First week home with a newborn: a checklist for dads and partners
A practical postpartum checklist for dads and partners: share the daily work, make room for rest, listen without judgment, and help your partner reach care.
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Register for help, not just onesies
Your people want to help. Give them a list.
One link. Dinners, night shifts, errands and visits that your people sign up for with just their name. No app, no account for them.
Free for every family. Takes two minutes. Private until you share it.
The Rivera family12 of 18 taken
Dinner · TuesdayJess
Night shift · Friday, 9 pm to 1 amMom
Groceries · this week
Short visit · Saturday, 20 min
An example. Tap "I'll take this" to see what your people would see.
I'm here as
Free to usePrivate profilesNo diagnosis, no judgment
Real life, not a highlight reel.Come as you are, on the good days and the heavy ones.
Where to start
Three good first steps
How it works
Three steps, then dinner shows up.
- Tap what would help. Dinners, night shifts, errands, a sitter. We fill in the usual; you change anything.
- Send one link. The group chat, the grandparents, the shower invitation, a card on the table.
- They claim, you rest. A first name is all it takes. No account, no app. You see who's coming and when.
From the community
Conversations happening now
Real members, real questions. Peer support is not medical advice, and it still helps.
Events
Get out of the house. No pressure.
Coffee meetups, stroller walks, virtual support groups and nights for dads and partners. Plans that understand naps happen.
Our mission
Mothers deserve more attention after birth, not less.
Postpartum+ grew out of a family learning the care system in real time, at the moment they had the least capacity to. We are building the calm, honest guide we wish had existed, for moms, dads and partners, solo parents and everyone who loves them.
Education, not diagnosisWe explain options and help you prepare questions. Clinicians make clinical decisions.
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No pay-to-rankSponsored listings are labeled. Money never decides what care we show you first.
Community
Honest conversations, no judgment
Ask the 3 a.m. question. Share the win. Find people in the same stage. Peer support is not medical advice, and it still makes a difference.
Find Care
Find postpartum care near you
Search real provider directories for therapists, psychiatry, treatment programs, lactation support, pelvic floor therapy, doulas and childcare. We explain the options; you and your providers decide.
Understanding care
What outpatient, IOP, PHP, residential and inpatient actually mean
Levels of care describe how much structure and support a program provides. They are not a grade of how "bad" things are, and people do not always move through them in order. A clinical team recommends the right level; this page helps you understand the words.
Compare care
Compare options side by side
Keep the details that change family life in one private place: level of care, schedule, insurance, family involvement and childcare.
Family Assistance Fund
Help should not stop at "your insurance denied it."
The Family Assistance Fund is being built to help families overcome practical barriers to care: treatment costs, childcare, transportation and other verified needs, through a transparent application and review process.
Guides
Plain-language guides and trusted help
Short, honest guides for every part of postpartum, plus the organizations we trust. Written by the Postpartum+ team, checked against public guidance from organizations such as ACOG, AAP, NIMH and PSI, and never a substitute for your own care team.
If you're in crisis right now
Call or text 988 any time. In immediate danger, call 911. You deserve help now, not after you finish reading.
Start here
Make the next week easier
A first-week checklist for dads and partners, a support plan for your household, and starting points for Pennsylvania families.
Postpartum support plan checklist: who helps, when, and how
Create a flexible postpartum support plan for meals, rest, appointments, visitors, and backup help, with a checklist you can use before or after birth.
Read the guideFinding postpartum support in Pennsylvania: where to start
Find Pennsylvania postpartum resources, emotional support, practical help, and questions to ask when contacting a provider or your insurance plan.
Read the guideGuides
Every part of postpartum
Postpartum lasts longer than six weeks. These guides cover the parts people rarely warn you about.
Warning signs after birth: when to call, and when to go now
Most recovery is slow and normal. A few symptoms are not. The body warning signs everyone in the house should know for the first year, and exactly what to say when you call.
Read the guideMental health after birth: what is common, what needs help
Baby blues, postpartum depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD and psychosis, in plain language.
Read the guidePhysical recovery: the parts nobody warns you about
Bleeding, pain, pelvic floor, C-section healing and the six-week myth.
Read the guideSleep: yours and the baby's
Why your sleep matters medically, what safe infant sleep looks like, and realistic ways to get more rest.
