When you’re trying to conceive, or pregnant, postpartum is probably one of the last things on your mind. You’re focused on getting through pregnancy and having a healthy baby, and that’s totally understandable.

But there are many reasons why thinking ahead and planning your postpartum should be on your mind, before you get there.

In this article I’ll talk about why you should plan your postpartum, what parts of it to plan, and how to get started.

Why plan your postpartum?

Postpartum can be an overwhelming time. You’re adjusting to a totally new phase of life, your body is healing, and you’re getting very little sleep.

Your own healing and postpartum care can become an afterthought when you’re caring for a newborn.

It might be tempting to think you’ll just get through it as best you can, but there are so many ways that a little planning can make your postpartum experience better.

Unfortunately, it’s hard to imagine until you get there, but take it from me as a postpartum doula of over 20 years - most first-time mothers say they wished they’d known what postpartum was going to be like so they could be better prepared.

Although there is no magic timeline in which you heal from birth, many traditional practices use a period of around 40 days. This is the time it takes to fully contract the uterus, to heal from surgery or the physical toll of birth, and for breastmilk supply to be established.

“After birth, there is a Sacred Window of time; a time for complete rejuvenation of a woman’s physical, mental, and spiritual health. A time for deep, extended bonding with her newborn. The first 42 days after birth set the stage for her next 42 years.”

Ysha Oakes - Ayervedic Teacher

What do you really need in postpartum?

The pillars of postpartum care are sleep and rest, nourishing food, nurturing touch, your support system or ‘village’, and nature. Here are some considerations when planning these aspects of your postpartum:

Sleep and Rest

You probably won’t be getting 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep in postpartum - but that doesn’t mean you can’t get adequate rest, it will just look different to what you’re used to. Rest can occur while your baby is sleeping, while your partner or visitors are taking care of your baby, or even while sitting in a chair. Set up your sleep space to be as relaxing as possible and have everything you need, so you don’t have to leave - with water, snacks, chargers, lip balm, and baby care items.

Nourishing Food

Postpartum is a hungry, thirsty time. Postpartum food should be warm and comforting, easy to digest, and nutritious - and this should be planned in advance. This can mean having meals in your freezer, a well-stocked pantry, organising a meal train, having trusted sources of food delivery ready to go, and keeping snack baskets and water bottles all over your home.

Nurturing Touch

Massage has profound benefits for a new mother; it promotes tissue repair and healing, calms the nervous system, improves mood, and enables waste removal. Some massage therapists offer an in-home service, and you can include a massage therapist on your list of postpartum support providers.

You could also consider postpartum belly binding, which is part of many traditional postpartum practices, and assists with healing, stability, and posture.

“Mothering the mother is one of the most important aspects of good postnatal care.”

Jenny Allison, 'The Golden Month'

Support People & Visitors

It takes a village to raise a child - and a new mother. Think now about who you want to have around in those first few days. Who will you call if you’re feeling overwhelmed, sad, or have questions? Have a list of people prepared, including supportive people you know, and service providers you might need such as a physiotherapist, massage therapist, and postpartum doula.

Lots of people will naturally want to visit and meet the new baby, but this can be a source of stress for new parents. It’s ok to place boundaries around when people can visit, and who can visit. Visitors should not create work for you - if people visit, they should expect to help out by bringing a meal, hanging out the laundry, or looking after your baby while you rest. To help visitors to help you, consider labelling your kitchen and laundry cupboards so they can find everything they need to cook a meal or put a load of washing on (masking tape is an easy, removable way to do this!)

Time in Nature

I recommend time in nature during postpartum because it encourages us to slow down and be mindful, and because it has powerful effects on our nervous system. Time in nature increases feel-good hormones like oxytocin, and helps reduce stress and anxiety.

Plan to make time in nature part of your postpartum plan, even if it’s just a few minutes stroll in your backyard. Or bring nature inside with plants and flowers.

Your health and wellbeing is just as important as your baby’s, so I hope you’ll take some time to consider the type of postpartum you want to have, and plan for it.

Want to go deeper in planning your postpartum?

I have a beautiful, interactive guide to postpartum planning called The Peaceful Postpartum.

This book is the convergence of my more than 20 years of being a mother and working in the perinatal space as a postpartum doula, nutritious meal creator, remedial massage therapist, matrescence educator, and baby massage instructor.

It helps you plan for a postpartum of rest, healing, and bonding with your baby.

You can find out more and purchase the Peaceful Postpartum here.

How to get started with postpartum planning, from a postpartum doula.