Free Birth Be resource
A gentle checklist for your first weeks at home.
A calm, practical way to think about food, rest, visitors and the people around you — without feeling as though you need to plan every tiny detail.
Take what feels helpful and leave the rest.
This isn’t a list you need to complete perfectly. Choose a few things that matter to you, add names and notes, and come back to it whenever your plans or needs change.
People and communication
- Choose who will update family and friends after the birth.
- Write down the people you can ask for practical help.
- Agree how you will handle visitors, including when you need quiet.
- Plan care for older children or pets if plans change suddenly.
- Save your maternity team, health visitor and GP contact details.
My notes
Food and everyday essentials
- Choose a few simple meals and snacks that are easy to reach and eat.
- Arrange a food shop, delivery or meal-train contact for the first week.
- Set up water, snacks and chargers near the places you expect to rest.
- Decide which household jobs can wait and which one or two matter most.
- Put everyday baby and recovery supplies somewhere easy to reach.
My notes
Rest and shared responsibilities
- Talk through how each adult will get protected time to sleep or reset.
- Agree who will handle meals, washing-up, laundry and messages.
- Choose a simple phrase you can use when you need help without explaining.
- Identify one calm place where feeding, resting or skin-to-skin can happen.
- Plan one small daily check-in: what do we each need today?
My notes
Support beyond the household
- Note which friend or relative is genuinely helpful with practical tasks.
- Ask what postnatal support your maternity team and health visitor provide.
- Record any feeding, recovery or emotional-support contacts recommended to you.
- Consider whether paid support would give you more rest or breathing space.
- Keep urgent NHS and emergency information somewhere visible.
My notes
A gentle reminder
This checklist is here to support practical planning, not replace medical advice. Your midwife, health visitor, GP, NHS 111 or emergency services are there whenever you need clinical or urgent help.
Would it help to talk your plan through?
Let’s work out what would feel most supportive.
A free call can help you make sense of the options and choose the kind of practical care that suits your family.