Series: Mothers Day isn’t enough (Whole-person care)
Supporting every part of mom’s health | 3 min read
‘What does whole-person care mean?’
A friend asked me this recently and it reminded me how far our country still has to go.
Today, maternity care in the U.S. is almost entirely around baby. When I was pregnant, I had 17 OB visits and dozens of calls with nurses. Every visit focused on checking for baby’s kicks and my vitals.
After birth, I had a 6 week postpartum visit.
That was it.
Yes, our physical health matters. But what about how we’re REALLY doing? Running on 2 hours of sleep a night, googling everything, and wondering if we’ll ever feel like ourselves again.
That’s what whole-person care is.
It means supporting every part of mom’s health–physical, mental, and emotional.
I’ve always cared about my health and wellness. So maintaining that, from pregnancy to life with a new baby, was a top priority. Here’s what I wanted that transition to look like:
- A healthy pregnancy (and feeling healthy)
- Time to bond with my baby
- Space to care for myself and feel like myself again
I couldn't believe the work it took to piece together a support system–through therapy, peer support, community, and a lot of education. Even figuring out how to keep up with exercise and a healthy diet was work.
That’s asking too much of a new mom. During an already vulnerable period, when her free time basically disappears.
Our system isn’t designed to support moms. It’s designed to monitor pregnancies.
Pregnancy is one of the few times women are consistently getting care. And we're wasting one of the biggest chances to help women build lifelong healthy habits.
Here’s the whole person care I believe every mom deserves:
🌟 Postpartum planning: Real, proactive prep before birth.
🌟 Mental and emotional support: Not just screening, but actual follow-up.
🌟 Empowered parenting: Guidance that builds confidence, not guilt.
🌟 Ongoing recovery support: Beyond that single 6-week visit.
📣 Read more about my vision here
When moms are supported through one of life’s biggest transitions, everything else improves too.
