4th Trimester Project

A Village for Mothers

Staying Well

Self-care can feel like a luxury for new mothers who are doing their best to keep everything together. With all that comes with the birth of a baby, women often feel that the only way forward is to address their needs last. This sadly reflects lack of enough community and social support.

This section offers information to support women in receiving the care they deserve.

How moms feel matters! Feeling good and strong is important for mothers health and also helps families thrive.

Mindfulness matters! Dr. Karen Sheffield-Abdullah has created a video series of mindfulness exercises to view and practice.

WELLNESS TIP: If someone offers to bring over a meal or asks what support you’d like, tell them what would make you feel good. Accepting help is a sign of strength. Let visitors fold some laundry, do dishes, walk the dog, read to an older child, or hold the baby while you rest or take a shower. People usually really do want to be of service. They are excited about the baby and that joy reflects their love for you too.

Topics in Staying Well

Autoimmune Disorders

Apr 19, 2023
Uncontrolled autoimmune disorders are associated with poor quality of life, disability, and sometimes increased risk of heart disease and other organ damage.  Depending on your condition, you may have a flare and/or new or worsening symptoms after your baby is born.  Your provider should work with you to find medications that are safe with breastfeeding […]

Autoimmune Disorders

Uncontrolled autoimmune disorders are associated with poor quality of life, disability, and sometimes increased risk of heart disease and other organ damage.  Depending on your condition, you may have a flare and/or new or worsening symptoms after your baby is born.  Your provider should work with you to find medications that are safe with breastfeeding […]

Birthing Parent Health Information One-Pager

Sep 26, 2023
Below, you can view the new parent health information one-pager, along with an overview for ideas to introduce and use the tool in practice. These are helpful for clinics to distribute at discharge or during postpartum visits.

Birthing Parent Health Information One-Pager

Below, you can view the new parent health information one-pager, along with an overview for ideas to introduce and use the tool in practice. These are helpful for clinics to distribute at discharge or during postpartum visits.

Coping with Stress

Apr 19, 2023
It can be wonderful and also very hard coping with a new baby. Partners and family members can be helpful AND also bring new challenges to the house. While many women worked hard during pregnancy to stop using tobacco, using marijuana, drinking alcohol, and using drugs, postpartum stress makes it very hard to stay quit. […]

Coping with Stress

It can be wonderful and also very hard coping with a new baby. Partners and family members can be helpful AND also bring new challenges to the house. While many women worked hard during pregnancy to stop using tobacco, using marijuana, drinking alcohol, and using drugs, postpartum stress makes it very hard to stay quit. […]

Eating Well

Apr 19, 2023
Eating well is about nutrition. In the 4th Trimester and beyond many women find it hard to have the time or the practical support to eat as they might like. Sleep patterns and your mood also impact when you feel hungry and when you feel full. There are some foods that can help you feel […]

Eating Well

Eating well is about nutrition. In the 4th Trimester and beyond many women find it hard to have the time or the practical support to eat as they might like. Sleep patterns and your mood also impact when you feel hungry and when you feel full. There are some foods that can help you feel […]

Exercise

Apr 19, 2023
Movement is an important part of healing from pregnancy and childbirth. Exercise keeps bowels moving, eases stiffness, helps mood, and even improves the quality of sleep (when you can get it!). How much and how new moms exercise is influenced by how active they were during pregnancy and the way baby was delivered. In general, […]

Exercise

Movement is an important part of healing from pregnancy and childbirth. Exercise keeps bowels moving, eases stiffness, helps mood, and even improves the quality of sleep (when you can get it!). How much and how new moms exercise is influenced by how active they were during pregnancy and the way baby was delivered. In general, […]

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Apr 19, 2023
Women who experienced hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) during pregnancy may take up to two years for their bodies to recover.  HG is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy that is usually non-stop and keeps mothers from being able to take in enough food and liquid.  Women who had HG and it wasn’t recognized […]

Hyperemesis Gravidarum

Women who experienced hyperemesis gravidarum (HG) during pregnancy may take up to two years for their bodies to recover.  HG is a severe form of nausea and vomiting in pregnancy that is usually non-stop and keeps mothers from being able to take in enough food and liquid.  Women who had HG and it wasn’t recognized […]

