Building Your Pregnancy and Postpartum Village
When it comes to pregnancy and birthing a baby (or babies!), society so often talks about what happens after baby gets here, but rarely about the complex and oftentimes challenging steps it takes to meet your baby.
We all know the saying “it takes a village to raise a child” – and that is so true! Building this village and overall support is so inherently important that it should be established as your baby is growing and not delayed until after birth.
As a pelvic health physical therapist and childbirth educator, I want everyone to understand the importance of taking the steps to start building this village as soon as you know you are pregnant. But, in that same realm, it’s also never too late to start.
I’ve had both – pregnant folks at 13 weeks ready to jump in and pregnant folks at 37 weeks, desperately searching for support and preparation. In both scenarios, I start by helping you break down what you want your village to look like. We also figure out how I, as a Pelvic Physical Therapist can add to that support. Whether it’s your first or your fifth baby, we don’t know what we don’t know. That is the reason surrounding yourself with professionals and loved ones throughout pregnancy is single handedly the most important thing you can do for your birth prep.
Many times, people come to me having no idea who should be in that village, other than their partner(s) and their OB. My favorite thing to do is open up folks’ eyes to who could encompass that village. No matter how long or short you want this list to be, you have options! Here’s a non-exhaustive list of professionals that can have an extremely positive impact throughout your birth journey:
- A pelvic physical therapist
- An OBGYN, midwife, birth and postpartum doula
- A massage therapist, chiropractor, and/or an acupuncturist
- An exercise or fitness instructor
- A mental health professional for pregnancy and the postpartum period
But, it’s not just about professionals – knowing the loved ones that you would like to be a part of this journey is essential as well. Depending on your personal story, needs, and desires, this list can be as large or as small as you’d like it to be, but here are some thoughts:
- What family member(s) would you like to be present in person throughout labor and delivery and which would you like to support you from afar?
- Which friends have gone through this process before and who can you reach out to for help and advice?
- Who within your community is willing to be a part of a meal train? Who can you reach out to to grab a grocery pick up for you on a bad day?
- Who do you trust to watch your bundle of joy as you catch up on things for yourself?
As a society, we have strayed away from the importance of community – both with your friends/family/support people and amongst your healthcare providers. When we are pregnant, community is essential, as the journey of pregnancy and having a baby can feel extremely isolating which can consequently have an impact on your birth story as a whole.
Throughout your experience at Kemper Pelvic Physio, we help you build and manage your village as your needs change, while also supporting you and being an asset during this wonderful time. We can also provide you with resources and recommendations for other professionals to help create this holistic village.
It truly takes a village to birth a child, so let’s start that journey together, no matter where you are in your pregnancy.
