BUILD YOUR POSTPARTUM SUPPORT PLAN 🤍

Malama Clinical Team · Postpartum Series

People spend a lot of time getting ready for the baby.

They set up the nursery. Wash tiny clothes. Pack the hospital bag.

But one of the most important things you can prepare before birth is your postpartum support plan.

Because after the baby arrives, you will need care too. 💛

The first few weeks with a newborn can feel beautiful, emotional, exhausting, and overwhelming all at once. Having support around you can make a huge difference.

And here’s the good news: your support team does not have to be big. Even one or two people who show up consistently can help you feel more rested, cared for, and less alone.

BUILD YOUR HELP ROSTER 👥

Before baby arrives, take a few minutes to think about who you can call on for help.

Who can:

🍲 Bring a meal?
🚗 Help with school pickup?
🛒 Run errands or grab groceries?
🧺 Help with laundry or dishes?
🐶 Walk the dog?
👶 Hold the baby while you shower, nap, or eat?

These small acts of care matter more than people realize.

Postpartum recovery is not just about healing physically. It is also about protecting your energy, your sleep, and your emotional health.

MAKE A SIMPLE SUPPORT LIST 📝

When people say:
“Let me know if you need anything!”

…it can be hard to think of an answer when you are tired and overwhelmed.

So make a list now of ways people can help.

You can even keep it in your phone.

That way you can say:
“Could you drop off dinner?”
“Would you mind folding a load of laundry?”
“Can you hold the baby while I rest for 20 minutes?”

People often want to help. They just need direction.

YOUR POSTPARTUM CARE TEAM 🩺

Your postpartum team is not just about the baby. It is about YOU too.

Here are a few people who may become important parts of your support system after birth:

👩‍⚕️ Your OB or midwife — they help guide your physical recovery and postpartum care.

🩸 If you had gestational diabetes, make sure your six-week postpartum appointment is scheduled before baby arrives. Ask about your postpartum glucose test too.

🥗 A registered dietitian can help you eat in a way that supports healing, energy, breastfeeding, and blood sugar health — without strict dieting.

💪 A pelvic floor physical therapist can help your body recover after pregnancy and birth. Many moms benefit from this support.

Remember: you deserve follow-up care too.

LINE UP LACTATION SUPPORT NOW 🥛

Even if you hope feeding goes smoothly, it helps to know who you can call ahead of time.

Because sometimes:
👶 Baby will not latch easily
🥛 Milk supply feels low
😣 Feeding hurts
🤍 You just need reassurance

Before delivery, try to save the names and numbers of:

📞 A lactation consultant
🏥 Your hospital’s breastfeeding support line
🤱 A local moms group or feeding support group
👩‍⚕️ Your baby’s pediatrician or feeding specialist

It is much easier to look these up now than during a stressful middle-of-the-night feeding.

And if breastfeeding turns out to be harder than expected, that does not mean you are failing. Feeding is something both you and your baby are learning together.

LET PEOPLE TAKE CARE OF YOU 🌱

You are about to spend so much time taking care of your baby.

Let people take care of you too.

Let them bring food.
Let them help with dishes.
Let them sit with the baby while you shower or sleep.

Support is not weakness. It is part of healing.

You do not have to do postpartum perfectly. You were never meant to do it alone.

One day at a time. 🤍

ONE THING TO DO THIS WEEK

Pick up the phone and make sure your six-week postpartum appointment is scheduled. If it's not, call and book it now. While you're on the phone, ask if the glucose tolerance test is included. If they're not sure, ask them to note it in your chart.

You deserve care that follows through. Let's make sure it does.