Book excerpt: The Build Your Nest workbook offers expectant parents a postpartum planning process for having rest, support, and care after their babies are born. It gives plenty of guide posts, and yet supports people in finding their own way. They come through the process with a personalized plan, specific to their parenting style, family structure, and community. The workbook* honors this time with a new born as precious and sacred* addresses your needs for nourishment, rest, baby bonding, and community* supports you in personal reflection* affirms your inner wisdom and parenting styles* helps you uncover resources you may not realized were there* invites dialogue between you and your partner, supporting alignmentThe Workbook draws on traditional postpartum practices that honor new mothers with care with a focus on recovery and long term health. Specifically, I look to Chinese Medicine and traditional Asian practices that are about rest and warmth. The workbook guides you in setting up contingency plans for unexpected birth outcomes and challenges specific to the postpartum time. It offers information on cesarean recovery, mental health challenges, breastfeeding and bottle feeding. It also has a multiples section for parents expecting twins or triplets. It explains placenta encapsulation, belly wrapping, and other DIY recovery tools. It also explores other aspects of your life that are affected like your finances and your family relationships. I take a holistic approach that is both gentle and informative, empowering you to pick and choose what is right for you and your family.The workbook can help you plan for slowing down and savoring your newborn, feeling rested and taken care of, and knowing that you have a community there to help you when you need it.The workbook includes:* holistic tips for healing* practical solutions to common challenges-journal exercises* planning calendars and worksheets* a pregnancy-to-do list-getting to know your local resources* complete template for your postpartum planEven if you have the most attentive work-at-home partner or your mother is coming for 2 weeks or you've hired a postpartum doula, The Workbook will be enormously helpful. You will see how their support fits into your larger plan and ease the transition when you no longer have their support. Creating a broader base of support will help you feel more connected to your community.You may have older children and you have been through all this before. While in some ways experienced mothers can welcome a new baby with more confidence and ease, it is important to remember that each birth and each baby is a whole new experience. Usually families with older children receive less support even though their parenting load is growing. Careful planning and calling in support is beneficial to the whole family, helping older siblings adjust to life with a newborn.Mothers benefit from being well taken care of. Babies benefit from having mothers that are well taken care of. Siblings, husbands, partners benefit from having mothers that are well taken care of. There is always more love to go around, when there is less stress. This is something that we can plan for!