Postpartum Village

Why Community Matters After Birth 

Community support after giving birth can have a significant impact on the health and quality of life of new and growing families. The saying “it takes a village” is rooted in the knowledge that we aren’t meant to do this alone. Members of our community can help by being a listening ear,  cooking a nourishing meal, or taking care of older children in the first weeks postpartum.  

In our culture, we often receive praise for being independent– overcoming difficulties on our own and making our way through life without much help. During the postpartum period, (approximately the first year of your baby’s life) making do without support can really affect our health and wellbeing. 

Community looks different for everyone. Begin by thinking about who the people closest to you are and how you tend to each other. Who do you call on when you need help? Do you have immediate family close by? Are there a few good friends, co-workers, or other families with similar aged children that you have relationships with? Identifying our own personal community helps to build the vision of what support might look like in the postpartum period.

Our community also consists of the resources, organizations, and systems around us that offer consistent and substantial care. In the postpartum period, this may look like having a birth or postpartum doula, setting up visits from a home visiting nurse, seeing a lactation specialist, or getting help with insurance coverage, baby gear, and more. Community care helps to protect and envelop new parents as they are transitioning to a completely new lifestyle– often with little to no sleep! 

What are some benefits of community support?

Adequate rest: Having family, friends, or postpartum caregivers in the home to help with figuring out infant feeding, household tasks, caring for children, preparing meals, and reassuring new parents can lighten the load of day-to-day responsibilities in the new family. This allows parents to rest rather than scramble to make it all happen.

Family bonding: In addition to encouraging rest, support with day-to-day tasks in the first few weeks allows parents uninterrupted time to hold, feed, and bond with their newborn. Protecting this special time for bonding allows new parents to learn their baby’s cues, which makes for more confident, connected parenting. 

Less stress: Having trusted family members or caregivers in the home can be just the thing to take away stress and guilt from new parents. Knowing that other children or responsibilities are taken care of decreases stress and allows parents to be present with their newborn. 

A Different Perspective: Being cared for by elders, experienced family members, and skilled postpartum caregivers helps to support new parents in learning the new language of parenting. Receiving care from someone who has experience offers new parents calm and reassuring guidance, peace of mind, and offers space for inter-generational wisdom sharing. Hearing a different perspective when we are exhausted and overwhelmed can be transformational.

Nourishment: When a postpartum person or new family are fending for themselves, depletion is inevitable. This is a time to be fed, cared for, and nourished by others so the body can recover. We can ease into the role of parent and crucial aspects of the early postpartum period can be fully focused on like feeding the baby, recovering from delivery or surgery, resting, and staying well fed and hydrated. 

Support with Grief & Loss: Community care is critical for parents experiencing loss or are post-termination. The body is still in a postpartum state at this time, and needs the same level of tender care including warm, easy to digest meals, loving touch, and care of mental, spiritual, and physical health. Having a close friend or family member, or postpartum or loss doula can mean everything during this time. 

Building community in the postpartum year can build bonds that last a lifetime. Receiving care can be hard in this fast paced society, but  the time will come when we can give back as well. Community care is crucial to a thriving postpartum, and it doesn’t have to be extensive to be effective. A tight knit circle of people and resources may be just what you need to support your new family. If you are looking for support in your area, check out the Postpartum Village Support Directory.