When you’re prepping for postpartum, one really smart thing to do is make a resource list for yourself. This is a simple sheet of contact info for various helpers and professionals that you may like to call on during postpartum (think help with breastfeeding or healing up your pelvic floor). Doing this ahead of time ensures that you can feel more relaxed and prepared now, knowing that if any bumps in the road appear, you’re armed with trusted professionals at your side.
Here’s what I would recommend putting on your list.
Contact info for the following:
Midwife or doctor
Postpartum doula
Lactation consultant
Pediatrician
Pelvic floor physical therapist
Baby sitter(s) for older children
Body worker (preferably at home postnatal massage)
You may also like to include:
Chiropractor
Acupuncturist
House cleaner
“Sleep angel” (a doula who spends the night occasionally to help look after baby during the night)
Local La Leche League (for ongoing breastfeeding support)
Any other specialty doctors you see (such as an endocrinologist)
Postnatal yoga or exercise groups
Healthy meal delivery
How to do this:
Start by making your list and actually writing down the contact info (preferably phone numbers or else email addresses) for each professional. You want to have this written down and pinned up somewhere obvious (like on your fridge) so someone else can easily call on your behalf if needed.
If you don’t know professionals to fill each category, get some referrals. Ask your midwife or OB, your doula, the hospital, birth center, or other mama friends who live near you for recommendations.
Do at least a quick Google search ahead of time so you feel confident in your choices.
Want a real life example of what this can look like?
After my first birth, postpartum really kicked my ass. A week or two in, I remember I was crying in the bath tub, dreading the next time I’d have to feed my baby because we were having troubles getting a proper latch and it was extremely painful for me. Seeing my distress, my husband made tons of calls to get referrals to find a lactation consultant who could come to our house ASAP to help me troubleshoot. Eventually he did and she came out that afternoon and helped me sort things out straight! I was SO appreciative of this help. It was an instant game changer and gave me the encouragement I truly needed.
This experience gave me the idea to make this resource list AHEAD OF TIME when preparing for my second birth, and it helped me feel so much more relaxed!
Remember, it doesn’t hurt to have these resources secured ahead of time! With a bit of luck, you won’t need to call any of them. But if you do, you’ll be so thankful you did this quick step ahead of time!
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