It has been a busy summer for me. My second daughter is closing in on the three month mark and our family is just starting to feel like we’ve got some bit of rhythm (not really).
Since I’ve been in the thick of the postpartum period, I’ve been thinking a lot about what has made things easier for us. I want to share what I feel like has been our single best postpartum preparation step. If you’re new here you can read my four part series on postpartum preparation here. If you’ve been around you’ll know that I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to make the postpartum transition easier. I even did some stuff to prepare.
I stocked up on postpartum supplies.
I talked with my partner and my parents about my hopes for the immediate postpartum period.
I worked on personally adjusting my expectations to be in line with a newborn’s needs.
But, really when it comes down to it, there’s one postpartum preparation step that was more valuable than all. It is the gift that has kept giving all summer. It has made so many days more manageable. It has saved me from total meltdowns time and time again. And, it is stupidly simple.
Typical postpartum dinner…#exhaustion.
THE single best postpartum preparation step I took was ……
I collected a stash of freezer meals!!!
I know, it’s like the lamest secret I could ever share. But, I didn’t do this with my first. I was pretty clueless as to what I would need after the baby came. I was also clueless as to how challenging it can be to get through one quick meal prep session with a newborn. Babies are crazy unpredictable, so even that Rachel Ray 30 minute meal can be impossible. But, sticking a frozen lasagna in the oven at 4 and taking it out at 5 – not so hard.
Prepping meals with my older kiddo.
So, if you are expecting a baby soon, I can give you one piece of solid postpartum advice – make sure you’ve got a deep stash of freezer meals.
How do you make this happen?
- Cook stuff ahead of time. Take a weekend or two and make a few of your favorite stews, casseroles, and freezer friendly meals and stock up. Try: lasagna, veggie burgers, burritos/enchiladas, chile or soup.
- Make double batches of some of what you’re eating in the months leading up to the baby’s due date.
- Let friends and family know that food is what you need. People want to give and do things for you. Let them, but also steer them in the right direction. My mom brought up about 6 bags of frozen food when she came to help. We still have a couple in the freezer.
- Buy frozen dinners that you like.
- Stock your freezer and pantry with items to pull together simple meals. We bought a bunch of bread and rolls before the baby was born. So we always had that on hand for the first few weeks to make a quick sandwich or veggie burger. We usually have lot’s of eggs on hand (they keep for longer than you think). We also keep tons of pasta in the house.
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