What You Can Expect: Postpartum and Newborn Care with a Midwife

Most moms think a lot about the care they want during pregnancy and on the day their baby is born; as you make your birth plan, don't forget to consider what you want after you give birth.

Often, when moms-to-be envision home birth, they think most about laboring in the comfort of their own space, giving birth with a team they know and trust, and the many benefits of being able to get into their own bed once their baby is born. While privacy and comfort during labor and birth are important, so too is the care that comes afterwards.

When a mother gives birth at a hospital, she typically stays for 24-48 hours. Once she leaves, she will be tasked with taking her baby to the pediatrician numerous times over their first weeks of life.

While there's value in having a care provider weigh and assess a newborn regularly, constant trips away from home (and out of bed) can make recovery difficult and make getting breastfeeding off to a good start much more challenging. And, while babies are typically scheduled for lots of check-ups early on, mothers usually don’t receive any further care until they return, at six-weeks postpartum, for a single visit focused on their wellbeing. 

When you choose a home birth, you’ll also be choosing in-home postpartum and newborn care. This means that your midwife will return, to assess and offer in-home care to both you and your newborn, many times during your first weeks postpartum. A typical postpartum schedule includes in-home visits 24-36 hours after birth, 3 days after birth, 7 days after birth, and 2-3 weeks after birth, with a final visit taking place back in the office around 6 weeks.

Postpartum visits, like visits during pregnancy, usually last around an hour. Each visit includes a full assessment of both mother and baby, along with all sorts of individualized support and time to ask questions about anything that’s come up since the last visit. All newborn screening, like the critical congenital heart defect (CCHD) screening, the newborn metabolic screening, and a hearing screening are conducted with your baby in your arms, and usually while you’re still resting in bed.  

Lactation support is also an integral part of normal postpartum care with a midwife. You’ll get latch support, assistance with learning different nursing positions and techniques, regular monitoring to ensure your baby is getting enough to grow and thrive, and lots of tips and tricks to help ease the challenges and discomforts that are common in the first few weeks of breastfeeding. And, because you’ll be getting support in your own home, you won’t have to get dressed, leave the house, or struggle to latch your newborn in the waiting room of an unfamiliar doctor’s office to get the care you and your baby need.

In the weeks after birth you’ll be recovering, moving through major hormonal shifts, and managing all the logistical and emotional challenges that come with welcoming a new baby. Much of your postpartum care will be focused on making sure you have the support you deserve as you navigate this distinct life stage. In addition to ensuring that you’re physically well, we’ll also be checking in on how you’re feeling emotionally, answering your questions about what’s normal and what’s not, and providing guidance on postpartum self-care to help you to recover well, feel good, and ease into your new-normal with confidence.

When you have a newborn, it can be easy to let the big changes and challenges you may be facing take a backseat to the practical needs of a new baby. All mothers deserve care and support after having a baby though, and with in-home care, you can both get what you need.

To learn more about what postpartum care for home birth families includes, or to inquire about in-home postpartum care options for mothers planning a hospital birth, reach out to schedule a consultation today.