The Skilled Postpartum

Every human is obliged to #showupforpostpartum

Let’s say it again.

EVERY HUMAN IS OBLIGED TO SHOW UP FOR POSTPARTUM!

If you were born, postpartum is relevant. 

Here comes the YES, AND… 

AND, we can all become more skilled at showing up. 

Whether it be perfecting a nourishing broth recipe, learning how to manage a meal train, understanding how to correctly set up a sitz bath, becoming a better listener, or thinking of 3 fun games to play with an older sibling - there are skills that can be cultivated to make the postpartum experiences of your community members more nourishing. 

We want to hear from you - what areas do you feel under equipped in when it comes to postpartum care? Is it the anatomy and physiology of postpartum people? Understanding perinatal mental health? Cooking? Home organization? Medical advocacy?

Based on our Wheel of Postpartum Need, we have outlined skills for each slice - what would you add?

Nourishment - Learn how to make a great broth (here’s our signature recipe) and nourishing herbal infusions, become adept at setting up and managing a meal train, develop veggie prep skills, perfect your snack plate wizardry.

Physical Healing - Master sitz bath set up, understand how to set up a postpartum healing supply station in the bathroom, get comfortable playing with older siblings so that postpartum parents can stay horizontal.

Space Held - Learn and practice non-violent communication (and decolonizing non-violent communication), become a great reflective listener, remove judgement and platitudes from your postpartum space holding vocabulary

Gatekeeping - Make a welcome sign to hang on the postpartum person’s door that kindly and clearly outlines do’s and don’ts for guests (DO wash hands, DON’T expect to hold baby etc). Skill up in medical advocacy and accompany postpartum people to follow up appointments and pediatrician visits. Even if you cannot be there in person, people have the right to bring an virtual advocate/notekeeper.

Rest - Learn how to hold protected sleep space for clients/community members, get comfortable using a baby carrier to soothe baby while postpartum people rest.

Nurturing Touch - Learn some massage skills! Learn how to make, or source herbal body oils from local herbalists. Understand and practice enthusiastic consent when it comes to physical touch. 

Postpartum Intimacy - Hold space with the baby for postpartum people to cuddle and reconnect. Stop normalizing the 6 week check up “sex green light”.

Acknowledgement - Take sticky notes to postpartum people’s houses and leave sneaky affirming notes around, put a reminder in your phone to check in with postpartum people daily or weekly with the goal of reflecting back to them everything they are doing right. Trophy emojis are always encouraged! 🏆🏆🏆

Available Joy - Bring over #postpartumdonuts! Send funny memes to postpartum people, remind postpartum people of their joy. Hold space with baby for postpartum people to do frivolous things that make them smile. (For more on available joy listen to our podcast about it.)

Resources - Vet practitioners that come into contact with perinatal people. Are they non judgemental? Anti racist? Good communication skills? Have some go to references for perinatal specific mental health supports, know the free resources that are accessible to all people in your community. 

A Kin Keeper - Become one! Write the thank you notes for a postpartum person! Help plan the older sibling’s birthday party that year. Do things that anticipate the needs of the postpartum person and their family to unburden the mental load of the parent/caregivers.

Community - Show up! Weave community! Get comfortable holding your community accountable for showing up. Show up some more! Show up after the 4th trimester! After the 1st birthday! Never stop showing up. Normalize being active in giving and receiving care in your community. Embody a community mindset.