When you are planning to welcome a baby into your family, your support system will want to celebrate and support you. All of this attention and energy can be exciting, as well as overwhelming. That said, we encourage growing families to be strategic in their postpartum planning and to communicate proactively and directly with their friends and family so that they can get the help they want and need.
Keep reading for 5 ideas for asking your support system for care during the postpartum period.
Asking Your Support System for Care During the Postpartum Period
- Communicate proactively. If you can communicate prenatally, great! If you are postpartum and haven’t done this yet, you can start today! Do this in a way that feels good to you. This can be a text, email, or phone call. Goals of communication with folks in your support system may include: Naming the help you’d like during your postpartum period, checking to see what your loved ones are able and willing to offer, and getting a sense of whether the plan feels like a good fit for everyone.
- Remember that it’s okay to say “yes” AND “no.” When someone offers care that feels good to you and your family, this is your opportunity to receive. This is a moment to say yes! On the flip side, if there is an offer that doesn’t work for you and your family, this is an opportunity to say no. If there’s a different way you’d like support from this person, ask!
- Post a list of helpful tasks on your fridge. This will remind people of the ways they can care for you when they are in your space without you having to reiterate or communicate the same things over and over again. Trust us, there will always be laundry and there will always be dishes. Add these to the list! You may also include tasks like making you a snack, filling up your water, providing pet care, making a grocery run, vacuuming/sweeping, and so on.
- Use Meal Train. This tool can help you specify the types of foods you want and need, as well as a schedule that works for your family. This eliminates extra decisions and ensures a well-stocked fridge (or freezer), so that you can save your energy for baby. Meal Train is a great way to let a range of people from your support system to support you– from your closest friends, to coworkers, to neighbors, to faraway loved ones.
- Leave a cooler and/or table on your porch. Loved ones will want to bring you food or other treats and gifts– awesome; however, you are not hosting during this time. If you aren’t feeling up for visitors, simply let folks know that there is a cooler and/or table outside your door where they can leave things.
ABG is Here for You
We are here to support you as you plan for and navigate postpartum care. Join us in class or reach out about in-home postpartum services in Austin and Asheville! It’s an honor to support your growing family.
*Photo credit: Dan Gold on Unsplash
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