How do I Care for a Postpartum Mother?

Postpartum mothers are often dealing with a range of bodily changes as well as the fatigue that typically accompanies caring for an infant. If you are caring for a postpartum mother, there are many things you can do to make this time period easier. You may, for example, care for the baby for short periods of time so the new mom can care for her personal needs, sleep, or even just relax. You may also help ensure that she eats healthy meals. Additionally, you may help a postpartum mother by keeping track of her follow-up appointments and providing rides to the doctor's office if she is severely sleep deprived.

One important part of caring for a postpartum mother is making sure she has time to care for her personal needs. With a new baby to care for, many mothers find it difficult to make time to use the bathroom, shower, and even comb their own hair. Caring for a postpartum mother may mean supervising the baby for short periods of time so that she can care for herself.

Another consideration when you’re caring for a postpartum mother is the diet she follows. Generally, new mothers need enough calories and nutrients to sustain their overall health and help them handle the demands of caring for an infant. Additionally, breastfeeding mothers typically need extra calories, as they must nurture their babies from their own bodies.

Regardless of whether a woman is nursing or bottle feeding, however, she’ll typically need to consume a well-balanced diet that includes fruits, vegetables, grains, calcium, and protein after giving birth. You may do grocery shopping for the new mom or even prepare healthy meals for her. If you will not be present during the new mom’s meal times, you may consider preparing and freezing meals for her. If you store them in single-meal containers, she may have an easier time reheating them while also caring for her baby.

When you’re caring for a postpartum mother, it is also important to help her to rest. New moms often sleep poorly because their babies don’t sleep through the night. You may help by taking care of the infant for short periods of time so that the new mother can nap. Likewise, you may help with such things as diaper changes and baths, allowing the new mother to sit and relax from time to time. If you are around during the night and can help the new mom with middle-of-the-night diaper changes and feedings, this may prove helpful as well.

It is easy for a postpartum mother to become overly fatigued and preoccupied with baby care and other responsibilities. Sleep deprivation and the demands of an infant may make it hard for a new mother to remember appointments. Part of caring for a postpartum mother may involve recording her follow-up appointments on a calendar and providing reminders as necessary. If she is too tired to safely drive, you may help by driving her to appointments as well.