A postpartum support plan is a practical list of the people, tasks and services that can help after your baby arrives. It gives you somewhere to put arrangements that might otherwise stay as vague offers or assumptions.
Keep it simple enough to use on a tired day. You can write it in a shared note, print one page or talk it through with a trusted person who can help organise the details.
Begin with everyday needs
Think about what still needs to happen while you are recovering and caring for your baby: meals, groceries, laundry, pets, school routines and essential bills. Write a name beside each task and a backup where possible.
For example: “Sam orders groceries on Sunday; Priya is the backup if needed.” This gives someone responsibility for noticing and arranging the task, rather than waiting for instructions every time.
Discuss support for nights and rest
Talk with your partner or support person about what each of you can realistically do. Plans will depend on feeding, work and your family's circumstances. Useful tasks may include changing, bringing supplies, preparing food or taking responsibility for the morning household routine.
Ask your maternity team about recovery and safe sleep arrangements suited to your situation. Revisit the plan after your baby arrives, because a plan made during pregnancy may need to change.
Make a short contact list
Include your GP, maternity service and child and family health service. Ask before discharge whom to contact for concerns about you or your baby, including outside ordinary hours. Save those instructions somewhere another adult can find them too.
You can also note where to seek feeding support and emotional wellbeing support. NSW Government's new-parent resources are a useful starting point for finding services. Ask your care team which ones fit your needs.
Decide how visits will work
Write down what would make a visit welcome. You might prefer short visits arranged by message, food dropped at the door or practical help while you stay with your baby.
Choose someone who can communicate those preferences if you do not want to manage messages. You can change the arrangements as you learn what feels helpful.
Plan connection beyond the first week
Offers of help often focus on the baby's arrival. Ask whether someone could check in regularly over the following weeks too. A scheduled call or a familiar visitor can be easier than repeatedly asking from the beginning.
Look at local opportunities while you have time to browse. You can explore Mothers’ Group locations and upcoming trials before birth, then decide when you feel ready to attend after your baby arrives. Check eligibility and booking details directly.
Review the plan together
After the first days at home, ask: What is working? What is still falling to one person? Who else could help? You can update the arrangements without treating the original plan as a promise to cope in a particular way.
Support can include family, friends, professionals and community. Start with the people and services you can reach, and ask your care team for help where there are gaps.
Find your local Mothers’ Group and upcoming trial information