Your Postpartum Plan

If you are pregnant, it’s important that you are preparing for postpartum. There are so many things to think about after you have your babe and it’s crucial that you have a plan to set yourself up for success. Here are a couple examples of things to ask yourself about the postpartum period:

How do you plan to have recovery time after birth? 

Will you need help taking care of the home, with food, laundry, etc?

How can you make your older kids feel special during the postpartum period when you are often busy with the new baby?

Do you need any help taking care of pets in the home?

What is your plan if you are not feeling like yourself after 2-3 weeks postpartum? 

Your body needs physical recovery, sleep, and nourishment which is basic but sometimes seems difficult when you are newly postpartum! There are many things you can do to generally set yourself up for success in the postpartum period. Maybe you prepare freezer meals ahead of time, have family helping with the home and other responsibilities while you are with your baby, set up playdates for older children, or buy plenty of healthy pre-packaged food to have on hand. It’s a great idea to start thinking about these things and discussing them with your partner before the baby is born. There are no wrong answers to any of these questions!

As a birth doula, something I do with my clients is help them to create a postpartum plan, including what to do if they see signs of postpartum depression, which is very common. I believe having a plan helps immensely!