In my pursuit of this goal, I usually encounter multiple obstacles. It can prove a hard task trying to convince birthing people that physical rest after the marathon that is conception-pregnancy-birth is not simply optimal but, in fact, essential. The consequences of a physically depleted new parent are far-reaching and long-lasting.
With semi-regularity I have to remind postpartum folk that they have a placenta sized wound (8 1/2 inches in diameter) on their uterine lining, and that if this were a visible, external injury, they would crawl back into bed without putting up such a fight.
Getting parents to accept rest, food and a delegation of their usual chores without guilt or shame is no small feat. Society tells them to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and muscle through without complaint, and it can feel hard to stand strong against that pressure. For the community that Amma supports, who have often accomplished enormous feats alone, it can be even harder to relax and embrace help.