Read the guideFeeding without the guilt
Breast, bottle, pumping, combo feeding and getting help when it hurts.
Read the guideIdentity, relationships and the version of you that is emerging
Grieving the old life, friendships that shift, and finding your footing as a parent and a person.
Read the guideBring you with you: becoming a mom without losing yourself
Motherhood changes you. It doesn't have to erase you. Small, realistic ways to keep your own thread through the first year, and how the people around you can help.
Read the guideGrieving your past self: for moms, dads and partners
Becoming a parent is a beginning and an ending at once. Missing who you were is common for moms, dads and partners, and it can sit right beside loving your baby.
Read the guideIntroducing your pets to your baby
Dogs and cats notice everything about a new baby. How to prepare them before the birth, the first meeting, and keeping everyone safe and calm in the months after.
Read the guideReturning to work
Leave, childcare, pumping at work, and the grief and relief of going back.
Read the guideBaby blues or postpartum depression? How to tell the difference
Most new parents cry more than they expected in the first two weeks. How to tell the baby blues from postpartum depression, and what to do if you are not sure.
Read the guidePostpartum anxiety: what it feels like and what helps
Constant worry, a racing mind at 3 a.m., checking the baby's breathing again and again. Postpartum anxiety is common, often missed, and very treatable.
Read the guideScary thoughts after having a baby: intrusive thoughts explained
Sudden images of dropping the baby, or of something terrible happening. Unwanted thoughts like these are very common after birth. What they mean, what they do not mean, and when to get help.
Read the guidePostpartum rage: why it happens and what helps
Sudden fury over a dropped bottle or a partner breathing too loudly. Postpartum rage is more common than people admit, and it usually means you need more support, not more willpower.
Read the guidePostpartum recovery timeline: from the first days to the first year
What recovery after birth usually looks like, from the first days to the first year, the checkups to ask for, and the warning signs that need a call right away.
Read the guideC-section recovery at home: what helps in the first six weeks
A caesarean is a birth and major surgery at the same time. What recovery at home usually looks like, what helps, what the people around you can take on, and when to call.
Read the guidePumping at work: your rights, a schedule, and what helps
What U.S. law says about pumping breaks and space at work, how to plan a pumping schedule, what to pack, and how to talk to your manager before you go back.
Read the guidePostpartum hair loss: when it starts, when it stops
Why hair falls out a few months after birth, how long postpartum shedding lasts, what helps, and the signs that mean it's worth seeing a doctor.
Read the guideCan't sleep even when the baby sleeps: postpartum insomnia
Lying awake when you finally have the chance to sleep is common after birth, and it's more than tiredness. What causes it, what helps, and when it's a sign of anxiety or something urgent.
Read the guidePostpartum psychosis: the signs, and what to do right away
Postpartum psychosis is rare, serious and treatable. The early signs, who is at higher risk, what to do in the moment, and what recovery looks like.
Read the guideSex after having a baby: what's normal and what helps
When sex after birth is usually OK, why it can hurt or feel different, birth control you'll need sooner than you think, and how couples find their way back to each other.
Read the guideInsurance, money and leave: the postpartum help that exists
Care costs money and leave runs out. A plain-language map of the coverage, leave and practical help many families don't know about, and the questions that unlock it.
Read the guideAfter a hard or frightening birth
When a birth was frightening, painful or nothing like the plan, it can stay with you long after. What's common, what helps, and when it may be birth trauma, for the parent who gave birth and the dad or partner who was there.
Read the guidePostpartum night sweats: why they happen and how long they last
Waking up soaked in the first weeks after birth is common and usually harmless. Why it happens, what helps, how long it lasts, and the signs that mean a call to your provider.
Read the guideDiastasis recti: the gap after pregnancy, and what helps
What abdominal separation after pregnancy is, how common it is, how to tell if you have it, what helps it heal, and when a bulge needs a doctor.
Read the guideGuides
For every kind of family
Moms and solo parents, NICU stays and loss, adoption, surrogacy and LGBTQ+ families, and big brothers and sisters.
Postpartum support plan checklist: who helps, when, and how
Create a flexible postpartum support plan for meals, rest, appointments, visitors, and backup help, with a checklist you can use before or after birth.
Read the guideFinding postpartum support in Pennsylvania: where to start
Find Pennsylvania postpartum resources, emotional support, practical help, and questions to ask when contacting a provider or your insurance plan.
