08/23/2026
Planning for postpartum is just as important as planning for birth, it’s just acknowledged less in mainstream society.
The truth is, you’re going to be postpartum a whole lot longer than you’re going to be in labor & you should start planning for the postpartum period before you’re in the thick of it.
✨Sleep: whatever your sleep needs are before baby is born, you need to be shooting for that same amount of sleep in smaller increments. Lots of folks like to scoff at the advice, “sleep when the baby sleeps.” But resting well is one of the most protective things you can do for your mood in the postpartum period.
✨Nourishment: DoorDash pass is great, but it’s not a long term solution. Consider double batching & freezing meals throughout your pregnancy, & I think every family should set up a meal train. It takes minutes to do, & your village wants to help you!
✨Feeding baby: How are you planning to feed your baby? If you’re planning to breastfeed, it’s best to learn about how to breastfeed & have a support team lined up while your baby is happy in your belly, not hungry at your breast.
✨Delegate household tasks, & learn to let things go: use paper plates if keeping up with the dishes is overwhelming. I promise your family will survive if you’re not folding & putting away laundry in the early days, & instead you’re grabbing things out of baskets. Write down a list of daily & weekly chores, & laminate them & put them on the fridge. More often than not, visitors want to help but they don’t know how to.
✨Ask for help: The fresh postpartum season is so short, & it can be so sweet. Lean on your support people, & ask for what is truly helpful. We live in a society that romanticizes hyper independence, but our strength is really in community.
✨Mood: have a loved one to look out for symptoms of postpartum mood disorders. The postpartum hormone drop is huge, & it’s normal in the early days to be weepy. Hopelessness, rage, & severe anxiety are not synonymous with postpartum. Postpartum mood disorders are common, & treatable. You should have more good hours in a day than bad.
