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Take care of yourself. Take breaks, accept help from others, nurture yourself. We tend to forget ourselves and become very absorbed in the baby. It is important that mom is well cared for too. This makes caring for the baby easier.

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Make a plan. Make sure you ask yourself some important questions before your child’s birth in order to make the birthing process as stress-free as possible. Ask yourself questions such as:

 

> How much time will you have off?
> Who will be available to help you?
> What you need help with?
> What can you delegate?
> What can wait?

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Be realistic. Avoid major life changes. It's too much to ask to find a new job, move across the country and find a house within a month before the baby is born. Try your best to finish all major life changes before becoming pregnant. If that isn't possible, do them as early in pregnancy as possible.

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Develop a support system. One thing I always tell new moms is to have a list of things that need to be done. When someone calls and offers support, read from the list. Not only does it help, especially if you have problems requesting help, but it keeps you a bit more organized. Most people genuinely want to help you.

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Make a list. Something every postpartum mother should have is a list of things that need to be done. Well meaning friends will call and ask "Is there anything I can do?" Your answer should be, "YES!" Get your list and give them a few options. Here is a sample list:

Add anything that you can think that will help to your list. You may add different things or remove them as your strength and confidence increases.

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Seek support. Getting support from a professional before the end of your pregnancy is not a bad idea either. They can help you work through any issues you have, even if they are not birth related. This can also be someone to call on after the birth, someone you have a previous relationship with. Not to mention, this person will be able to help you map out your plans for postpartum emotionally. There are also support groups available. Getting together with new mothers you know and sharing your feelings with them may help you deal better with your own problems.

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Be active. Getting out of the house with or without your baby, will help chase way the baby blues and will help you lose some of the postpartum fat you may have put on, which may be adding to your depression.

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Medications. Medications for depression are a hot topic for pregnant women. There have been some recent studies relating preterm labor and other problems with some of the anti-depressants taken during pregnancy. So make sure that you discuss this with your practitioner before attempting it.

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Prepare your household for postpartum. There are numerous things that people recommend. I think that the most obvious is to have a well stocked house. Buy lots of toilet paper and splurge on the soft kind. Get maxi pads, tooth paste, canned goods, etc. If you have the inclination and the freezer space, try making double all of your recipes when you cook dinner, and save half for later.