Your first few weeks and months of delivery can be quite challenging, and you need several strong support systems around you to make things easier. Getting help from the right people and at the right time helps improve your well-being for successful parenting life.

However, choosing the right support systems is crucial during pregnancy and after birth. Here are some of the groups that will provide the best support for you during and after pregnancy.

Spouse/Family

Before thinking of seeking outside help, you may want to consider the people around you. Ideally, the first pregnancy support should come from your spouse. Share your feelings with them and communicate your needs. Then, you both can work on the necessary steps to take on other kinds of support.

Most times, your spouse would need to be there before your siblings, parents, or friends. Always communicate your needs to your loved ones, and they'll be ready to help. You need someone to be there while you have your bath or catch a nap. If you don't communicate your needs, you may not get the right help. It will take some time as well for all parties to adjust to this new way of living as well.

Friends

Your friends, including other new mothers. can also provide support after birth. You can take a walk together or simply chat with them and share your challenges.

Pregnancy can be pretty stressful when you don't have your loved ones around you, especially when they live far away. Before now, new mothers are usually being nurtured and taken care of, but today's culture has changed everything. So, let your friends know you need them.

Healthcare Professionals

You can also contact different healthcare professionals if you have problems caring for your baby. You should always contact your pediatrician as they're in the best position to provide you with the correct answers to questions about your baby.

Online Support

Visit reliable parenting websites where you can get loads of information on pregnancy and care for your baby after birth. KeaBabies provides plenty of helpful articles on our blog and a wonderful online group of mommas to chat to. If you love books, you can also get some downloadable books to learn about parenting when you have the time.

Couples Therapy

Giving birth comes with some emotional baggage and physical pains. To some couples, childbirth is a great way to draw closer, but this isn't usually the case. Different stressors that come with childbirth may even worsen existing situations.

Communicating with a couple-specific support like a couple's counselors can help you address your fears. Always remember you don't have to have issues to benefit from therapy. You can use it to simply strength the balance for your growing family.

Group Therapy

Group therapy is another pregnancy and postpartum support system out there. Group therapy involves a group of people in the same situation who come together to share their problems. Issues discussed here are treated as confidential, and you will learn from other people in similar situations and those with different perspectives.

If you're lucky to be a group therapy member, you will meet with other women during pregnancy and when you give birth. You will learn how to prepare yourself for your baby and be the best parent to your little one. By the time you give birth, you would have gained enough confidence in your parenting skills, and other couples in the group will be more than willing to support you.

Doula

Doula comes from the Greek words that translate as 'woman's servant.' A doula is trained to provide support during and after pregnancy. They come in handy when your partner or the people who are supposed to provide support are not available.

A doula is also trained to help your partner learn how to support you by empowering them with the right information and connecting them with resources. Doulas help you create a calm environment, respect your choices and provide continuous emotional, informational, and physical support during labor, birth, and early postpartum.

They're always available to fill the gap when the needed support isn't available after your baby's arrival. They help with feeding, soothing, and caring for your baby, share birth stories with you, and ensure you're eating and drinking well.

Doulas are also trained to help you manage postpartum depression or mood disorders. They also advise on what isn't a regular part of your recovery process and when to get help.

Postpartum Plan

Before delivery, many parents spend more time writing a birth plan without paying much attention to a postpartum plan. A postpartum plan is vital. It involves putting a plan of action together to increase your confidence as you become a new parent.

However, even with the right postpartum plan, this time can be really challenging, and you will need a lot of time to heal physically and emotionally. You can hire professionals who will help with cleaning, childcare, cooking, and so on. With this, you can be more relaxed and be less panicky after delivery.

Midwife

A midwife is a certified nurse with years of experience providing pregnancy care, helping with the delivery, and more. They're highly trained with professional experience in women's health.

Midwives provide care during pregnancy and after delivery, and they can also help with educational support, STI screenings, annual exams, birth control, and more. Due to their years of experience, many women are choosing midwives for their pregnancy and postpartum support.

With a midwife, you can have access to personalized pregnancy and delivery care, and you can play a significant role in directing your birth and pregnancy A midwife will provide thorough emotional and physical care. They offer this support and care either in a group setting or to an individual to help you learn more about pregnancy and motherhood. They can also help with your birth plan and the type of delivery you'd like.

You can get a midwife at hospital-based birth centers and freestanding birth centers while some carry out home deliveries. Before choosing a midwife for your pregnancy and postpartum support, ensure it's a low-risk pregnancy.

Choose Your Own Support!

Having support options means there will be at least one person, group, or community you can turn to to make your journey into parenthood one that is filled with a little more ease.