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Eight Weeks Postnatal and Her Body’s Completely Back to Normal

After Kari Vest gave birth via C-section to her third child, she experienced lots of swelling. Kari says, “It was very difficult to walk through the pain and discomfort. I was nervous to leave the hospital. I was also discouraged. I had gained weight…and I had given birth to a 10 pound baby! I texted my friend Jenise with questions. I wanted to know if it was normal to feel this way, and why this was happening to me. I also knew Jenise’s mom had helped her get her pre-pregnancy body back through massage, and I needed details.”

Jenise’s mom is Lymphatic Drainage Massage Therapy (LDT) certified therapist and local True Recovery Lymphatic Massage owner, Delmie DePuma-Aparicio. Delmie explains, “Kari was experiencing both swelling and diastasis recti, a condition that occurs when the rectus abdominis muscles (the six-pack ab muscles) separate during pregnancy from being stretched. Lymph fluid is necessary for the body to heal, but trauma to the body (like delivering a baby) can block the lymph system. Lymphatic massage opens up the lymph nodes, allowing the lymph fluid to flow freely throughout the body. The sooner after delivery that we can start a lymphatic massage plan to help the postnatal body heal naturally, the better.”

Kari says, “Delmie did my first massage on the day I came home from the hospital. She also recommended I wear a compression band. After my second massage, the swelling was completely gone. I felt so much better. I had my legs and ankles back. I could walk and put on sandals. The belly area (the diastasis recti) took longer, but I stuck with the plan. Today, I’m eight weeks postnatal, and I am completely back to normal. Everything is back intact. I can put a swimsuit on!”

“Delmie is very knowledgeable,” continues Kari. “Each massage felt like a therapy session where I could ask questions. I always left feeling really good about myself. After my experience, my sister did postnatal lymphatic massage after the birth of her baby. It worked the same. She was also back to normal in just a few weeks. We absolutely recommend Delmie and True Recovery Lymphatic Massage.”

This post originally appeared on the “Up Close Magazine” website.