The Life With Baby Workbook
During pregnancy, so much time, energy, and attention is placed on how the pregnancy is developing, the growth of the baby, hopes and wishes for the delivery, but the planning and thought often stops once the baby arrives. But this is actually an important time to have a plan!
A postpartum plan is a continuation of a birth plan, and really focuses on how to support parents both practically through every day life and also emotionally during the vulnerable postpartum recovery period. This time is often referred to as the 4th trimester, and continues all the way through your baby’s first year. All too often, baby becomes the center of attention and parents can get lost. But the family is a system! All parts are equally important!
Emotional wellbeing is critical when you become a parent, and it’s equally important as your physical recovery, and the wellbeing and care of your baby. And it’s important no matter how you enter parenthood - through birth, adoption, surrogacy, or blending families.
You matter as an individual, and your feelings, thoughts, emotions are all so important.
Who Can Use The Life With Baby Workbook?
Anyone expecting a baby! And any professional that supports parents after having a baby.
It does not matter if it's your first or sixth baby. Building a postpartum plan is a necessity, not a luxury before baby arrives. It is a continuation of care from pregnancy and childbirth.
A postpartum plan is especially important for people that need the following:
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Support preparing birthing person and/or partner for the adjustments of parenthood
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Having a baby after experiencing postpartum depression and/or anxiety after a previous baby
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A parent with a history of anxiety, depression or trauma
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Support after experiencing a loss, fertility treatment, adoption or surrogacy
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Coping strategies to ease anxiety, depression or racing thoughts
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Creating a mind and body connection for greater confidence
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Empowering your partner/support person
Parents
Psychiatrists
Lactation Consultants
Community Organizations
Therapists
OBGYN / Midwives
Doulas
Hospitals
How To Use The Life With Baby Workbook
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This workbook is for you! The more you put into it, the more you will get out of it
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Take as much time as you need for each section
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Ideally, this workbook would be completed during pregnancy, in collaboration with your support person and providers. However, it can be started at any point, even after baby arrives
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Talk about ‘what if’ scenarios, and what exactly you would do if more help was needed. The plan is an opportunity to talk about feelings/concerns/triggers in neutral time and space before the arrival and chaos of baby
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Share and talk about your plan with your partner, support person, OB, midwife, mental health provider, or anyone else on your birth team. Sharing it gives permission for your support people to check in with you us as needed
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Several of the pages in the workbook are meant to be completed and cut out to make them easy to share. Look for the scissors icon!
And please remember!
This workbook is living document! This means your postpartum plan is flexible, it can change and grow as often as you need. Nothing is set in stone!
And it’s a sense of control/direction - so much fear comes from the unknown when you become a parent. Creating a postpartum plan provides a sense of control to feel prepared, proactive, and have a plan in place if more emotional support is needed, or a postpartum mood disorder surfaces. The goal is to avoid being in a situation where you need help and you do not know what to do or where to start.