Kala’s Ultimate Guide to Postpartum Planning

If you have been reading my blog, you know that I like to stress this point: You are important, and your mental health matters. As parents, it is so easy to get caught up in a chaos of caring for little ones that we forget to take care of ourselves. In my last post, I outlined 8 practical steps that you can take to protect your mental wellness when you are pregnant or postpartum. Today, I’ll give instructions on how to create a postpartum plan so that you feel confident as you transition from pregnant to postpartum.

Creating a Postpartum Plan

A postpartum plan is exactly what it sounds like – a document that outlines how you will manage while you adjust to having a new baby. It takes time for your routines to adjust to accommodate your latest member of the family, and during that time having a strategy to support your mental health can be lifechanging. You also cannot predict if you will experience postpartum depression, or a different perinatal mood and anxiety disorder. Having a postpartum plan means that if your mental health takes a hit, you are prepared.

As helpful as a postpartum plan may be, it is a lot easier to write one when you have a template. Following the steps below should help you create a comprehensive plan that will put your mind at ease:

The Postpartum Plan Template

1. Postpartum Concerns. Start by listing your greatest concerns for the postpartum period. Naming the things that you feel anxious about helps you address them head-on so that you can feel confident to navigate the challenges ahead. If you have a partner, have them list their concerns as well. As a rule – there are no silly concerns. Everyone feels anxious about different things, and the best way to support each other is to be honest and accepting.
2. Food. Food is one of our basic needs, but it can be stressful to have to think about where your next meal is coming from when you’re also caring for a baby. Helpful ways to prepare for food include the following:
   • Have someone organize a meal train for you
   • List the meals you will prepare in advance, provided you have freezer space. (TIP: Make some dairy-free options, as some babies are allergic to dairy and this will impact you’re ability to consume dairy if you plan to breastfeed.)
   • List some easy to prepare meals, and have a corresponding grocery list. Use this list to prepare a couple variations of a weekly meal plan so that you don’t have to try to meal plan when you’d much rather be snuggling a newborn.
   • List some easy-to-grab foods for your pantry.
3. Sleep. We all know that sleep is elusive with a newborn in the house. List the minimum amount of sleep you need to function relatively well. If applicable, have your partner list the same. List the people who you can ask to mind the baby while you take a nap. If you have a partner, discuss what overnight sleep will look like, and consider taking shifts for overnight care.
4. Baby’s Sleep. Write about where baby will sleep. It is recommended that you share a room with your baby for the first 6 months postpartum, and that the baby sleeps in a bassinet or crib.
5. Support People. List the people who will support you during the postpartum period. Support people can can offer practical or emotional support, and this list includes friends, family, and professionals. Different people offer different levels of support, and you will have different comfort levels with certain individuals. Consider who you are comfortable having mind your baby while you are out of the room, and determine if there is anyone you would prefer is not left alone with your baby.
6. Home management. Managing a home is a huge task. List what tasks are essential, and which tasks can be reduced in frequency. Consider who you can ask to support you in keeping up with essential tasks like laundry and dishes.
7. Supply list. You do not need as much stuff as some Instagramers would like you to believe. A practical list includes things like baby clothes, diapers, wipes, diaper cream, and safe sleep supplies (i.e. a baby bed, appropriate sheets, etc.). If you plan to bottle-feed your baby, include feeding supplies. You will also want to consider what you as parents will need. I highly recommend a quality water bottle and pair of slippers, as well as a dim lamp for overnight feeds.
8. Recovery. Where will you rest and recover in the days/weeks post-birth? List the items that will help with your recovery.
9. Boundaries. What are your boundaries around how other people interact with your baby? Who can hold your baby? Do you require people to have their flu shot or other vaccinations? How long should visitors stay?
10. Partner Communication. Communication is extra difficult during the postpartum phase. Sometimes partners feel like they are ships passing in the night as they trade-off infant care. Consider having each partner write a love letter to the other, and exchanging them for a bit of a romantic gesture to help withstand the stressful postpartum period. In your postpartum plan, also include details of how you will make time for each other, strategies for communicating needs to each other, and details on how you can communicate about the supports you need with each other.
11. Mental Health Check. List how you manage stress and fatigue, and list at least three things that you can do in 5-10 minutes that boost your mental wellness. If applicable, have your partner do the same. List the warning signs that you may see if your mental health is dipping or doing poorly, and write down at least one person who you can honestly talk to about your mental health.

Conclusion

A postpartum plan is a great way to preemptively manage the stress of postpartum life so that you can maximize your enjoyment of the postpartum period. Having a newborn can be a magical time as you get to know your little one, and having a postpartum plan makes enjoying those magical moments much easier.

Disclaimer: The content of this blog is for informational purposes only. It is not meant to substitute the advice or diagnosis of a medical doctor, psychiatrist, psychologist, or therapist. If you are concerned that you may have Perinatal/Postpartum Depression, or another Perinatal Mood or Anxiety Disorder, please contact a doctor or public health unit for assessment.