Who's In Your Village? A simple postpartum support map
Motherhood was never meant to be done alone.
Pregnancy, birth and the transition into parenthood bring enormous physical, emotional and practical changes. At a time when so much of the focus is placed on caring for a baby, it can be easy to forget that the mother needs care too. A village gives you people to lean on; for the practical things, the emotional things, the hard days, and sometimes simply for a cup of coffee and a reminder that you're not alone.
What matters is having people you can ask for help, talk to, learn from and rely on. And your village can change. Sometimes you need someone to bring dinner. Sometimes you need someone to listen. Sometimes you need professional support. Sometimes you just need an hour to yourself.
You don't have to do everything yourself. Knowing who is in your village, and what you can ask of them, is one small way of caring for yourself too.
Who's in your village?
We've created a simple Who's in Your Village? printable to help you think about the people around you and the different ways they can support you.
It takes just a few minutes to complete and is something you can do on your own or together with your partner.
Your village doesn't have to be big.
You just need to know who you can turn to.
Maternal Village SA resources are for general educational purposes only and do not replace personalised healthcare, professional advice, assessment or treatment. Every person and family is different. Please seek individual support from an appropriately qualified professional when needed.