Read the guideFor moms and birthing parents
You can love your baby and still have a hard time. Here is what Postpartum+ can do for you, in the order that usually helps.
Read the guideHow to prepare for postpartum: a checklist for the whole family
Most baby prep is about the baby. This checklist is about the weeks after birth: nights, meals, visitors, recovery, mental health, and who will do what.
Read the guideWhat a postpartum doula does, and how to find one
Postpartum doulas help families in the weeks after birth with feeding, recovery, newborn care, sleep and the house. What they do, what they do not do, and the questions to ask.
Read the guideFor single moms and solo parents
You should not need a partner to have a support system. Practical ways to build one.
Read the guideWhen your baby is in the NICU
Going home without your baby, pumping beside an incubator, learning a language of monitors and numbers. How to get through a NICU stay, look after the parent who just gave birth, and let your people help.
Read the guideAfter a pregnancy or infant loss
When a baby dies, before or after birth, the body still goes through postpartum and the whole family grieves. What to expect, what can help, and how the people around you can show up.
Read the guideAdoption, surrogacy and LGBTQ+ families: a postpartum that fits yours
Not every family begins with one mom giving birth and one dad helping. What the first months can look like for adoptive parents, intended parents, two-mom and two-dad families and non-birthing parents, and where to find support that fits.
Read the guideHelping an older child adjust to the new baby
A new baby changes everything for a big brother or sister too. What's normal, what helps, and how grandparents and friends can make the older child feel seen.
Read the guideTwins, triplets and more: postpartum times two
Twice the feeds, half the sleep, and often an early birth. Practical ways through the first months with multiples, and how the people around you can help.
Read the guideDads, partners and support people
Night support, taking over the practical load, spotting overwhelm, supporting treatment and looking after yourself.
Guides
For family & friends
Grandparents, siblings, friends and chosen family: how to help without adding to the load.
How to actually help a new family
Grandparents, siblings, friends and neighbors want to help. Here is what helps, what quietly makes things harder, and how to offer.
Read the guideGifts for new parents that actually help
The best postpartum gifts are time, food, sleep and help with the house. Ideas for every budget, what to skip, and how to give help instead of stuff.
Read the guideWhat to write in a card for new parents
Short, warm messages for a new-baby card, from grandparents, friends and coworkers, including what to write after a hard birth or a NICU stay, and what to leave out.
Read the guideHow to set up a meal train for new parents
A step-by-step way to organize meals for a new family: how long to run it, what to bring, drop-off rules, and the other help worth asking for besides dinner.
Read the guideWhat to say, and what not to say, to a new parent
Words land hard on no sleep. Small scripts that make new parents feel seen instead of judged.
Read the guideVisiting a newborn without adding to the load
Timing, health, gifts, photos and the rules of the house. A short etiquette guide for grandparents, friends and relatives.
Read the guideA grandparent's guide to the first month
How grandparents can help after a baby arrives: what's changed since you raised your own, what parents need most in the first month, and how to help without taking over.
Read the guideWhen you're worried about a new parent
What family and friends can notice, how to bring it up without shaming, and what to do if it cannot wait.
Read the guidePlan at home
Nights, meals, visitors, warning signs and the numbers to have ready, decided as a family before everyone is exhausted.
Write with us
Have something other families should read?
Parents, dads and partners, grandparents, doulas and clinicians can ask to write a guide. We edit it with you and check anything medical against public guidance before it goes up.
Trusted organizations
Help we trust and link to often
National hotlines, directories and organizations. Postpartum+ is not affiliated with them and does not receive payment for listing them.
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
Call or text 988, 24/7, for any emotional crisis. You do not have to be suicidal to reach out.
Visit ↗National Maternal Mental Health Hotline
1-833-852-6262. Free, confidential, 24/7 support before, during and after pregnancy.
Visit ↗Postpartum Support International
Education, a helpline, provider directory and free online support groups.
Visit ↗SAMHSA FindTreatment.gov
Government directory of mental-health and substance-use treatment programs.
Visit ↗NIMH: Perinatal Depression
Plain-language overview of symptoms, causes and treatments from the National Institute of Mental Health.
Visit ↗ACOG: Postpartum Care
Physical recovery guidance from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
Visit ↗La Leche League
Breastfeeding support, meetings and information.
