Mastering Postpartum, Even Without Family Nearby

Embracing parenthood for the first time is a truly magical experience, but it can also come with its fair share of challenges. As you prepare to welcome your newborn into the world, you may find yourself faced with the reality of not having family nearby to support you during this crucial time. While it may seem daunting, fear not! With some planning and a positive mindset, you can still have a smooth and enjoyable first week home with your baby. In this blog, we'll explore practical tips to help you navigate this exciting journey.

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When my baby was born, we didn’t live anywhere near family. Here are my tips for preparing for you first week home with your baby when you don’t have family nearby to help (or your family is unhelpful for whatever reason). 

Acknowledge the Absence and Find the Opportunity

We’ve all heard the saying “It takes a village.” It’s a lovely thought, but incredibly hard to come by in modern parenting. It’s okay to acknowledge the absence of your family or village… it’s how we come to terms with our reality. We can’t find solutions without acknowledging the problem. Once you’ve mourned the loss of what you wanted or expected or envisioned, it’s time to find the opportunity… An opportunity to build your own village. 

Building a village in today’s parenting landscape takes intentionality. I don’t know many people who have an automatic village - and if that’s you, treasure it and sow into it. 

Building your new village can look like seeking out experts - my village was a combination of my husband, friends dropping a meal in the first week, my sister via text for emotional support, a sleep coach on instagram, my midwife, and a significant dose of google sprinkled in. 

Although your immediate family may not be close by, it doesn't mean you have to face this adventure alone. Reach out to friends, neighbors, and colleagues for assistance and emotional support. People in your social circle will likely be thrilled to offer a helping hand. 

I remember as a friend without kids, not knowing how to help my mom friends and not wanting to bother them. Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. If there was ever a time, it’s now when you’re drowning in new parenthood. 

Prepare Your Home

My little one was two weeks early so my home was only about 80% ready. If I had my time back, I would have prioritized prepping freezer meals. I’d prep these when you’re about 35-36 weeks along. 

Alongside this, make sure you have all the baby essentials ready. Even if you plan to breastfeed, it’s a good idea to have at least a small pack of ready-to-feed formula on hand. Make sure you have a few packs of diapers, wipes, a few swaddle blankets, a few onesies, and a safe sleep space for your little one. Download our free baby essentials checklist here

Bestie Tip: While you’re pregnant and out grocery shopping, pick up the occasional Uber Eats gift card for yourself. Store these up for postpartum when you’ve had A DAY and need to treat yourself to an easy dinner.  

Set Realistic Expectations

The first week home with your baby, and really the whole fourth trimester can be a challenging and emotionally overwhelming time. It’s totally normal to feel overwhelmed - both with love and with the immense amount of responsibility you now have. 

Communicate openly with your partner about your feelings and needs. Remember, you're both in this together, and supporting each other will make the journey more manageable. Practically for my husband and me, that meant sharing the load of night wakes and newborn care and cuddles. We worked this out later, but I wish we started sooner: each weekend we get a couple of hours each just to ourselves to do something fun (or just to sleep if that’s what’s needed). 

Embrace the unpredictability of caring for a baby and be flexible with your plans. Honestly, don’t make any plans in the first week or two outside of when someone will drop off food. Ride the wave and lean into new parenthood. Your little one will be sleeping a lot, yes, but will likely only want to sleep on you and it will be across 24 hours not focussed on nighttime sleep. 

Develop a Routine

Sleep can make or break your postpartum experience. One of the best things you can do to help your newborn sort out days and nights is to get up at the same time every day (regardless of how the night went).  Head out of the room and have your coffee and the first feed in the morning sunshine.  

Getting up at the same time each day is the first step toward finding a daily rhythm. For the first few months though, each day will likely look different in terms of naps and feeding. Newborns have their own unique timelines and it is essential to be adaptable. 

The Newborn Sleep Guide is your comprehensive guide to sleep from 0-16 weeks and will take all the guesswork out of this big factor in new parenthood. Get your free preview here.

Prioritize Self-Care

In the midst of the newborn chaos, be sure to prioritize self-care. Taking care of yourself will enable you to be the best parent possible. 

While it’s not always possible to “sleep when the baby sleeps,” it is possible to find little moments to rest, relax, and recharge during the day. Make yourself a coffee. Get outside if the weather is nice and go for a short walk or sit in the backyard. Watch a show you love. Take the pressure off and realize your most important job is to care for your little one. 

Bestie Tip: Do 3 things every day that bring you joy. Look for moments that light you up and the little things that bring you glimmers of joy.

My top 5 today: Coffee in the morning. A drive with my little one. Seeing the sunshine peak through the clouds and stream into the living room just right. 

Baby Ready Playbook

If you’re looking for extra support in preparing for your baby, I’ve developed a step-by-step playbook to help you prepare for motherhood, real newborn life, and postpartum. Designed as a text-based course with 1-2 action items per day, it includes checklists, pdf downloads, workbooks, and so much helpful resource that I wish I had as a new mom.

The Baby Ready Playbook includes:

✨ Postpartum-focused preparation

✨ Home prep

✨ YOU prep

✨ Matrescence Prep 

✨ Marriage prep 

✨ Authentic, simplified motherhood 

Are you ready to walk confidently into your new season as a mom? Grab the Playbook Here.

✨ Designed and tested by real moms 

As you navigate this remarkable journey of welcoming a newborn into your world without immediate family nearby, remember that your resilience and resourcefulness will shine through. Stay tuned for part 2 next week. 

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