How to Handle Postpartum Visitors and Setting Clear Boundaries with Ruth Gordon-Martin

Do you struggle with how to handle postpartum visitors and setting boundaries? Setting boundaries isn’t the easiest thing to do for some either. Personally, I was never good at this. After stumbling upon an article written by our guest, I instantly knew more folks needed to think about this ahead of time! We’ll touch upon when to have visitors meet your newborn, vaccinations, how to communicate to folks that you are or aren’t ready for guests, is the new parent the host (NO!), and even ways to politely ask folks to leave after overstaying their welcome.

To dive deep into this conversation on Yoga| Birth| Babies, we have Ruth Gordon-Martin. She’s the founder of CODDLE, an online community that supports and empowers new and expectant parents.

Ruth reminds us not only to prepare for postpartum, but having this conversation with your team ahead of time is a part of the preparation too! I’ve heard many stories from our PYC community of those who didn’t set clear boundaries and were put in awkward positions to navigate. Ruth has a lot of wisdom to offer as a parent and postpartum doula who’s helped to facilitate necessary boundaries for families. If you’re a new or expectant parent, I trust you’ll receive so much from this week’s episode. I’m excited to share this episode with you.

In this episode you will learn:

• About Ruth and what led them into birth and postpartum work.

• Ruth’s postpartum experiences.

• Postpartum visitors and setting clear boundaries.

• When to start visiting a new baby.

• If it’s best to wait until baby has had their first round of vaccinations.

• Polite ways to communicate you’re not ready for visitors right after the baby is born.

• Ways to navigate baby meeting people for the first time.

• Set rules people may want to consider when coming into the home with a new baby. 

• Family or friends that have other kids they want to bring along- is that a yay or nay when visiting a newborn.

• Easy ways to put visitors to work instead of making the new parent wait on them.

• Ways to politely ask those who overstay their welcome to leave.

• Playing the “bad cop” as a postpartum doula to help visitors be better visitors and friends.

• Final tip or piece of advice Ruth would like to offer new and expectant parents.

About Ruth:

Ruth Gordon-Martin is the founder of CODDLE, an online community that supports and empowers new and expectant parents. One of Ruth’s goals on Coddle is for every new parent to be prepared for one of the most life altering experiences – becoming a parent. Ruth is also a wife and mom to two adorable kids! 

Connect with Ruth:

Instagram: @coddledotco

Wesbite: https://www.coddle.co

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To connect with Deb and the PYC Community: 

Instagram & Facebook: @prenatalyogacenter

Youtube: Prenatal Yoga Center