5 Reasons a Postpartum Coach is Important for New Parents
By Jenny Peters, VP of Clinical Operations at FamilyWell with experience supporting families as an educator, postpartum doula, and Perinatal Behavioral Health Coach.
Do pregnant and postpartum parents really need a postpartum coach if they have the support of hospital staff or even a doula? While those birthing professionals are important for their pregnancy and birthing success, a postpartum coach brings a different set of skills to help them feel their best during pregnancy and postpartum, especially when it comes to mental health.
So if you want to support pregnant and postpartum parents with their mental health, you’ve landed in the right place!
Here are five reasons why becoming a postpartum coach certified in perinatal behavioral health is so needed right now—and how you can have an impact. Plus, I’ll share some helpful insights and stats about postpartum mental health that you may not have known about.
Postpartum Mental Health: An Overview
It’s common to hear about the physical support needed for a birthing parent—but what about the mental health support? While not discussed as much as it should be, the latter is critical. This data, shared by The Policy Center for Maternal Mental Health helps us understand why:
Up to 1 in 5 of people in the pregnancy and postpartum period will suffer from a maternal mental health disorder like postpartum depression.
More than 600,000 people will suffer from a maternal mental health disorder in the U.S. each year.
Gen Z is twice as likely as Boomers to suffer from a mental health disorder.
So many women suffer from postpartum mental health challenges because there are so many risk factors. According to the American Psychological Association, those risk factors include:
Changes in hormone levels after childbirth
Past experience with depression or anxiety
History of depression or mental illness in your family
The stress of caring for a newborn and managing the changes of your new life
Caring for a challenging baby; one who cries more than usual, is difficult to comfort, or has irregular sleep and hunger needs that are hard to predict
Parenting a baby with special needs, such as premature birth or with medical complications
First-time motherhood
Very young motherhood or older motherhood
Other emotional stressors, such as the death of a loved one or family problems
Issues with finances or employment
Feeling isolated and/or lacking social support
How to Support Parents as a Postpartum Coach
Despite the need for mental health support, less than 15 percent of pregnant and postpartum women get it. Having the support of a postpartum coach can make all the difference in managing the emotional needs and stressors that are common during this major life transition, from overwhelm and sadness to questions about how to get more sleep.
This support should begin during pregnancy and last well beyond birth. The postpartum period is a higher risk period than pregnancy for suicide with the greatest risk occurring between 6-weeks and 1-year after birth.
What’s more, suicide and overdose related to maternal mental health conditions are the number one cause of pregnancy-related deaths, according to the Policy Center for Maternal Mental Heath (PCMMH). PCMMH also shares that 80 percent of pregnancy-related deaths are determined to be preventable.
As a postpartum coach certified in perinatal behavioral health, you can offer the validation, practical coping tools, mental health education, and evidence-based wellness strategies needed to navigate the unique demands and mental health risks of early parenthood.
Let’s break down exactly how you can support new parents as a postpartum coach.
1. Emotional Support
The postpartum period can be an emotional rollercoaster. Women’s brains literally change after having a baby. Pair this with major lifestyle changes, learning an entirely new set of skills, and many more changes—and both new parents (both the birthing and non-birthing parent) often experience a wide range of emotions, from sheer joy and excitement to potentially severe anxiety and depression.
The presence of a postpartum coach can provide much-needed emotional support in a few important ways.
Validation and Compassion
Postpartum coaches are trained to understand the emotional and psychological changes that new parents go through. As a certified coach, you can offer a compassionate ear and a non-judgmental space for parents to express their feelings and share their struggles. This can be reassuring and relieving, especially when parents feel isolated or overwhelmed by their new responsibilities.
Identifying Mental Health Conditions
One of the critical roles of a postpartum coach is to identify potential mental health conditions such as postpartum depression, anxiety, or PTSD. Coaches do not diagnose but can screen parents for mental health conditions, and escalate care to a therapist if needed. Early detection is crucial for effective treatment and recovery.
As a postpartum coach, you can educate about perinatal mental health, provide support resources, and recommend treatment options. Coaches also offer grounding techniques, coping strategies, and action planning to provide quick relief and help parents manage these conditions.
Building Confidence
New parents often doubt their abilities and worry about making mistakes. A postpartum coach can help build their confidence by providing reassurance and practical advice. Knowing that they have a knowledgeable and supportive person by their side can make a significant difference in a parent's confidence and overall well-being.
