Creating a Postpartum Plan
Make a Checklist to Get Support And Meet Needs After Baby Arrives
Jan 25, 2009
After creating a birth plan the expecting couple or mother should also create a postpartum plan. This checklist will help to prepare for the transition of bringing a new baby home and ensure mother and baby get the things they need in those first weeks.
When preparing a postpartum plan include friends and relatives that have offered to help with chores. Extra hands can be very helpful during the babymoon if they are effectively put to use helping around the house.
Determining Postpartum Needs
Draw out specific needs into the following categories:
- Recovery – how will the mother find help for recovery in the first weeks after baby? Will she have supplies on hand to ease aches and pains? Are there any recommendations from the doctor or midwife to follow?
- Sleep – how many hours did the mother sleep before pregnancy? What are some ways she can encourage more sleep?
- Meals – who will do the cooking in the first few days when mom and baby are primarily in bed together? What are some ways to make meal preparation easier during this time?
- Baby care – who can help with diaper changing, bathing and breastfeeding? Will the partner be enough or should a postpartum doula be hired for extra help?
Drawing up the Postpartum Plan
Write out specific chores and those volunteers who will help with them. For example – the mother in law might offer to come over and do laundry twice a week for the first couple of weeks.
Put together a meal plan for the first two weeks:
- Frozen dinners
- Prepared foods
- Volunteers that will bring food on specific days
- Grocery delivery service that will bring staple food items
In addition to volunteer help from friends and family consider options available from the service industry:
- Diaper laundry service – for cloth diapers
- Housekeepers – perhaps schedule a housecleaner to come out three or four weeks after baby arrives
- Postpartum doula or baby nanny – for daytime or overnight help
- Childcare – to help care for older children in the family
- Laundry service – drop off laundry at the local wash and fold center
Arrange Baby Stations
Plan in advance to keep baby’s care items on hand in several areas of the house. In each room where mother and baby will spend extra time, plan for the following stations:
- Diaper changing – fill a basket or bin with necessary items such as diapers, clean outfit, ointment, wipes and powder, refill daily or as needed.
- Sleeping – any items that will promote sleep such as a cuddly toy, blanket or lavender baby lotion.
- Feeding – for breastfeeding this may be pillows for propping mom and baby, a snuggly blanket and a bottle of water; for bottle feeding this will be clean bottles, formula and any important accessories.
- First aid – keep a first aid kit in several prominent locations around the house as well as any prescriptions the mother or baby are taking. Also keep a notepad next to the medications and write the date and time when medicine is taken to avoid over or under dosing due to sleep deprivation.
 |