Immunizations

Apr 19, 2023
Immunization in the postpartum period is a simple and effective way for women to protect themselves and their babies from certain infections. This is particularly important for women who weren’t immunized before or during pregnancy. Postpartum maternal immunization can prevent maternal infection and the potential spread of illness from the mother to her baby. As […]

Immunizations

Immunization in the postpartum period is a simple and effective way for women to protect themselves and their babies from certain infections. This is particularly important for women who weren’t immunized before or during pregnancy. Postpartum maternal immunization can prevent maternal infection and the potential spread of illness from the mother to her baby. As […]

Intimacy and Sex After Childbirth

Apr 19, 2023
“The quality of your intimacy is strongly influenced by the quality of your recovery. The more you focus on healing, the better you can feel when being intimate, and the more you can enjoy it. That is what’s most important.” View this video of postpartum intimacy from Nurse Nikki. Read her blog about talking about […]

Intimacy and Sex After Childbirth

“The quality of your intimacy is strongly influenced by the quality of your recovery. The more you focus on healing, the better you can feel when being intimate, and the more you can enjoy it. That is what’s most important.” View this video of postpartum intimacy from Nurse Nikki. Read her blog about talking about […]

Managing Your Conditions

Apr 19, 2023
Pregnancy is considered to be a “stress test” for life. This means that health issues in pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, heart problems, or high blood pressure, mean that there is a greater risk of having these conditions in the future (even if they get better after birth). This can be scary information to consider. […]

Managing Your Conditions

Pregnancy is considered to be a “stress test” for life. This means that health issues in pregnancy, such as gestational diabetes, heart problems, or high blood pressure, mean that there is a greater risk of having these conditions in the future (even if they get better after birth). This can be scary information to consider. […]

Postpartum Care Plan

Sep 20, 2023
Navigating postpartum recovery and transitioning to new parenthood. We have created a Care Plan for care team members and birthing parents to customize and tailor recovery. < Resources

Postpartum Care Plan

Navigating postpartum recovery and transitioning to new parenthood. We have created a Care Plan for care team members and birthing parents to customize and tailor recovery. < Resources

Postpartum Health Care

Mar 27, 2023
Traditionally, the postpartum visit takes place 6-8 weeks after the birth of a baby. Given all that happens to women’s bodies in the early weeks after giving birth, many women find that visit to be too little and too late. There are also many women who never receive a postpartum visit! The American College of […]

Postpartum Health Care

Traditionally, the postpartum visit takes place 6-8 weeks after the birth of a baby. Given all that happens to women’s bodies in the early weeks after giving birth, many women find that visit to be too little and too late. There are also many women who never receive a postpartum visit! The American College of […]

Postpartum Plan for New Parents

Sep 27, 2023
Navigating postpartum recovery and transitioning to new parenthood. We have created a checklist and guidance for new mothers to create their own postpartum plans. During labor and delivery, mothers typically have their plans in place to address what they need to feel safe and supported during childbirth. Once the baby is born, however, the mother […]

Postpartum Plan for New Parents

Navigating postpartum recovery and transitioning to new parenthood. We have created a checklist and guidance for new mothers to create their own postpartum plans. During labor and delivery, mothers typically have their plans in place to address what they need to feel safe and supported during childbirth. Once the baby is born, however, the mother […]

Taking Care of You

Sep 24, 2023
Postpartum Recovery Booklet on a variety of health and self-care topics

Taking Care of You

Postpartum Recovery Booklet on a variety of health and self-care topics

Thyroid Problems

Apr 19, 2023
Uncontrolled thyroid disease is associated with heart disease, weight changes, and depression. Some women can have postpartum thyroiditis who didn’t have thyroid disease before they were pregnant. Symptoms include anxiety, irritability, rapid heartbeat or palpitations, unexplained weight loss, increased sensitivity to heat, fatigue, tremors, and not being able to sleep.   A thyroid function test […]

Thyroid Problems

Uncontrolled thyroid disease is associated with heart disease, weight changes, and depression. Some women can have postpartum thyroiditis who didn’t have thyroid disease before they were pregnant. Symptoms include anxiety, irritability, rapid heartbeat or palpitations, unexplained weight loss, increased sensitivity to heat, fatigue, tremors, and not being able to sleep.   A thyroid function test […]

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