10 Essential Tips to Prepare for the Postpartum Period Before Baby Arrives

If you are expecting a baby anytime soon or preparing to grow your family, your mind may be occupied by creating your birth plan and envisioning how you’d like your baby to enter the world. And of course, planning and preparing for labor & delivery is so important. It’s one of the most impactful experiences of your life! But often, mothers forget to plan for the postpartum period and find themselves wishing they had. So, to help with that, here is a list of ten tips to help you prepare for the best postpartum period possible. 

1. Prep freezer meals before baby comes

This is one of the best favors you can do yourself. During pregnancy, take the time to prepare some high protein, nourishing meals that you can easily throw on the stove or in the oven to feed yourself well! Your body needs nutrients and energy to heal itself from birth, but when you are focused on caring for the baby, it’s so hard to find the time to cook healthy meals! And don’t forget about breakfast - during the early weeks postpartum, you’ll wake up ravenous and you need something substantial to start your day. Some ideas for breakfast or snacks are egg bites, breakfast burritos, hidden veggie muffins, energy bites with oats and nut butters, and smoothies. For lunch or dinners, you could make chicken noodle soup, chili, baked ziti, enchiladas, curries, really anything that’s packed with lots of protein, fiber and flavor to give you sustained energy and promote healing. Another idea to add to this would be designating one of your friends or family members to start a Meal Train for you after your baby is born!

2. Follow the “5-5-5 rule”

Don’t try to get moving too quickly! The 5-5-5 rule is as follows: 5 days in the bed, 5 days on the bed, 5 days around the bed. Five days in the bed means exactly that! Have someone bring you food, and try to only get up for baby-related things or to use the bathroom/shower. Five days on the bed means that you still stay mostly in your bedroom, but you may begin to sit up more frequently and move around a bit more. Five days around the bed means that you may begin to move around the house more freely, but still prioritize rest and gentle movement, and ideally not going out  except for to get some fresh air. In those first couple of weeks postpartum, your body is working hard to heal itself. Following this guide, even when you may feel the urge to get moving sooner, can help you with long term healing and also allow you to focus on bonding with your baby, which is your most important job in those early days postpartum! 

3. Connect with a counselor or therapist during pregnancy

It’s better to have a counselor and not need one, than to need one and not have one! We have some recommendations if you are local to North Carolina, which I will share below. But the postpartum period can be overwhelming. You may deal with disappointment if your birth doesn’t go according to plan, you may have challenges with feeding, or you may struggle with the transition and just need extra support. Many women find themselves dealing with anxiety or depression postpartum and while it can be normal, it doesn’t have to be something that is crippling or prevents you from functioning and enjoying your baby. Talking to a counselor can provide you with coping skills and tools to help you navigate whatever you’re experiencing or the thoughts you may be having. Reaching out when you are struggling is hard to do, but if you already have that line of communication, you’ll be much more likely to follow through on setting up counseling. 

Local counselors we recommend: 

Cari Sun at Insight Professional Counseling (Burlington, NC)

Enjonae Anderson at Mended Hearts Counseling (High Point, NC)

Allison Pow at Allison Pow Counseling (Greensboro, NC)

Restoration Place Counseling (Greensboro, NC)

4. Make an appointment with a pelvic floor physical therapist

Pelvic floor physical therapy is a wonderful way to help restore the muscles in your pelvic floor, which is crucial after going through pregnancy and childbirth. This is specialized therapy for the pelvic floor muscles, which are important for things like bladder and bowel control, sexual function, and core stability/posture. All of these are important for everyday life, and if neglected, could have a huge impact on your life! Rather than just surviving postpartum, pursuing a pelvic floor physical therapist can help you thrive and fully heal. Seeing a pelvic floor physical therapist isn’t part of a standard care plan for women who are postpartum in the U.S., however, in many countries around the world, it is standard practice because it has been proven to be so beneficial! 

Local pelvic floor physical therapists that we recommend: 

Amy McMillion at Graham Physical Therapy (Graham, NC)

Katie Taylor at Taylor Physical Therapy and Wellness (Winston-Salem, NC)

Alison Presley at Triad Pelvic Health Physical Therapy (Greensboro, NC)

5. Get some fresh air

Don’t underestimate how helpful it can be to get outside! If you are feeling overwhelmed, the baby is fussy, or you just need a moment to breathe, going outside is such an underrated “reset button” for your day. Implementing short walks through your neighborhood, laying out a blanket in your yard and eating your breakfast outside, or taking an outing to a local park are all simple ways that you can reap all of the mental and physical benefits of being in nature! To name a few, being outside supports a healthy circadian rhythm (hello, good sleep!), gives you Vitamin D exposure, which promotes bone health and immune function, improves your mood and boosts mental clarity. 

6. Allow God and others to help bear your burdens

For some mamas, the most helpful thing is for someone to hold the baby so that they can take a shower or eat a nourishing meal. Others would rather have family or friends help with things like cooking meals, doing dishes & laundry, or helping take care of older children. There’s no right way to let people help! But don’t try to do it all alone. As humans, we’re wired to live in community and receive love and care from others. Particularly during the postpartum period, which is a very vulnerable and challenging time, extra hands are needed to take on some responsibilities while mom focuses on healing and bonding with the baby. A Scripture that comes to mind with this is Galatians 6:2 (ESV), which says “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” 

7. Leave adequate space in your schedule for rest 

As you get further out from your baby’s birth, you might find yourself wanting to get back to your normal daily activities. But this is just a reminder that it is okay, and necessary, to take it slow. Overbooking and overexerting yourself can lead to a prolonged healing process and can also be detrimental to your mental health. Finding a healthy balance of activity and rest is difficult, but so worth it! You likely will not be able to move at the same pace - literally and figuratively - as you did before you welcomed your baby into the world, and that is perfectly normal! 

8. Continue taking your prenatal or a multivitamin

This is such an easy and simple step to take, but can affect your postpartum tremendously. When you give your body the vitamins and nutrients it needs, you’ll have the energy to be the best version of yourself you can be! It’s easy to neglect taking care of yourself during the early days postpartum, but this is one simple way to prioritize your own health. 

9. If you plan on breastfeeding, connect with a local IBCLC (lactation consultant) that you can reach out to if needed

It’s better to have this information before you desperately need help in the throes of the newborn stage! IBCLCs are highly qualified individuals that can help you troubleshoot any problems you may be having with breastfeeding, as well as just help set you up for success by giving you foundational knowledge about how breastfeeding works, how to position baby, what a good latch looks like, how to establish milk supply, etc. Some lactation consultants offer home visits, which you can even schedule during pregnancy if you want to! 

Local lactation support that we recommend: 

Jessica Bower at Growing Families Lactation & Doula (central NC; offers in-home and virtual visits)

Ashley Petronzio at Twin City Lactation (central NC; offers in-home, in-office, and virtual visits)

Katelyn Hedrick at Milk Remedy (central NC; offers in-home and in-office visits)

10. Be gentle with yourself

Give yourself grace as you go through this transition. Having a new baby is full of joy and so rewarding, but can also be so hard. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge all of the emotions that come with it, and know that it is okay if you don’t feel like you have it all figured out. As mothers, we are constantly learning. So, embrace the journey, and don’t push yourself too hard.