Once upon a time in colonial America there was something called a “lying in” period. This was the time, typically a month or so, following childbirth when a community would rally in support of a new mother. She would rest, regain her strength, and bond with her baby while the community kept up the household. Many of her attendants would be relatives, none of whom were paid, and the favor was returned following their own deliveries.
My how times have changed! Maybe we are just a wee bit sensitive given that Lisa is just four weeks postpartum and what she wouldn’t give for a couple of extra hands just a few hours per week. Even so, we have reflected on how this postpartum experience, Lisa’s third, is significantly different from the first two.