Developing a Postpartum Plan
Congratulations — your new baby is here! You, your infant, and your family will need a lot of support during this crucial time.
Caring for yourself
You’ll need time to recover after having your baby — it can take up to eight weeks to feel like yourself again. Women who get a C-section will need to monitor their incision carefully for healing and potential infection, and move around to avoid blood clots in the legs.
Part of caring for yourself includes planning a support team of family and friends to help with your new infant, who cannot be left alone at any time. Making a written postpartum plan, similar to your birth plan, helps you make sure all the bases are covered so you can focus on recovery and enjoying life with your baby.
Your plan can include:
- Your biggest concerns about postpartum life, and those of your partner or support people
- Physical recovery: Making sure your bed and bathroom are easily accessible; preparing in advance for physical recovery
- Sleep and rest: How much sleep you need, where your baby will sleep, and others can help you get more sleep
- Caring for baby: Who will feed and change diapers at specified times of day (Assigning “shifts” is ideal.)
- Mental and emotional health: Coping tools, warning signs, and people who can support you and your partner
- Household concerns: People who can help with cleaning and cooking for your entire family
- Visitors: Who is allowed to visit, when, and for how long. Boundaries for visitors, including vaccines and holding your baby.
- Names and numbers of your entire support team
It is important to follow up with your pregnancy care provider after delivery. An office visit is recommended at 2 to 4 weeks and 6 weeks postpartum. This visit is an opportunity to check in on your recovery and overall health, make sure you are up-to-date on health screenings like your pap smear, discuss birth control options, and voice any other concerns.
Read more about postpartum warning signs and symptoms Signs and Symptoms of Urgent Maternal Warnings Signs | HEAR HER Campaign | CDC.
Maternal Mental Health
If you don’t feel like yourself after giving birth, you’re not alone. Most women (50% to 80%) experience the baby blues for up to two weeks. Postpartum anxiety is also common — about 1 in 5 women report symptoms.
Family Connects Chicago
Family Connects Chicago is a free, in-home nurse visit available to Chicago families who deliver babies at participating hospitals. This includes foster parents, adoptive parents, and families who already have other children.
Women Infants and Children (WIC)
WIC is a federal program that provides extra food and nutrition education to pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, and their infants and children.
Sex & intimacy after birth
You may not be ready to resume your sex life after giving birth — and that’s OK! It’s recommended that you wait six weeks to have sex after birth, or until you have a doctor’s approval.
Additional Reading
Family Planning After Giving Birth
You can become pregnant again as soon as four weeks after delivery.
READ MORE 
Black Maternal Health
Black mothers have been found to face barriers to equitable maternal care.
READ MORE
Risk Factors & Chronic Disease
Learn about specific health challenges pregnant people face.