Taking time to plan your ideal postpartum is just as important as your birth plan, if not more so. The birth will happen within a limited timeframe, but the postnatal period can present us with a number of challenges for a sustained amount of time, and often when we are at our most vulnerable. Making a plan around how you will handle some of the most likely challenges is an excellent way to ensure the smoothest transition to your new life as a family. It is also a great way to relief stress in the run up to the birth, knowing that you are prepared (as much as you can be) for what is to come.
 
This workbook has been designed for partners to work through together, ideally during the third trimester of pregnancy. In each section, a ‘mind map’ is presented on one of the following seven topics:
 
— Physical Recovery from Birth
— Mental Health
— Feeding
— Sleeping
— Friends and Family
— Household
— Our Relationship
 
Each section maps out question prompts to facilitate an in-depth discussion between you and your partner on each of the topics.
 
There is space on each map for you to make annotations, and there is a separate notes section following each topic for you to record additional thoughts. There is also a contacts page which you can populate as you make your way through the workbook so that you can create a go-to list of people in your support team for easy reference. It’s important to remember that there is strength in seeking the right support, not weakness. They say it takes a village to raise a child, and there is no better time than now to start building yours.