Ep. 32 - Expecting the Unexpected: A Realistic Look at Ways to Prepare for Postpartum

Last year, an avid listener from the beginning suggested that we should have an episode for the expectant new mom that they can refer friends to as a resource, not necessarily focused on just perinatal mental health disorders but how to better prepare for new motherhood in general. We know it can be kind of scary to hear about all the things that could happen and in turn maybe it induces more anxiety instead. So we made this episode to talk about what we wish we could have done to prepare better for postpartum and what we thought we did that actually helped. But we also wanted to share what joys there are to look forward to because it can be such an overwhelming time trying to prepare for everything. In this episode we go over: The power of having a doula https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10292163/ Preparing for childbirth Tips for preparing for breastfeeding if you want to do it Postpartum planning (NESTS) Nutrition Exercise Sleep Time for Self Support Setting up boundaries beforehand Finding a therapist beforehand (see below) The joys of motherhood Resources: Guide to Childbirth by Ina May Gaskin Mindful Birthing by Nancy Bardacke Spinning Babies PSI's FREE Postpartum planning class PSI's Postpartum Plan Document PSI Directory to find a therapist We aspire for this episode to be helpful and hopeful, and we also hope that it is one you can share with expectant mom friends! Find more of us: Instagram: Podcast: @healingthetigress Jasmine: @pearlsofjasmine Peggy: @healingwithpeggy Note: The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed are the speakers' own. This podcast is not a replacement for therapy or professional/medical advice. If you need more support or advice, please reach out to your own medical professional who can answer your questions with your individual medical history and background in context. Please take a moment to RATE and REVIEW our show if you enjoy the episodes we bring to you! It helps others to find our show when you do. Thanks so much! =) Send us your thoughts! Support the show ✨ If you'd like to subscribe to our podcast for access to more bonus episodes, please click here for Buzzsprout Subscriptions! Once subscribed, you can use an RSS feed to listen from any of your podcast platforms. Thanks in advance for your support, as this really helps us keep the show going! ❤️ (Think of it like buying us a boba...to share! 😉🧋)