The Whole-Person Care Experience New Moms Don’t Get
Let’s build a care system that truly cares for new moms | 5 min read
Introduction.
Becoming a mom should feel empowering–not exhausting.
From the moment you learn you’re pregnant to your baby’s first birthday, this journey should be filled with support, not stress.
So, why isn’t it?
Why I care.
Before I became a mom, I thought I understood healthcare. I spent over a decade designing solutions to improve patient care and driving systemic changes. As a nine-time marathon runner, I invested in my own well-being.
Then I got pregnant.
In one year, I had 17 doctor’s appointments, dozens of calls with nurses, and more ‘surprise’ medical bills than I could count. For all that interaction, I was stunned by what was missing: real support for moms.
And when I talked to other moms, I realized I was one of the lucky ones.
It opened my eyes to how much our system is failing moms–and it stuck with me.
Whole-Person Care: A missing piece in maternity care.
Maternity care today is almost entirely about the baby. Babies are important, but moms deserve to be at the center of this experience too.
Whole-person care means addressing every part of mom’s health–physical, emotional, and mental.
Yes, physical recovery matters. But so does emotional support for the guilt and the identity shift. For balancing work, relationships, and a newborn. It all needs attention.
A single six-week postpartum checkup is not enough. Moms deserve care that makes her feel whole again.
How I built my own support system.
I had a vision for motherhood: a healthy pregnancy, strong bond with my baby, and space to care for myself.
But the reality hit much harder.
Sleep and exercise–two things that always grounded me–took a major hit. I struggled to keep up with work and parenting. I felt burnt out and overwhelmed.
The only way to be fully present for my family and myself was to step away from my career. So I did.
It allowed me to reflect and rebuild. I built a care system that made me feel like myself again:
A life coach who helped me make sense of my new role as mom.
Therapy to manage my anxiety and strengthen my relationship with my partner.
A support group to connect with other moms who ‘got it’.
My SNOO and sleep tips to help my baby sleep—so I could too and feel myself again.
Resources like Good Inside, ParentData, Motherly, books, and podcasts to cut through the noise and make decisions that were best for me.
Communities like Moms First, Chamber of Mothers, and facebook groups to remind me I wasn’t alone.
And so much more.
They turned my struggle into clarity: we need a radical shift in how we care for new moms.
The system is failing new moms.
Every mom’s experience is different. We each have our own challenges, needs, and access to resources. But one thing is abundantly clear: the system isn’t setting moms up for success.
I had privilege. I had a supportive husband, health insurance, childcare, and the financial stability to take a career break. I understood insurance jargon (wait, what’s the difference between coinsurance and deductible, again?).
And still, I struggled.
I spent hours researching support that was right for me. I paid thousands to connect with them. And I can’t stop thinking: How much harder is this for moms with fewer resources and less time?
For the mom with no paid leave, and no family nearby to help.
For the mom caring for a NICU baby while burning through her PTO and sick days.
For the Spanish-speaking mom trying to understand her pre-eclampsia diagnosis and a dietary plan that won’t fit her lifestyle.
For the mom on Medicaid waiting for months to see a therapist for postpartum depression.
We’re asking moms to do the impossible, and it’s not okay.
Redefining maternity care.
After two pregnancies, I’ve talked to hundreds of moms–through my own circle, and as a coordinator for Postpartum Support International.
There’s no one-size fits all model for maternity care, but here’s my vision for whole-person care:
Physical recovery: Real postpartum care, not just a six-week check-in.
Postpartum planning: A proactive plan before birth that prepares for the realities of postpartum life–covering mental health, support networks, and rights and benefits.
Mental and emotional well-being: Prenatal and postpartum guidance to manage stress, navigate medical decisions, build healthy habits, and resilience for the long-term.
Empowered parenting: The confidence and tools to care for a newborn.
This isn’t a ‘nice to have.’ It’s the foundation for healthier families, starting with moms.
What needs to change.
Redefining maternity care isn’t just a ‘mom’ problem. It’s an everyone problem:
Moms: Speak out. Demand better from your employer, health provider, and policymakers. Free tools like Paidleave.Ai and Parentaly can help maximize your benefits. Join movements like Moms First and Chamber of Mothers to push for lasting change.
Partners & loved ones: Ask how mom is really doing. If she’s not acting herself, encourage her to seek help. Postpartum Support International’s free helpline (1-800-944-4773) is a great place to start.
Employers & health systems: Improve maternity care and parental leave support by partnering with tech-enabled, holistic, and compassionate resources like Delfina, Pomelo Care, Maven Clinic, Included Health, and Cityblock Health.
Payers: Fund solutions that prioritize both physical and mental health–community health workers, doulas, midwives, nutritionists, therapists, and feeding specialists.
Policymakers: Make paid leave, affordable childcare, and maternal mental health support the norm, not a privilege.We need proactive solutions that advocate for moms and their whole health.
Let’s build a system that actually cares.
The status quo isn’t working for new moms.
We need proactive solutions that advocate for moms and their whole health.
We need systems that reduce unnecessary pain and suffering for moms during this vulnerable transition, so they can focus on what actually matters–bonding with their babies and caring for themselves.
Let’s build a care system that truly cares for new moms.
