Step #8: Ongoing Care Coordination

Step 8: Ongoing Care Coordination

Checking in on Moms

One of the most important things a Care Coordinator does is provide regular check-ins on moms.

Check-ins are more frequent after she first screens positive, or if she is having a hard time. As she gets the right help and starts feeling better, check-ins are less frequent.

Check-Ins

When checking in on mom, ask open-ended questions to find opportunities where she can best be supported.

Some easy go-to check-in questions are:

How are you feeling today?
How is your anxiety?
How are you sleeping?
On a scale of 1 to 10 how is your mood this week?
How is the baby feeding?
How is your support system?
How are you eating?
Have you been drinking plenty of water?
Are you taking any time for yourself?
How is the medicine making you feel?
How was the visit with your in-laws?
How was the doctor appointment?

These check-in questions help Care Coordinators learn so much about mom, and serve as starting points to go deeper and support her more comprehensively. The goal is to help mom feel better as soon as possible. It is important to allow her the opportunity to share all of her thoughts and feelings. The act of having someone deeply listening helps relieve the feeling of loneliness and isolation. Below are some more common check-in examples.

Below are common check-Ins for postpartum moms and additional ways Care Coordinators can provide ongoing check-ins, resources, and support.

Inviting Moms to Support Groups As Part of On Going Support

An invitation to a support group is a great way to continue supporting and checking in with mom. Finding a group that meets her unique needs, that has space, that takes place during hours she has available, and that is easily accessible is a way to provide ongoing support to mom.

An easy way to let mom know about upcoming groups is to reach out every Monday, sharing a group or two that is coming up that you think she may be interested in joining.

Click to Learn About Other Support Groups

Providing Resources to Moms As Part of Ongoing Support

Care Coordinators can share articles, resources, podcasts, tools, websites, and groups with moms. If mom says she is feeling more anxious, find a nice meditation to share. If she say’s she has been feeling more isolated, find a nice app to share. If she says she has been feeling more anger and rage, find a podcast to share. Below are some podcasts, apps, and meditations our moms highly recommended that they have found helpful.

Recommended Podcasts

Podcasts are easy content for moms to consume. They can listen while breastfeeding. taking a walk, or driving in a car or bus. There are some popular podcasts you can share with moms that are based on common symptoms of pregnant and postpartum women experiencing a maternal mental health complication.

Recommended Meditations

Meditations are a special resource you can share with moms who are experiencing a maternal mental health complication. Anxiety is based in the future and depression in the past. Breath is a tool that can bring the mind back to the present. We have some meditations listed that moms have found helpful on this page.

Recommended Apps

There are a number of free and paid apps that women have found helpful. On this page are apps that moms have recommended for other moms that you can share. There are apps for meditation, finding new mom friends, and managing depression and anxiety during new motherhood.