Postpartum care, particularly in the newborn stage, is incredibly individualistic. Luckily, the UAE has a number of groups and organisations to help new mothers through the sleep-deprived stage and beyond.

“Postpartum support can be very practical," says doula and birth and breastfeeding support specialist Lala Langtry White. “It can be physical: supporting recovery from the birth; helping women access pelvic health physiotherapy; or other appropriate clinical care.

"It can be feeding support, whether someone is breastfeeding, pumping, combination feeding or formula feeding. It can be newborn education and reassurance, gently growing parental confidence without doing it for them.”

But emotional support is equally important, White adds, which includes “having somebody who asks how you are, and has the time and confidence to hear the answer”.

Sleep advice and support

With no concept of time and unable to soothe themselves, newborns sleep as and when they need to with no thought of schedule or routine.

“The first weeks aren’t about teaching anything,” says Anna Baker, founder of Sleep Baker, a sleep consultancy that works with babies and children up to the age of eight. “A newborn can’t self-settle, can’t tell night from day, and has no body clock at all until around three months. The first phase is feeding, warmth, contact and getting everyone through. What you can do is lay foundations.”

This includes ensuring there is light in the morning, and dark at night, full feeds rather than constant snacking, and getting newborns used to their own space for some sleeps, “even if half the naps still happen on someone’s chest”, says Baker.

“By six months, you’ve got a different child. They’ve got a body clock, they can connect sleep cycles, they can learn. That’s when teaching becomes possible, and it’s usually when families come to us,” she says.

An array of local experts and services are available to answer questions and provide practical and hands-on advice for parents throughout different stages.

Nurture2Sleep is a sleep- coaching service led by nurse, midwife and health visitor Julie Mallon, who works to “create nurturing bedtime rituals that foster emotional security and long-term well-being”,

Lullabies, a service established by registered nurse and paediatric sleep consultant Lisa Adair, helps parents and guardians with all aspects of sleeping, from naps to night-weaning. Adair offers one-to-one sessions as well as group courses.

Nourishment for new mothers

Cooking and designated meal times might be put on hold temporarily, but new mothers need get the right amount and right type of calories. This is a vital part of aiding birth recovery and breast feeding.

Meal services designed for postpartum mums can take the stress out of not only cooking, but also grocery shopping.

Yummy Mummy delivers “thoughtfully crafted meals designed to nourish and support well-being and ease the mental load”. Meal plans start from Dh2,850 a month for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding mothers, with dishes including a berry and almond power oats pot, harissa chicken and veggie traybake, and spinach and herb salmon Florentine, along with snacks such as tomato broth and caramel and pecan pie.

Basiligo offers a postpartum menu that is “low in sodium to reduce swelling and inflammation, and includes healthy fats to boost energy and stabilise hormones”. From Dh1,049 for a five-day plan, options include courgette and eggless bell pepper muffins for breakfast, cumin, lime, black bean and quinoa salad for dinner, and cookies made with cinnamon, nuts and seeds as a snack.

Other postpartum meal-plan delivery services include Nutri, which has a nutrition consultation with any full-meal package, and Right Bite, whose Made for Mums meal plan allows you to choose your preferred calorie intake around which a plan is then designed.

Maternal mental health

Specialised postpartum support focuses on maternal mental health at all stages of motherhood. Speaking to a psychologist who specialises in pre and post-natal issues ensures new mums receive care tailored to the hormonal, physical and emotional shifts that are unique to the post-birth period.

“Psychological support can involve helping parents identify practical adjustments that make room for their own care, while remaining attentive to their emotional well-being and any symptoms that need assessment or treatment,” says Rita Figueiredo, psychologist and managing director of Peninsula Psychology, which offers individual and couples therapy during the postpartum period.

“A central concern is whether they are doing enough, doing it well enough and making the right decisions for their baby. Feeding, sleep and development can become sources of doubt, particularly when mothers receive conflicting advice,” adds Figueiredo.

Thrive Wellbeing Centre in Dubai offers a dedicated maternal mental health unit and maternal well-being checks, while Maudsley Health in Abu Dhabi offers counselling and treatment for postpartum depression.

At Sage Clinic, adult and perinatal specialist psychologist Yasmeen Ibrahim works with “individuals and couples navigating infertility, pregnancy loss, postpartum difficulties and identity transitions in parenthood”.

“Mothers need spaces where they can speak honestly about the whole experience, alongside reliable help with everyday responsibilities,” says Figueiredo.

Building your village

“When I announced I was pregnant, about 25 ladies reached out and I created a little group on Instagram,” says Coral Stevens, a Dubai-based teacher-turned-content creator and new mum. “This group has been the best support network ever. I do recommend trying to join groups or finding other ladies pregnant around the same time so you can connect, ask for advice and so on. Join mum groups, go to midwife breakfasts and connect as these relationships will be so important pre and post-partum.”

Building a community is what inspired Juliane Landelle to found Mama Tribe UAE and the OM Journey. “When I started Mama Tribe, I was a new mum myself and had just moved to the UAE,” says the mother of three. Mama Tribe is a community supporting pregnant women and mothers with children up to six years of age. It aims to be a space to make friends and find local support.

“I quickly realised that there were many resources available for babies and children, but fewer spaces dedicated to the woman going through the enormous transition of becoming a mother,” says Landelle. That’s where the idea to build her own community came from, which developed into the OM Journey, which provides “awareness and support around the journey into motherhood”.

Currently preparing to open a postpartum sanctuary in Abu Dhabi, Landelle says that each group supports women at different stages of motherhood. Postpartum groups in the UAE include options that offer community and conversation online and others where members meet in person.

“Virtual village” Mama Hub is an excellent resource allowing parents to find groups by emirate, area and the type of class or activity they would like to join.

Elsewhere, The Mum Club hosts events for members including breakfast clubs, walking clubs and fitness sessions such as padel and reformer pilates.

Dubai Mums Meet connects its members through events that include restaurant and nursery play dates, mum’s fitness and wellness sessions, and bumps and babies mornings.

“I think having a village around you is incredibly important after you have a baby, but when you live abroad, that village can look very different,” says Maz Hakim, Virgin Radio Dubai presenter, host of the podcast Help! I’m Having a Baby! and expectant first-time mother.

If family do not live nearby, that village can become friends and even professionals on hand to help. “My advice would be to build your village before you need it. Talk to your partner, speak to your family, research the professional support available and know who you can call,” says Hakim.

“You might not end up needing every service you’ve looked into, but knowing that the support is there can make those first weeks feel much less overwhelming.”