Creating a Postpartum Care Plan: Why It’s Just as Important as Your Birth Plan ♥️ From a Homesteading Doula 🌻🌼
When you're preparing for your baby's arrival, it's easy to focus all your energy on planning for labor and delivery. After all, it's a big event! But have you stopped to consider your postpartum care plan? Just as much thought, love, and preparation should go into this important phase—because the way you care for yourself after giving birth is just as crucial to your healing and well-being as the birth itself.
If you're expecting a baby, let me encourage you to take a step back and ask yourself: What is my plan for when I bring my baby home? So many mamas focus on the birth, but what happens when you're exhausted, hungry, and struggling to find a moment for yourself amidst the constant demands of a newborn? That’s when a postpartum care plan becomes a lifeline.
Why You Need a Postpartum Care Plan
It’s easy to get lost in the excitement of birth plans. You imagine the perfect birth, the beautiful moments, the sweet anticipation. But what about after? When the adrenaline of birth has passed, and you're at home trying to adjust to new motherhood, it can get overwhelming. Between sleepless nights, sore bodies, and the emotional rollercoaster that often comes with postpartum recovery, it’s essential to have a plan in place to keep you grounded and supported.
What happens when baby won’t let you put them down? Or when you’re so exhausted you haven’t had a shower in days, and just want to use the bathroom without holding your baby? When all the energy and time you spent on preparing for labor is used up, your postpartum plan is what keeps you going. It’s what helps you navigate those moments when you feel like you’re at your breaking point. And guess what? You are not alone.
The Importance of Prevention
Planning ahead for postpartum can help prevent overwhelm, exhaustion, and the risk of developing mood disorders like postpartum depression. When you prepare for this transition, you're setting yourself up for a smoother, more supportive experience. One of the most important things you can do is ask for help. Whether that’s hiring a postpartum doula, enlisting family support, or finding friends who can bring over a meal or hold your baby so you can get a break—having a team of people who care for you is a vital part of healing.
Think about what you truly need: meals prepared for you, a clean home, someone to help with older children, or simply a safe space to rest. These may seem like small things, but they’re actually huge when you’re in the thick of postpartum recovery. The more support you have, the less likely you’ll feel the weight of isolation or the exhaustion that can set in after a few days or weeks.
Planning for Your Postpartum: What Should It Include?
Here are a few things to consider when putting together your postpartum care plan:
Support System: Who can help you in the days and weeks after birth? Consider hiring a postpartum doula if you don’t have family nearby. A doula is there to care for you, not just the baby. They can help with everything from infant care to meal prep to emotional support.
Self-Care: Plan moments for yourself to rest and recover. Whether it’s a hot shower, a nap, or just sitting down for a cup of tea, it’s crucial to recharge so you can be the best mom possible.
Mental Health Check-ins: Understand that feeling overwhelmed, emotional, or even disconnected is normal in the postpartum period. Talk to your doctor or midwife about signs of postpartum mood disorders and make sure you know where to seek help if needed.
Meals and Household Help: Line up meal prep or meal delivery, and ask loved ones to pitch in with housework. Let people help you so you can rest. This is not the time to be a superhero; it’s the time to receive the help and love you deserve.
Take Charge of Your Postpartum Care
The postpartum period is a time for recovery, bonding, and self-compassion. You deserve to feel nurtured, loved, and supported as you transition into motherhood. By creating a thoughtful postpartum care plan, you are giving yourself the best possible chance at thriving in the early days of parenthood.
Don’t wait until you’re exhausted to plan for help. Don’t wait until you’re overwhelmed to think about your mental health. Start planning now. You deserve to heal, rest, and enjoy your new baby without the added burden of feeling like you’re doing it all alone.
I hope this helps you think about your postpartum time and inspires you to make it as stress-free as possible. You don’t have to do it all by yourself, mama. Hire a postpartum doula, lean on your support system, and give yourself permission to rest. You’ve got this.
If you're ready to dive deeper into natural pregnancy, birth, and postpartum tips, sign up for my blog to receive weekly posts that will help you every step of the way. You’ve got your birth plan—now let’s make sure your postpartum experience is just as well thought-out and cared for. ❤️🌻