Holistic Postpartum Care Options that Can Benefit Moms Everywhere

Sometimes it seems like we have tons of resources for expecting mothers. Classes, advice offered at baby showers, tips from your OBGYN, parenting books… But postpartum care can often fall to the wayside. The real truth is, there are tons of holistic postpartum care options, it’s just hard to go researching them after baby arrives and your priorities are…shuffled… to say the least. If you are an expecting mother, know an expecting mother, or one day hope to become an expecting mother, we went ahead and did the work for you by compiling information on 3 holistic care options that can benefit moms everywhere. In this blog we’ll talk about pelvic floor specialists, postpartum doulas, and postpartum food services. We’ll be covering everything from what each of these services entails, how much you can expect to pay for them, free resources available to you, our personal recommendations, and more. 

Pelvic Floor Specialist

This is a term you may have heard before. But what is it, really? In short, a pelvic floor specialist will evaluate your posture, back, and hips after giving birth, and will then offer solutions of specialized physical therapy to address any issues. But, is it necessary? 

From “Parents”, In France, pelvic PT is the standard postpartum care, and ob-gyns prescribe postpartum women 10-20 sessions of pelvic physical rehab. Bonus: It's covered as part of the country’s government health care plan. While it's still considered a new practice in the U.S.—one that may only be covered on an out-of-network basis—American experts believe pelvic PT can benefit all new moms.

Additionally, Pelvic-perineal dysfunctions are the most common diseases in women after pregnancy. This can include urinary incontinence, muscle injury, and pelvic organ prolapse. Even if you don’t experience these things immediately postpartum, some can still emerge years later. A pelvic floor specialist will work with you to ensure this doesn’t happen! Phew. 

There are likely amazing Pelvic Floor Specialists in your area, but if you want to get a bit more curious, here are a few you can follow on Instagram for education and support! 

@carlywallacepelvichealthphysio

@thepelvichealthladies

@nosuchthingas_tmi

@the.belly.whisperer

Postpartum Doula

Another term you might be familiar with: doula. But, if doulas are primarily involved in the labor + birth process, what does a postpartum doula do? So glad you asked.. Simply put, a postpartum doula gives you physical and emotional support after the birth of your baby. The International Childbirth Education Association describes this role as “mothering the mother.” Whether you’re having your first baby or your fifth baby, the need for care and emotional support still remains after giving birth. 

Many postpartum doulas have completed accredited training and certification programs before practicing. So rest assured the methods used have been vetted and peer reviewed. Doulas also often are required to continue education and training to ensure that their skills and knowledge reflect the most up to date studies, as well as stay to ensure they stay sharp.  Areas of support can include (but are most certainly not limited to), 

• Light housekeeping
• Providing meals
• Mental health support
• Education on all things newborn/postpartum
• Lactation support/coaching
• Assigning mandatory self-care… since it’s so easy to overlook
• Helping any siblings adjust
• Referring to additional support it needed

How much does a postpartum doula cost, and where can I find one?

The best way to find a postpartum doula is to ask around your immediate circle first. A friend of a friend might have a postpartum doula to recommend, or your doctor may have a few recommendations as well! You can also try the following website to find postpartum doulas in your area,

• ICEA – The International Childbirth Education Association
• Doula Training and Doula Certification – DONA International
• CAPPA

As far as cost, it really depends where you live. Generally speaking, anywhere from $25 and $50 dollars an hour is about average. 

Here are a few amazing postpartum doulas offering virtual support as well as education that you can follow on Instagram!

@coddledotco

@cocoonbynaomi

@theprimadoula

@boldlymama

Postpartum Food Service

A service that is pretty self explanatory: a food service that delivers meals to your home after you have a baby. The last thing you want to worry about with a new baby is what’s for dinner, especially when you’ve got other kiddos in the family to ensure are getting fed, too. While food delivery services can notoriously be spendy, even just signing up for a few months postpartum can most definitely be worth every penny. (We know this isn’t financially available to everyone so we’ll include budget friendly options as well!)

Our Budget Friendly Pick: Meal Train

Price: Free

While this isn’t technically a food service, it is an easy way to have meals brought to you after giving birth. Organizing a meal train is as easy as signing up for a free account, choose what dates you would like to have meals delivered, and passing along to your friends and family to sign up. If you can ask a spouse, friend, or family member (or doula!) to take charge of this prior to giving birth, you can enjoy the support of your community as well as delivered meals. Win win. 

Our Pick for Mom: Daily Harvest

Price: $7 to $8 a meal

We love Daily Harvest because they make it super easy for any new mom to get a wide range of plant based vitamins and nutrients! You can choose from smoothies, harvest bowls, soups, flatbreads, and more – all delivered straight to your door. We also love that their selection of products includes breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. The less meals you have to think about as a new mom, the better! And the good news about Daily Harvest? It’s actually delicious. So you may even find yourself craving rather than forgetting to eat. Best of all, it comes in as the most affordable option, at just $7 to $8 a meal. However, since everything comes in single servings, it may be difficult to organize and feed a family exclusively using Daily Harvest. But just for mom? It’s perfect.

Our Pick to Feed a Family: Gobble

Price: $11.99 - $14.99 per serving

Gobble allows you to quickly and easily choose how many nights a week you’d like to eat Gobble meals, as well as how many servings you’ll need. (you can choose between dinner for 2, or dinner for 4) What we like about Gobble is that they do all the prep work for you. No chopping, measuring, or cleaning up a sink full of dishes. There will be some light cooking involved, but everything is designed to easily come together in 15 minutes or less. You also have the option to choose from their diverse weekly menu! Gluten free, dairy free, low carb, and vegetarian options are all available. We also love that they have total flexibility with their memberships, so if you just want to sign up for those first few months postpartum, that’s a-ok. No long-term commitment. You can skip or cancel at any time. 

Additional Postpartum Nutrition IG Accounts to Follow: 

@thegreentablemom

@postpartumnutritionist

@rootandbranchnutrition

@wellxwmn 

And of course, we here at Ade + Ayo are here to bring warmth, vibrance, and joy of African culture to your home through beautiful and practical pieces you and your baby will love. Do you have a Pelvic Floor Specialist, Postpartum Doula, or Meal Service you love? Let us know in the comments! We’d love to expand our network of postpartum care recommendations.