Want to collaborate on a "postpartum plan" lesson?

[Garden Doula]

I recently attended one of the Pampered Pregger webinar, the one on "The Ten Common Myths of Motherhood". That combined with the experience of the two first-time parent couples I doula-ed for has got me thinking that there isn't enough education on how important planning is for the first few weeks after birth. Especially if mom is breastfeeding and especially if they don't have local family or their parents are older (both are common things here.)

IMO, it is important to "be real" (to steal from Dr. Phil LOL) without scaring them or inducing them into creating that as their reality. But chances are the couple will experience one or more issues in the first month or two and its important to have a plan in place for support and help.

I'd like to start with identifying the most common issues... perhaps reading articles or even the excerpt from the "Postpartum Depression for Dummmies" guide...

Then, create a template where they can fill in their support network (homework) phone, website, books, magazine, email addresses, but there should be at least one phone number for each "issue".

Then, have the couple look at each day after the baby is born hypothetpically and add in anticipated stay in hospital, appointments, etc and write in AM support and PM support as well as meals (frozen, take out, someone else cooks), and errands like grocery or other necessary shopping.

As a resource, I'd love to compile recipes that they could start cooking and freezing right away... things that would be simple to make double of during the last trimester (one for eating, one for freezing). I don't know about using published recipes, though... copyright is always an issue. Although for something like this, they might be happy with a credit because the parents might go out and subscibe or buy the book/magazine/website it was in.

Anyway, is anyone interested in working on this with me? Then we could post our finished product here as a resource! Thoughts?

[doulajamie]

I have a few postpartum worksheets you might be interested in. E-mail me doulajamie @ yahoo.com and I can tell you more about them.

[Stacie]

I talk about postpartum mood disorders. I offer resources. I do an activity where we problem-solve together about potential issues which could come up. Then I copy that and send them all home with the ideas they came up with together. I have a few other things I do, too.

[medicinehatdoula]

I think it's a FABULOUS idea...let's get started...this might be a benefit to us both...as a graphic designer I can imput your ideas and make it reality. As an experienced doula, I can also help contribute to it! Sign me up and let me know where you want to start...that's the hard part, getting the idea to gel to start it!

[waterbaby0205]

Did you guys ever collaborate on this? I'd be very interested in helping and learning too.

[Garden Doula]

Not yet! I have all the handouts I've found on the 'net and I just need to post them and get the discussion going... right now i'm going taxes... and that is about all i'm doing. but I'll be done this weekend hopefully and next week I will post everything!

But feel free to start the discussion yourself! LOL I'll catch up soon!

[doulakate]

I'd love to be involved in this planning and discussion too!

[sunlit_mists]

Me too, I'm a birth doula, but without handing the brand new parents off to a PP doula, I always feel like I'm not done supporting them yet