Many birthing people create labor and delivery plans – and, then what? Having a support plan for ways you want to be cared for once baby arrives is important.
We have created a fill-in guide to write ways you’d like to feel cared for after childbirth. The template includes sections for visitors, meals, errands, child and pet care, supplies, ways you want to be communicated, and more.
Having these conversations about what to expect postpartum and supporting new parents with postpartum planning can help alleviate some stress post-delivery.
Download and fill-in your own postpartum plan with these templates.
Care Team Tips for Using the Tool:
Care teams can use this guide for tips and suggestions to introduce and use the tool in practice. These are helpful for clinics to distribute during prenatal, delivery discharge, and/or during postpartum visits.
The Council on Patient Safety in Women’s Health Care and ACOG recommend that women, with their health care providers, create a postpartum care plan. It is important to encourage expecting parents to think about their postpartum plans, including an outline for emergency contacts and information about caring for their physical, emotional, and mental recovery.
Download the implementation tips sheet.
Know that some health problems after giving birth are life-threatening and can happen up to a year after you have a baby? Recognizing when something isn’t right and taking urgent action could save Mom’s life. Here is a brief training for family members/communities to know what to look for and what to do if a birthing person is experiencing warning signs. Find more maternal health warning sign resources, including reels, additional languages, and materials here.
