As you prepare to welcome your baby, it’s easy to get swept up in planning a baby shower or creating the perfect nursery. But when it comes to the weeks and months after birth, your focus might be better spent on the practical and emotional preparations that will truly support you and your baby.

Here are some ways to prioritise what matters most:

1. Build Your Inner Circle

Take some time to identify the friends and family who will form your inner circle of support. These are the people you feel safe with and can comfortably ask for help. Let them know now how much their support will mean, and be clear about what you might need. A beautiful way to honour and set your intentions with your inner circle can be by having a Mother Blessing (I can facilitate this for you). I find that many women feel this can be so hard - to ask for help. Consider how much YOU would like to help your loved one who has just had a baby. It can feel so lovely to know exactly how to step in and support her rather than guessing or buying flowers - acts of support and service may be just the right thing, and now is a great time to learn and practice how to ask for support and helping hands.

2. Plan to Delegate

Life after birth can feel overwhelming, especially if you try to take on everything yourself. Write down the day-to-day tasks that help your home feel settled and nourishing—cleaning, grocery shopping, cooking, or walking the dog. Work out who can take on these responsibilities for you or if you’ll need to hire extra help. Discussing this and maybe writing a list with your partner can be a great way to set up a plan that helps you both to refer back to and stay on track together. 

3. Look After Your Emotional Well-being

The postpartum period is a vulnerable time, physically, emotionally and mentally. Consider booking counselling sessions in advance, perhaps via telehealth, so you have professional support ready when you need it. Planning ahead makes it more likely you’ll follow through, even when life feels overwhelming and busy. Birth and postpartum planning sessions are available online with me here.

4. Allocate a Support Budget

Instead of splurging on a big baby shower or nursery items your baby won’t need for years, consider setting aside funds for support services that will directly benefit you. A cleaner, meal delivery, postpartum or birth doula, lactation consultant, massage therapist, or counsellor can all make a profound difference to your recovery and well-being. In general, most new parents will agree that we need very little materialistic things, but in hindsight, more hands-on support and care is what the early months call for in reality. 

5. Create a Birth and Postpartum Plan

Booking a birth mapping session with a skilled doula can help you feel informed and empowered as you prepare for labour and birth. Likewise, having a clear postpartum plan—including a polite sign for your front door outlining your visitor preferences—can protect your sacred postpartum bubble.

Click here to book a birth mapping session via zoom.
Click here to download my postpartum mindset planning guide.

6. Prioritise Mental Health—for You and Your Partner

Parenthood brings changes that can challenge even the strongest relationships. If you have a partner, consider booking a session together with a professional who can help you navigate this transition. You’ll both benefit from strategies to support your mental and emotional health. 

Final Thoughts

Your baby needs you to feel supported, cared for, and at ease. Those early weeks will be full of skin-to-skin snuggles, breastfeeding or bottle-feeding around the clock, and simply finding your rhythm together.

This time after birth is when the dust settles, and the foundations of your bond are formed. It’s a fleeting but pivotal period, and the way you care for yourself now has lasting effects for both you and your baby.

By focusing on the inner work and practical preparations that matter most, you’ll create an environment that nurtures not just your baby, but yourself as well.