What Is A Postpartum Navigator?
A community-based approach to maternal health.
Postpartum Navigators help parents create a postpartum plan and navigate their postpartum time.
They offer emotional and informational support, acting as a hub, connecting parents to the resources they need.
Postpartum Navigator work in their own communities and recognize that maternal health is multifaceted and supported by health, social, and cultural solutions.
They help parents develop a postpartum plan which is an outline of how a family will have rest, support, and care after their baby arrives. This planning process helps parents create the conditions that support recovery and bonding, improving breast/chest feeding rates and improving mental health.
Postpartum Navigators Value:
Culturally competent care, culturally congruent care, and person-centered care.
Social connections and support.
Continuity of care and the client-navigator relationship.
Community for parents and among perinatal health professionals.
Postpartum Navigators Offer
Postpartum planning and support.
Assistance in accessing local and online resources.
In-person and virtual events, classes, and gatherings that build the local community.
Navigating postpartum in the pandemic and other crises.
On going support through the first three months postpartum.
At the final visit with the OB or midwife, six weeks after birth, many postpartum challenges haven’t been resolved, or have yet to begin. The Navigator role is a ground-up solution.
Interested in becoming a Postpartum Navigator?
The Postpartum Navigator Role
The postpartum Navigator role is flexible and designed to be adapted to our own strengths, skillsets, family responsibilities, and communities. The care offered can be a stand-alone service or added to other work done to support families.
There are significant gaps in maternal healthcare systems throughout the world and Postpartum Navigators are a community-level approach to addressing those important issues. As Navigators, we focus on adapting to the local context and improving outcomes in the short term while supporting bigger changes throughout the system.
The most significant gaps that the Navigators can fill:
The lack of, or minimal focus on, postpartum planning in prenatal care.
The period after the 6-week appointment with the OB or midwife. Many of the challenges of postpartum time have not been resolved or may not have started.
The postpartum Navigator does not replace any other maternal health role but rather acts as the hub that connects parents with the resources in the community. This care is relationship and community-based.
Navigators understand and offer support with:
Anatomy of a postpartum plan.
Importance of the postpartum time.
The common challenges parents face.
The resources and ideas to meet these challenges.
The importance of supporting in ways that build instinct and confidence.
Buy The Workbook Today!
Grab a copy of The Workbook and learn more about becoming a Certified Build Your Nest Postpartum Navigator!