How to Prepare for Postpartum
Even more important than your hospital bag
When you’re pregnant, it feels like there’s a never-ending list of things to do: setting up the nursery, packing the hospital bag, buying tiny clothes, choosing a pram. But what about preparing for you — the woman who will walk out of that hospital or birth space, tender, changed, and carrying not just a baby but also a whole new identity?
We spend months preparing for birth yet often forget the weeks and months that follow. And the truth is: postpartum preparation is just as important — if not more important — than the birth itself.
Why postpartum prep matters more than your hospital bag
Yes, a hospital bag matters. You’ll want comfy clothes, snacks, toiletries, and all the practical things. But here’s the thing: that bag gets unpacked in a few days.
Your postpartum reality, however, unfolds for weeks and months. The sleepless nights, the physical recovery, the identity shift, the hormonal changes, the mental load — these are the things that really shape your experience of new motherhood.
And unlike your hospital bag, you can’t just “pack” resilience and support into a bag. You need to intentionally prepare for them.
What to include in your postpartum preparation
1. A support network
Ask yourself: Who are my people?
Who will bring meals?
Who can come over and fold laundry without needing me to make them a cup of tea and entertain them?
Who can sit with me while you cry, half naked, bleeding, and leaking milk?
Write a list. Talk to them before birth. Let them know what kind of support would feel helpful.
2. Nourishment for your body
Your body is healing. It needs warmth, rest, and real food.
Stock your freezer with nourishing meals (think stews, soups, slow-cooked food).
Say yes to offers of food. Put an esky out the front and invite people to drop meals off there.
Avoid the trap of living on toast and coffee (it’s easy to fall into this!). You will quickly become even more depleted, and the long-term effects will last a lifetime.
3. Rest and recovery rituals
In many traditional cultures, mothers are expected to rest for 30–40 days. Our society often pushes women back into “normal life” within a week. Don’t rush it. Create little rituals of rest:
A hot shower while someone else holds baby.
A daily nap (yes, even just 20 minutes)- even if baby isn’t sleeping!
A “closing the day” tea and self-check in, in the evening.
4. Emotional & mental support
Motherhood can bring joy, but also anxiety, grief, and overwhelm.
Have a plan for who you can call if things feel heavy.
Keep helplines handy (PANDA, Beyond Blue, or a local postpartum counsellor).
Consider a postpartum doula, women’s circle or mum’s group for connection.
5. Connection to yourself
This one gets overlooked. In the swirl of nappies and feeding, it’s easy to forget you.
Keep a journal to process your feelings.
Do gentle movement or yoga when you’re ready and get some sun and nature in whatever way is practical.
Remind yourself: you are becoming someone new — it’s okay to feel lost and to find yourself again- even if she’s unrecognizable.
How my workbook can help you prepare
This is exactly why I created Becoming You (After Baby) — a postpartum workbook designed to support mothers through the identity shift of Matrescence. It’s not another checklist; it’s a guide to help you:
Plan your postpartum support before birth.
Create nourishing routines.
Reflect on your transformation.
Reconnect with yourself in this new season.
Because postpartum deserves more than just a hospital bag — it deserves thoughtful preparation for you.
Final Thoughts
Packing your hospital bag matters, but preparing for postpartum is what truly carries you through. The clothes, pads, and snacks will get you through the first days. But the support, food, rest, and self-connection? Those will sustain you for the months and years ahead.
So, as you tick off your birth prep list, pause and ask: What am I putting in place for me, after the baby arrives?
Your future self will thank you. 💛
Big love,
Rach.