The Post-birth Plan
By Olivia Pallenberg, Doula, Babywearing counselor
If you’re expecting a child or have given birth recently you have probably heard of “ the birth plan”; a written plan that expecting women can write and ask their doctors and midwives to adhere to it. The birth plan discusses the labour, delivery and treatment of the baby in the first few hours after birth. However, not much attention is given to the “post-partum plan” – as in how you will organise your life at home once you have returned back from the birth with your brand new little family member.
With my first pregnancy I was extremely prepared for the birth, where and how I was going to give birth, but I was completely unprepared when it came to what was going to happen in the days, weeks and months after. Honestly, I’m still recovering from the “after” phase!
Here are my five points to make the post-partum period as less stressful as possible:
1. If you’re thinking of breastfeeding, great!
Breastfeeding isn’t about luck and the size of your bra does not dictate the amount of milk you produce. Prepare yourself in the best possible way, try to understand what a correct latch looks like, how to produce milk, the mechanism of sucking; read books about all these different topics, follow a preparatory course that also includes lessons on breast feeding, attend a free meeting with La Leche League while pregnant (See our Events page), choose a hospital with rooming-in, and read this interview with a woman who has taught hundreds of women how to breast feed.
2. Find your resources!
Make a list of the people that could give you a hand after the birth of your baby; see if they’re available and what they could help you with. You might be in need of cooked food, grocery shopping, house cleaning, help with bureaucratic issues (such as your tessera sanitaria or choice of pediatrician). You might simply need two extra arms to allow yourself some extra time for a shower or a nap, someone who helps you with the breastfeeding, someone to keep you company, or maybe someone to babysit your other children.
3. Share the nest.
If possible, make sure that in the first days/weeks of your baby’s life your parenting team is present. Having primary care givers present is fundamental to starting your parental journey the right way and to avoid feeling alone along the way.
“Plan to only move between the sofa and your bed for at least the first week”
4. You’re the queen!
Plan to only move between the sofa and your bed for at least the first week after giving birth, as to allow your body to recover fully and have some precious one to one time with your newborn. Prepare your partner and family to support and help you during this phase. If you don’t plan it in advance, it will be difficult to take this time for yourself later on!
5. Take care of yourself.
Make a list of the things you like; food, books, music and services you would like to “give yourself” as a gift during this period. Everyone brings presents for the baby, but you really deserve presents too!
Olivia Pallenberg is one of our Bellies Abroad doulas – a doula offers one-to-one emotional and practical support before, during and after childbirth. Olivia is also a babywearing and breastfeeding peer counselor.
If you want to read more from Olivia, please head over to her blog!