2. Processing Birth Trauma
Birth trauma is defined by the Maternal Mental Health Alliance as: “... the birthing person’s experiences of interactions and/or events directly related to childbirth that cause overwhelming and distressing emotions, leading to short- and/or long-term negative impacts on the birthing person’s health, wellbeing, and relationships.”
What’s more, birth trauma is incredibly common: 1 in 3 birthing people report feeling traumatized by their childbirth experience. If someone experiences birth trauma, a postpartum coach can be an important person to help them understand and process that trauma.
While you can’t act as a therapist or psychologist (unless you come from this background), you can help them understand what they experienced and allow them to talk through it. This can help the parents feel less alone in their experience while also learning some practical tools for working through the subsequent feelings and emotions.
3. Physical Recovery and Self-Care
The postpartum period is not just about caring for the baby; it's also a critical time for the mother's physical recovery and self-care for both parents and any other caretakers. A postpartum coach can provide guidance and support to ensure that families and their support system have the tools and information they need to recover and implement self-care practices tailored to the challenges of this major life transition.
Encouraging Self-Care
New parents often neglect their own needs while caring for their baby. A big part of your job is to emphasize the importance of self-care and offer practical suggestions (that actually work for overwhelmed new parents!) for incorporating it into their daily routine. This might include scheduling regular breaks, practicing relaxation techniques, asking for help, and finding time for activities that bring joy and relaxation.
Sleep Hygiene
Most parents are told, Enjoy your sleep while you’re getting it! While it’s true that sleep can be hard to come by with a newborn, it’s also true that there’s a connection between lack of sleep and postpartum depression, along with other postpartum mental health struggles.
When working with new parents, you can share ideas and strategies for prioritizing sleep throughout the day if they’re not getting a lot of sleep at night (which is common!) Check out our free Sleep Strategies resource to learn more about this—and help educate your clients.
4. Building a Support System
Lack of postpartum social support is associated with a higher risk of postpartum mental health outcomes and disrupted mother-baby bonding. While it doesn’t necessarily “take a village,” all new parents do need some support to get through this new season of life without unnecessary adverse effects.
You can help parents build and strengthen this support network before the baby even comes using a few simple strategies—and hold them accountable for doing them.
Involving Family and Friends
A postpartum coach can guide parents on how to involve family and friends in caring for the baby if they want to make that connection. You might offer tips on delegating tasks, setting boundaries, and ensuring that the support provided is helpful rather than overwhelming. This can help new parents feel more connected and less isolated. Our Postpartum Prep Guide is a great resource for the new parents you’re working with.
Connecting with Other New Parents
Building connections with other new parents can provide a sense of community and shared understanding. As such, you might recommend local parenting groups, online forums, and social events where new parents can meet and share their experiences. These relationships can offer emotional support and practical advice to parents going through similar experiences.
Professional Resources
An important part of your job as a postpartum coach is to provide referrals to other professionals who can support the new parents you work with, such as lactation consultants, pediatricians, and mental health counselors. Access to a network of trusted professionals can be incredibly reassuring for new parents.
5. Personalized Care and Flexibility
Every family is unique, and their needs during the postpartum period can vary greatly. One of the significant benefits of being a postpartum coach is that you can provide personalized care and flexibility.
Tailored Support
You will need to tailor your support to meet the specific needs and preferences of the family. Whether parents need help with establishing a feeding routine, managing sibling dynamics, or coping with unexpected challenges, a great postpartum coach provides customized advice and support.
Flexible Scheduling
New parents often need convenient support. This can include in-home visits, virtual consultations, and phone support. The flexibility ensures that parents can access your support when they need it most.
Continuity of Care
A postpartum coach provides continuity of care during a time when parents are interacting with many different healthcare providers. This consistent support can help bridge any gaps in care and ensure that parents feel supported throughout the postpartum period.
Become a Postpartum Coach With FamilyWell
The postpartum period is a transformative time for new parents, filled with both joys and challenges. As a postpartum coach, you turn your passion for supporting new parents into a career that you love—while also changing lives.
By addressing the emotional, physical, and practical needs of new parents, you help families navigate the complexities of parenthood with fewer mental health challenges and greater confidence. The benefits of this cannot be understated.
If you’re ready to start your postpartum coaching education, learn more about how to become a coach certified in perinatal behavioral health!
