This dad helping his wife postpartum is going viral—and for good reason
Iris and Edgar Diaz over at @datdiazcouple on TikTok had a pretty sizable following, but their fan base grew even more when the couple shared a video of Edgar taking care of his postpartum wife Iris on day three of her postpartum recovery. In the video, they’re getting ready to take the baby to her first pediatrician’s appointment. While this shouldn’t be something “viral” but something that should be the norm, thankfully for Iris, her husband Edgar is the ideal supportive partner, taking care of everything else, helping her, and being generally amazing as she tries to take care of herself and the new baby.
The fourth trimester is something that isn’t talked about enough, and the first few weeks home with your newborn isn’t for the weak. Parents are exhausted, running on fumes, all while trying to keep this tiny creature alive. And if you’re a brand new parent, this can be even worse, because the anxiety and not knowing what you’re doing adds to the complete blur. If you’re a mom, not only are you dealing with all of these things, but you’re simultaneously trying to heal from labor. No matter if you had your baby vaginally or via cesarean, your body needs to heal and rest from the trauma it endured. While childbirth can be magical and empowering, let’s face it, your body goes through a lot. Oh, and you can’t forget about the moms who chose to breastfeed or pump. That adds to the lack of sleep and the complete transformation of their body.
But Edgar takes everything in stride, and the video begins with him gently tucking Iris in bed so she could breastfeed the baby. Next it shows him preparing a towel for her as she steps out of a probably much appreciated and needed shower before the appointment. Then he helps her into her supportive postpartum garments after she’s dried off, because her body is so sore, of course it’s nice to have help squeezing into what is basically a sausage casing.
As Iris is getting ready, he makes the bed, PACKS THE DIAPER BAG—and also knows where it is and what goes in it—and lays out the baby’s clothing and Iris’ clothing on the bed for them to get ready. He then makes some “milk-making tea,” and brings it to her as she gets to put on makeup and do her hair for her appointment. All I remember from our first appointment at the pediatrician’s office was that I was terrified, and I literally had on some mismatched clothing that included a dress and maternity pants, and I had a ball cap on. My husband looked rough, too, so I’m not throwing him under the bus by any means. That first night was ROUGH, and our appointment was the morning after we came home from the hospital.
Edgar then makes a delicious looking bagel breakfast sandwich before helping her into her clothing and giving her a kiss. Do y’all remember trying to bend over or do anything remotely physical after giving birth? It was a nightmare. But Edgar is there for Iris, telling her she’s “perfect” as he turns the camera on her now that she’s dressed and ready looking completely gorgeous holding their new baby girl before the appointment.
Partners, please take note of what kind of support is needed during those first few weeks (and beyond!) after having a baby. Moms are still healing after making an entire human being and then having that human leave their body one way or another. Sometimes just having time to take a shower to feel normal again makes all the difference.
A version of this story was originally published on Jan. 23, 2024. It has been updated.