Visit ↗Safe to Sleep (NIH)
Evidence-based guidance on safe infant sleep.
Visit ↗Postpartum Dads / PSI
Resources and support groups specifically for dads and partners.
Visit ↗Crisis Text Line
Text HOME to 741741 to reach a trained crisis counselor.
Visit ↗CDC Hear Her: urgent warning signs
The symptoms during and after pregnancy that need care right away, and how to tell a clinician about them.
Visit ↗National Domestic Violence Hotline
Call 1-800-799-7233 or text START to 88788, 24/7, free and confidential, for anyone who feels unsafe, afraid or controlled at home.
Visit ↗March of Dimes
Information and support for families of babies born early or cared for in a NICU.
Visit ↗Hand to Hold
Peer support from parents who have been there, for NICU families and families after a loss.
Visit ↗Star Legacy Foundation
Support and education for families after stillbirth and pregnancy or infant loss.
Visit ↗WIC
Healthy food, formula, breastfeeding support and nutrition help for pregnant and postpartum parents and children under 5.
Visit ↗211
Call 211 or visit 211.org for local help with food, housing, utilities, childcare and more.
Visit ↗There is more than weekly therapy
IOP, day programs (PHP), inpatient and perinatal units: what each is, hours, whether the baby can come, how you get in, and what insurance must cover.
Find care near you
Therapists, psychiatry, programs, lactation, pelvic floor, doulas and childcare from public directories.
Guides are written by the Postpartum+ team for education and are checked against public guidance from organizations such as ACOG, AAP, NIMH and PSI. They are not medical advice and never replace your own care team.
For moms & birthing parents
You can love your baby and still find this hard.
Your body is healing, your sleep is gone and your mood has a mind of its own. Here is what's common, what helps, and when to call someone, in plain words. Other moms who get it, and a plan so the people around you actually help.
For dads & partners
Supporting someone you love can be hard too.
You can care deeply about your partner and still feel lost, scared or exhausted. These guides are practical, specific and written for you. Nothing here requires you to become the clinician.
For family & friends
You want to help. Here's how to actually help.
Grandparents, siblings, friends, neighbors and chosen family make an enormous difference after a birth, when the help is the right kind. These guides are short, specific and honest about what makes things harder.
Village · Plan at home
Decide who does what at home, before everyone is exhausted.
Ten minutes, together: nights, food, visitors, the warning signs you'll all watch for, and the numbers to have ready. It saves as you type. Print it, or share it by link.
Village
Let your people help.
One place for the help around you: the dinners, nights and errands people sign up for with just a name, who's bringing what and when, and the plan at home for nights, visitors and the numbers to have ready.
The Village Score
How strong is your village?
Eight honest questions about the weeks after the baby, sixty seconds, a score out of eight, and the gaps to close this week. Take it before the birth if you can.
Free for every family
Postpartum+ is free. All of it.
There is no paid membership. Every tool that keeps a family organized comes with a free account, for you and everyone helping you.
About Postpartum+
No parent should navigate postpartum alone.
Postpartum+ was created from a simple belief: no parent should have to navigate the postpartum period feeling alone, overwhelmed, or unsure of where to turn.
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Trust has to be designed into the product.
Postpartum+ touches mental health and family life. These are the commitments we build against.
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How we write our guides.
Who writes the Postpartum+ guides, what they are checked against, how AI is used, and how to tell us when something is wrong.
For organizations
Be useful to families, not intrusive.
Treatment programs, therapists, doulas and local family businesses can ask about clearly labeled listings, events and sponsorships. Payment never changes organic search results.
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How to tell us something on Postpartum+ infringes your copyright, and how to respond if your post was removed.
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Plain-language terms for using Postpartum+. Please read them; they explain what Postpartum+ is and is not.
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What Postpartum+ collects, who can see it, and the choices you have. Written to be read, not skimmed.
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The health information Postpartum+ collects, why, who it is shared with, and how to see it, delete it or withdraw your consent.
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How we keep the Postpartum+ community kind, honest and safe for people at a vulnerable time.
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Tell us what you wish Postpartum+ had, what's missing, or what didn't work. A person reads every note, and it decides what we build next.
Write for Postpartum+
Help write the guide you wish you'd had
Parents, dads and partners, grandparents, doulas and clinicians can ask to write for Postpartum+. We edit every piece with its author and check anything medical against public guidance before it goes up.
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