When you’re pregnant, most of the planning goes toward the birth: What kind of delivery do you want? Who will be there? How will you manage pain?
But as Nyeema Wright, CLD, CPD, CLC, a Doula Care provider at Mahmee who specializes in postpartum support, gently reminds families: “We plan for pregnancy, but we never really plan for postpartum, but the truth is that postpartum is a huge chapter within itself.”
You may not expect it, but your postpartum era will be a complete transformation - physically, emotionally, hormonally, and even with your relationships. It will be hard enough to manage, but without a plan in place, the transition may feel overwhelming and isolating and will make those first few months with your little one that much harder.
But with a little guidance and support, it can feel more manageable - and will help you heal.
These are the steps Nyeema uses to help families prepare for that critical chapter, and how you can build your own plan before your baby arrives.
“Postpartum is a transition,” Nyeema explains. “You’re healing, adjusting to newborn sleep and feeding, your hormones are fluctuating. There’s so much going on and it all requires balance and management.”
That balance often goes unacknowledged. It’s so common for moms to assume they’ll bounce back quickly, or use early postpartum days to “catch up” on cleaning, work, or other life tasks - that they’ll go right back to normal.
“They think they can just jump right back in and pick up where they left off,” Nyeema says. “But newborn sleep and feeding are absolutely full-time jobs, even if you have some help.”
Creating a postpartum plan is about protecting space for what actually matters in your healing journey back to your best self: rest, bonding, and getting to know your baby and new self - while leaving behind the pressure to try to do it all.
“Once you leave the hospital, it’s like: now what?” Nyeema says. “You’re home with this baby and no one’s checking in on you. That’s where we come in.”
Mahmee doulas like Nyeema help families map out their postpartum plan in advance for physical healing and emotional support. This can include logistics related things and the dynamics of having a new family member, like:
“Our chats with you will be very thought-provoking and will surprise you,” she says. “We walk through the things you haven’t even thought about - so you’re not blindsided.”
Her favorite question to ask every mom? “How are you feeling emotionally?” That one check-in opens the door for moms to speak honestly - and often reveals signs of overwhelm, sadness, or fear that others - from hospital staff that sends you home, to partners - might miss.
It’s easy to assume “rest” always just means sleep and naps; but in postpartum, rest might look like:
“You have to manually create those pauses,” Nyeema says. “You’re not going to get long stretches of sleep, but you can build daily rhythms and essentially tactics that protect your energy and recharge you for the next feeding or sleepless night.”
She also encourages moms to carve out emotional rest: space to cry, be quiet, or feel overwhelmed without judgment. When things feel difficult and the team sees any red flag, she pulls in the Mahmee team - nurses, mental health specialists, and postpartum coaches — to offer a web of care. “We tag everyone in,” she says. “No one should go through this alone.”
Nyeema says some moms push themselves so hard they don’t realize they’re burning out until it’s too late.
"Postpartum Burnout" may look like:
She often sees postpartum depression show up as a slow emotional shutdown. “She’ll say she hasn’t bonded with the baby, or hasn’t eaten, or hasn’t felt joy in a while. So we ask her more questions in a very gentle way, and just hold the space.”
And when a mom needs more? “We bring in folks from mental health, we bring in nurses, we bring in nutritionists, and we build a plan. We want to make sure she knows: You’re not a burden. You deserve this support.”
Doulas and providers like Nyeema support moms but also support the people who love them and are there for them during the birth journey.
She encourages partners to get educated before the baby arrives: “Come to the childbirth education class. Come to the postpartum prep class. Learn what to expect.”
She also equips them with tools for labor and postpartum: “We teach partners how to help, what to say, what signs to look for - and we acknowledge that they might struggle too. For example, partners can experience postpartum blues, too.”
When partners are looped in early, they’re more confident and tuned in to moms’ needs, and more likely to recognize when mom is struggling.
At the heart of every postpartum plan Nyeema helps build is one message:
“Be patient with yourself. Trust the journey. Ask questions. Pull in your loved ones. There’s no question too big or too small. And there’s no shame in asking for help.”
Whether you’re preparing for your first baby or your fourth, remember: your body just did something incredible. You don’t need to "bounce back" or go into hyper-productive mode, or make sure the house is sparkling clean. You just need space to recover, reconnect, and receive support in ways that will make you feel good.
And if you need help making that plan? Mahmee is here the entire process: before, during, and after your birth.
