, WHAT LESSONS DID YOU TAKE AWAY FROM YOUR PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE?
If I were to do it again I would get some proper postpartum support. I would fill my freezer with nourishing food. I would organise weekly bodywork and massages. I would create a good community around me beforehand (I was isolated where I was living and this didn’t help!) I would remember that I am incredibly strong and powerful and that this wild experience is a true initiation!
WHAT ARE YOUR 3 TOP TIPS THAT YOU WOULD PASS ON TO MOTHERS SOON TO BE POSTPARTUM?
Rest while you can, you really have no idea how exhausted you’ll be and how much you’ll miss sleeping an entire night!
Set yourself up for those first few months as best you can, organise support, fill your freezer, and request a meal train.
Breathe, meditate, stretch, and move your body as best you can - these good habits will come in super handy on the other side whether it’s keeping your cool when you’re exhausted and have a crying baby, stretching out those breastfeeding aches or just taking a moment (or breath) for yourself.
And as a bonus, these books I found incredibly informative and supportive - The fourth trimester, The postnatal depletion cure, The nourishing tradition book for baby and child care.