Planning for Postpartum: What No One Tells You to Prepare For

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Hey there, Mamas! In this post we are diving into one of the most overlooked parts of preparing for a baby: planning for the postpartum period.

Most parents-to-be pour hours into birth plans and baby registries, but the plan for life after birth? That often gets missed. And here’s the truth: postpartum isn’t something to just survive. It’s something we can prepare for, even if we don’t know exactly how it will unfold. Planning doesn’t mean having every answer, it means giving yourself a softer place to land when the hard days come.

This post is a very general overview, not a full picture of postpartum planning. So please know these recommendations are just that—recommendations. This is where I would start if I were pregnant with my first all over again. Your planning will require a deeper dive and while I'm happy to do it for you (and I will be), that is going to take time. In the meantime, start looking into the areas of support that you already know you're going to need locked down!

Let's get into it!

1. Pediatrician + Baby’s Medical Care

Think of your pediatrician as your baby’s first guide outside the womb. You wouldn’t go on a hike through unfamiliar terrain without a trusted map, and your baby’s first year is just that—a wild, beautiful, sometimes bumpy trail.

A 2019 study in Pediatrics found that 89% of new parents reported a high level of stress about making the right medical decisions for their baby in the first six months. Having a pediatrician you trust helps reduce this stress significantly.

A few things to ask yourself:

• Do you prefer someone who aligns with a holistic or integrative approach to care?

• How do they respond to questions about things like vaccines, supplements, or sleep?

• What’s their communication style? Are you comfortable with how they deliver information?

Schedule meet-and-greets before birth. Trust your gut, it will serve you well here. A supportive, aligned pediatrician can be the calm in the storm during those early weeks.

2. Mental Health Support

Imagine your emotional well-being as the foundation of your motherhood home. If it’s cracked or unstable, everything else starts to wobble. According to the CDC, 1 in 8 women experience symptoms of postpartum depression. The risk is even higher among those who lack support or who have a prior history of mental health concerns.

Here’s what to do before baby comes:

• Research therapists or counselors who specialize in maternal mental health.

• Set up a first appointment now—even just to establish care.

• Have open conversations with your partner or support person about what to watch for and how to help.

Think of it like installing a fire alarm before you smell smoke. You may never need it—but if you do, it’s already there.

3. Pelvic Floor & Physical Recovery

Your body just did the equivalent of climbing a mountain—and now it needs rehab. The pelvic floor is the base of your body’s core, and childbirth can stretch, strain, or injure it.

A 2016 study in the American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology found that up to 50% of women experience some degree of pelvic floor dysfunction after giving birth.

Picture a trampoline that’s been overused. Over time it may sag or tear. Without care, things like incontinence, pain, or prolapse may sneak in.

Here’s how to be proactive:

• Ask your provider if they refer to pelvic floor therapists.

• Search for someone certified in postpartum rehab.

• Read up on gentle core exercises and healing timelines.

Recovery isn’t just about what your body looks like. It’s about what your body can do—pain-free and joyfully.

4. Infant Feeding: Breast, Bottle, or Both

Feeding your baby is like learning to dance with a brand-new partner. Sometimes it clicks, sometimes you both step on each other’s toes. According to the World Health Organization, over 80% of mothers in the U.S. start breastfeeding, but only 25% are still exclusively breastfeeding at 6 months. Why the drop? Lack of support, pain, misinformation, and pressure. I wonder how many of those moms knew that breastfeeding decreases your risk of breast and ovarian cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure. The more you breastfeed the lower you risk is!

If you're considering breastfeeding:

• Line up a lactation consultant in advance.

• Watch videos or take a class to learn what a good latch looks like.

• Normalize things like cluster feeding and nursing strikes.

If you're planning formula or combo feeding:

• Decide which formula aligns with your values or baby’s needs.

• Practice mixing bottles and storing milk safely.

• Consider nighttime bottle shifts with your partner.

The goal is to feed your baby and protect your peace. Whichever route you take, you deserve support—not shame.

5. Sleep: Yours, Baby’s, and the Plan

Sleep in the postpartum period is like water in a desert—precious and hard to come by. Research from the National Sleep Foundation shows that new parents lose an average of 109 minutes of sleep per night during the first year.

Instead of aiming for perfection, plan for protection:

• Will baby be in your room, in a bassinet, or co-sleeping safely?

• Can someone take a night shift a few times a week?

• Can you nap during the day while someone else holds the baby?

Even just having a backup plan can reduce anxiety. Think of sleep support like a parachute. You hope you won’t need it, but it’s there if you fall.

6. Visitors: Yes, No, or Not Yet

Postpartum boundaries are like a velvet rope—you decide who gets past it and when. Some people energize you. Others… not so much. A 2021 survey by Motherly found that 74% of new moms felt pressure to host guests after giving birth—even when they didn’t feel up to it.

Here’s your permission slip to be intentional:

• Who fills your cup and who drains it?

• Do you want a “no visitors for the first two weeks” policy?

• Will someone else (partner, doula, mom) be your gatekeeper?

This is your healing time. Set the tone and protect your energy.

7. Support Systems: Meals, Chores, and Help

Think of your postpartum needs like a new baby’s. You need to be fed, kept warm, cleaned up after, and loved on. The Harvard Fourth Trimester Project emphasizes how critical community support is for maternal health. In cultures where postpartum support is built-in, maternal outcomes improve dramatically.

• Create a Meal Train link and include it in your baby shower invite.

• Ask friends to sign up for tasks that you need help with such as laundry, dishes, walking the dog.

• Accept help from anyone who truly wants to lighten your load.

Let yourself be cared for. Your worth is not tied to how much you can do without help.

8. Your Healing Space: The 40-Day Recovery

In many cultures, the first 40 days are seen as sacred. You’re not expected to bounce back—you’re expected to rest, heal, and bond.

This practice is rooted in traditions from Chinese, Indian, Mexican, and Middle Eastern postpartum care. Each encourages warmth, nourishment, and stillness for the birthing person.

Create your “nest”:

• A comfy chair with snacks, water, diapers, burp cloths

• Low lights, soft blankets, maybe your favorite essential oils

• Space to cry, laugh, nurse, and simply be

This is your cocoon—where the transformation happens. Don’t rush out of it. Let it hold you. So, Mama, there you have it. Eight powerful ways to plan for your postpartum period. Remember, you don’t need to do all of this perfectly. These aren’t checkboxes. They’re starting points.

If anything on this post resonated with you today, I encourage you to talk it through with your partner, write a few notes down, or share this post with someone on your support team. Remember, you were never meant to bloom alone.