The Partner's Guide to Supporting Postpartum Recovery: How to Help New Mothers Heal
Welcoming a new baby is a life-changing experience, and postpartum recovery is a crucial time for new mothers. Partners can be pivotal in this healing journey. Here’s how you can offer support:
1. Understand the Postpartum Phase Educate yourself about the physical and emotional changes your partner is going through. Recognise the signs of postpartum conditions like depression or anxiety, and be prepared to seek professional help if necessary.
2. Assist with Baby Duties Take an active role in baby care. Changing nappies, soothing the baby, and taking over some feedings with pumped milk or formula can give your partner valuable time to rest and recover.
Hot Tip: Try the 10pm dream feed first as this is the first feed that is dropped by a new baby so it will work with managing your partners
3. Encourage Rest and Nutrition Ensure your partner gets plenty of rest and nutritious meals. Take on cooking duties or it's likely you are going to be tired and rundown too, so pre-arrange for meal deliveries that focus on postpartum nutrition.
4. Offer Emotional Support Be an empathetic listener. Sometimes, offering a shoulder to lean on can make a significant difference in your partner’s emotional well-being.
5. Help with Household Management Taking charge of household chores can alleviate the burden on your partner. Having a schedule that outlines when or how you can managing tasks like cleaning, laundry, and shopping can help create a calm and stress-free environment.
Hot Tip: Before the baby arrives, pre-make saved shopping lists on your local supermarket app, this way you can simply click through your usual buys simply and quickly.
6. Support Breastfeeding Efforts If your partner chooses to breastfeed, understand that it can be incredibly challenging. Support her by being patient, learning about breastfeeding, and considering products like the Novamama Lactation Vibrator, which can assist with common breastfeeding difficulties.
Hot Tip: A local lactation consultant is well worth investing in. Understanding yourself how breastfeeding works and how your partners can correctly latch can assist them tremendously.
7. Encourage Self-Care Remind your partner of the importance of self-care. Offer to watch the baby while she engages in activities she enjoys or needs for her recovery.
Hot Tip: This can be anything from some alone time with a close friend or a walk in nature, but if your schedule is tight suggest they go to a quiet space and try this wonderful 13 minute new mother meditation.
8. Plan for Postpartum Care Together Discuss and plan postpartum care in advance. Knowing there's a plan in place can be incredibly reassuring for a new mother and yourself while you navigate this challenging time.
Together in Healing: A Partner's Role
Partnership in postpartum recovery can strengthen your relationship and support a healthy start for your new family. Visit Novamama’s blog for more resources on postpartum care and discover how our products, like the Novamama Lactation Massager, can support new mothers in this journey.
