5 Things Pregnant Me Did That Postpartum Me Is Forever Grateful For

When you’re pregnant, most of the focus naturally goes toward preparing for birth. You might be thinking about your birth preferences, packing your hospital bag or wondering what labour will actually feel like. All of that matters. But there’s another transition that deserves just as much attention and it’s one many parents don’t realise until they’re in the middle of it: postpartum.

The early weeks after your baby arrives can be beautiful and deeply emotional, but they can also be exhausting and overwhelming. You’re recovering from birth, adjusting to life with a newborn, and learning how to care for this tiny human who now depends on you for everything.

As both a midwife and a mum, when I look back on my own postpartum experiences, there are a few things I did during pregnancy that made a genuine difference once my baby arrived. They weren’t complicated or time-consuming, but they helped those early weeks feel more manageable and supported.

If you’re currently expecting, consider this a gentle reminder that preparing for postpartum is one of the best gifts you can give your future self. A few thoughtful steps now can make the transition into those early newborn days feel much calmer.

Here are a few things postpartum me is very grateful pregnant me did.

1. Built a freezer stash of meals

One of the most helpful things I did during pregnancy was preparing meals ahead of time and storing them in the freezer. It sounds simple, but it made a huge difference once we were home with a newborn.

In those early weeks, your energy is focused on recovering, feeding your baby and adjusting to a new routine. Cooking often ends up being the last thing you want to think about. Even planning what to eat can feel like too much on a day when you’ve barely slept.

Having nourishing meals ready to go meant we could simply heat something up and eat without needing to plan, shop or cook. It was one small way of making life easier when everything else felt new and demanding.

If you’re currently pregnant, you might consider cooking double portions of meals and freezing half, preparing a few freezer-friendly dishes like soups or pasta sauces, or asking friends and family to contribute a meal instead of a baby gift. It doesn’t need to be elaborate. The goal is simply to make sure you’re cared for and nourished during recovery.

If this all seems to much you might want to consider adding a meal delivery service to your budget. We were gifted a box of meals from the dinner ladies as a baby shower gift for our second baby and it was great!

2. Set up a postpartum trolley

Another small but incredibly practical thing I prepared was a postpartum trolley beside my bed. It became one of the most useful setups in those early weeks.

When you have a newborn, you’ll likely spend a lot of time feeding, settling and resting with your baby. Having everything you might need within arm’s reach saves you from getting up constantly when you’re tired or recovering from birth.

A postpartum trolley can be stocked with simple essentials like nappies, wipes, burp cloths, breastfeeding supplies, a large water bottle, snacks, lip balm and a phone charger. These small comforts matter more than you might expect when you’re awake at night feeding your baby or spending long stretches in one place during contact naps.

It’s not about creating the perfect setup. It’s about making your environment work for you so that daily tasks feel just a little easier.

Having this on a mobile trolley also means you can move it around the house if necessary.

3. Set clear visitor expectations and boundaries

Visitors after your baby arrives can be a really special part of the postpartum period. Friends and family are often excited to meet your baby and support you in this new stage of life.

At the same time, postpartum is also a time when rest and recovery need to be protected. Your body is healing, your baby is adjusting to life outside the womb and your family is finding its rhythm.

Setting expectations around visitors during pregnancy can make a big difference once your baby arrives. This might mean asking people to check in before visiting, setting gentle limits on how long visits last, or making it clear that visits may need to be flexible depending on how you’re feeling.

Some families also choose to discuss vaccination expectations or illness precautions, especially during the newborn period. Others find it helpful to agree on a quiet signal between partners if a visit is starting to feel overwhelming and it’s time to wrap things up.

Boundaries around visitors aren’t about pushing people away. They’re about protecting a short and important window of time where recovery, bonding and adjustment take priority.

4. Had honest conversations with my partner

One of the most valuable things you can do during pregnancy is talk openly with your partner about what life might look like once the baby arrives.

The transition into parenthood is significant for both of you and many of the challenges couples face in those early weeks come down to mismatched expectations rather than lack of support.

Talking through practical things ahead of time can make a big difference. This might include discussing night-time support, how household responsibilities will be managed while you recover, how visitors will be handled and how you’ll both check in with each other emotionally during the transition.

These conversations don’t need to be perfect or overly structured. What matters is creating space to think about how you’ll navigate the early weeks as a team.

When both partners feel informed and involved, it can strengthen the sense that you’re moving through this experience together rather than trying to figure it all out as you go.

5. Learned about postpartum recovery and newborn care before baby arrived

One thing I see often as a midwife is that many parents spend months preparing for birth but very little time preparing for what comes afterwards.

Birth is a significant event, but postpartum is a much longer chapter. Understanding what recovery might look like and what to expect from your newborn can help you feel far more grounded once you’re home.

Learning about topics like physical recovery after birth, newborn feeding patterns, sleep expectations, emotional changes during postpartum and when to seek support can remove a lot of uncertainty.

Preparation doesn’t mean you’ll have every answer or that everything will unfold exactly as expected. Birth and postpartum both carry a level of unpredictability. But having a clear understanding of what’s normal and where to find support can make the experience feel far less overwhelming.

In many ways, preparation builds confidence. It helps you move through the early weeks with a sense of perspective rather than constantly wondering if something is wrong.

Preparing for postpartum doesn’t need to feel overwhelming

If you’re pregnant right now, it’s completely normal to feel like there are already a hundred things on your to-do list. Between appointments, work, preparing the nursery and sorting through baby products, it can quickly start to feel like a lot.

Postpartum preparation doesn’t need to add pressure to that list. In reality, a few thoughtful steps during pregnancy can make those early newborn days feel significantly easier.

Things like preparing a few meals, setting up a practical space at home, talking with your partner about expectations and learning about recovery and newborn care can create a strong foundation for the transition ahead.

These small decisions now often make the biggest difference later.

Not sure where to start with postpartum planning?

One of the most common things I hear from pregnant women is that they want to prepare for postpartum, but they simply don’t know where to begin.

There’s so much information online and a lot of it is conflicting or overwhelming. It’s easy to fall into the cycle of late-night Googling without feeling any clearer about what actually matters.

That’s exactly why I created the Postpartum Planning Guide.

It’s a simple, step-by-step workbook designed to help you prepare for postpartum in a calm and practical way. Instead of trying to piece everything together yourself, the guide walks you through the key areas that help parents feel supported once their baby arrives.

Inside, we cover:

• What to expect in those first few weeks (without the horror stories)

• Mental health signs to watch for and where to go for help

• Feeding preferences (and your backup plans)

• Preparing emotionally, mentally and practically

• Reducing the mental load of parenting

• Create a realistic plan that supports you just as much as your baby

• Partner roles, building your support network, daily tasks, village-building and more

The Postpartum Planning Guide is available to download instantly for just $9 and it’s also included as a bonus inside both of my online courses: Empowered Birth and Beyond Birth: The Postnatal Essentials. Both courses are designed to help parents feel informed, supported and confident for birth and the weeks that follow.

A final reminder

Postpartum is a profound transition. It brings joy, adjustment, learning and recovery all at once.

Preparing for it isn’t about trying to control every outcome or create the perfect plan. It’s simply about setting up a few supports so that when your baby arrives, you feel cared for and better equipped to navigate the early weeks.

Your future self will thank you for the time you took to think about it.

And if you’re currently pregnant and feeling unsure where to start, know that you’re not alone in that feeling. There are ways to prepare that are calm, realistic, and genuinely supportive.

Wishing you all the best as you move through the final months of pregnancy and prepare to meet your baby.

Tam xx 💕