The many changes that take place during the postpartum period can often be overwhelming for parents. Mara Acel-Green, a psychotherapist specializing in postpartum depression and other perinatal mood disorders, developed the following worksheet to help families think about who will help them through the postpartum period.
Our village (support people like friends, family, neighbors, religious community, babysitters, and professionals):
Name/Relationship Phone Number
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People who will cook or coordinate healthy food (such as getting takeout gift cards). Don’t forget to have a couple of grocery lists available for people who want to shop, as well as round-trip printed directions from your house to grocery stores available for those who ask!
Name How this person will help with meals
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People who will specifically support the new mother (including times of day available) for rests, showers, walking partners, visits, phone/Skype chats, positive parenting support/advice, and anything else she needs. Great to organize at the shower or religious birth ritual.
Name How they will support the new mother
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People who will specifically support the partner/spouse/husband (including times of day available) for rests, showers, walking partners, visits, phone/Skype chats, positive parenting support/advice, and anything else he/she needs. Great to organize at the shower or religious birth ritual.
Name How they will support the partner
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People who will specifically support other child/ren (babysitting, spending time with the child/ren, or anything else he/she needs).
Name How they will support other child/ren
____________________ ___________________________________________________
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Mom’s self-care plan. This can include things like walking twenty minutes per day, relaxing with a favorite TV show for a half hour in the afternoons, spending time talking to friends or family, or anything else she may find helpful.
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Partner/spouse/husband’s self-care plan
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