@seasonofgemini

You are pregnant for 9 months and your birth is the BIG finale. It was hard to even see past childbirth because 1) for me, the thought of birth was terrifying, and 2) it’s completely unknown. I couldn’t even imagine what to expect or how I would feel in the moments, days, and weeks following childbirth. I still remember a friend of mine gifting me adult diapers at my baby shower and I think my jaw hit the floor. I still remember the way she laughed. Birth and postpartum are a trip to try to wrap your brain around and I can see why so many women I’ve talked to shared that they prepared for their pregnancy ten-fold, but didn’t give much thought to their postpartum.

And as I mentioned in “What is Shugie? The Intention Behind Your Postpartum Resource”, women who report feeling supported and knowledgeable about their postpartum had a significantly reduced risk for postpartum depression and anxiety [1]. That fact in and of itself was enough motivation for me to start thinking of a postpartum plan. I didn’t start planning until I was probably 6-7 months pregnant because it was important to me to enjoy the early months of being pregnant and live in the moment.

Reasons it’s helpful to plan for your postpartum:

• Reduces stress during an already stressful (and beautiful!!) time
• Allows you to feel prepared and supported
• Gives you an idea of what you can expect
• Frees up your mental space so you can rest and bond with your new family
• Keeps the energy of your home and family calm
• Ensures you and your family are nourished

Here is how I thought about preparing for postpartum. I broke it down into 3 categories:

Ask for help + receive it.

• Write a list of people that you would like to ask to be a part of your postpartum support system. This can be people from your circle or anyone you hire, like a postpartum doula, housekeeper, night nurse, etc.
• Your friends and family want to support you and they want to know how. Be clear and direct when asking for help and practice a few times before the baby arrives.

Rest and healing. This is paramount.

• Products for your recovery – purchase ahead of time to plan for your healing. Create kits for each bathroom. I did a whole post on necessary items to support your healing postpartum that goes into detail and has links!
• Schedule your 6 week postpartum visit and any services (massage, acupuncture, pelvic floor PT, etc.)  ahead of time
• Keep the vibe right in your home. Keep it clean and fill it with things you love. Flowers, essential oils, candles, whatever that is for you, be intentional.

Nourishment for you + your family.

• Have a plan in place for healthy meals. Call in your community, ask for a meal train or prep and freeze things like oatmeals, muffins, soups, broths, and protein bars. Meal delivery services can come in handy here also! If you are in California, check out MotherBees, a postpartum meal delivery service created by the author of The First Forty Days, my postpartum meal plan bible.
• Keep your digestive system in mind. Around 36 weeks, I began to eat more broths, soups, oatmeals and veggie dishes. I continued eating this way (mostly) for the first three months postpartum. Think about it – your organs are shoved aside while pregnant and postpartum they descend back down into place. As things shift into their new place, be gentle with yourself.

That’s a good place to start and I hope it was helpful. You will create your own unique plan based on your needs and family structure. I want to hear how you are doing it! So… write to me!

Knowing that I had everything ready for me when I got home made a huge difference and I felt proud that I prioritized myself and my healing. I made a promise to myself early on in my pregnancy that it wasn’t an option for me to forget about myself. My baby’s health was dependent on my health and I took that very seriously.  

Feeling prepared allowed me more mental space when my baby was born and made my partner feel more prepared, too. We felt so much peace in our home and were able to bond as a family. We were lucky to have our family to help us during the second week and have friends bringing meals to our door. The sense of community was so beautiful and inspiring!

If it feels like a lot and you become overwhelmed, ask yourself “what is most important for me to plan for right now?” and go from there. If you are anything like me, nesting will kick in full-throttle and help you knock everything out in the way that is best for you. Remember – having a babe is SO instinctual – tune into your intuition and it will guide you. 

xx

Kaitlin