Operationalizing Whole-Person Postpartum Care: Health Care Provider-Level Strategies

Abstract

Postpartum mothers report feeling unsupported and unprepared by their health care providers to meet the challenges of the postpartum period. This gap perpetuates a cycle of disappointment with and disengagement from postpartum care services. The need to revamp postpartum care has been recognized at the population level but implementing changes at the health care provider level is challenging without practical guidance. The needs of new mothers are broad in scope and variable between individuals, requiring a whole-person care approach that is comprehensive yet nimble. Presented here are provider-level strategies to promote care that both elicits and is responsive to the unique care goals of this population.