Parents are often advised to put plans in place to address what they will need to feel safe and supported during childbirth. Just as essential is having a postpartum plan that promotes self care, support and emotional wellness after a baby arrives. Having a written plan in place where goals and preferences for life with a baby in the weeks and months after a baby is brought home can promote wellness, empowerment and resilience.
A postpartum plan is an opportunity to promote communication and intentionality around specific needs of a mother and her support person during the transition of life with a baby after the first few weeks and months after birth. A postpartum plan can help put in place out a parent's requests, preferences, wishes and boundaries and chart out a practical plan for self care and support, and plans for basic wellness tenants, like family care, nutrition/meals, sleep, relationship expectations, visitors, and taking care of home responsibilities while in the midst of the transition of life with baby.
Having a plan where mothers can check in with themselves and their support system regarding what they are feeling and how they are adjusting is key. Postpartum depression is the number one complication in childbirth. Up to one in five women will experience a postpartum mood and anxiety disorder. Postpartum mood and anxiety disorders are treatable. A postpartum plan can include action steps to take and resources regarding where to find additional support when needed.
Reproductive Psychiatry and Counseling will be offering a Life with Baby group class. This class will be an opportunity for a mother and her support person to intentionally set aside time, in a safe space and with other women and their support to help prepare and create a postpartum plan for the first few weeks and months postpartum. These classes will be taught by a licensed mental health professional and will follow the Life with Baby Workbook by Amy Tucker Postpartum Doula and Erin Fassnacht LCSW. Classes will be virtual and open to anyone in Texas. The group class will be facilitated by Dyann Avila LCSW-S. Dyann is a licensed clinical social worker with over 25 years of experience as a therapist and over 16 years of experience in perinatal mental health. Dyann has served in the Austin area as a mental health provider where she has provided individual, couples and group counseling as well as led the maternal menta l health team at the agency in which she served. Dyann’s own experience in motherhood has promoted her interest in perinatal mental health as well.
To sign up for the class please sign up via this link: Life with Baby Group Class