Yahoo Lifestyle Husband’s postpartum checklist goes viral—but why isn’t this the norm?
When TikTok creator @sabriena_abrre shared a video detailing how her husband took care of her postpartum, it quickly racked up 577,000 views and an avalanche of comments praising him for stepping up.
In the video, she says, “I feel like my husband can teach a master class on how to take care of your wife postpartum.” And based on the checklist she shared, she’s not wrong.
He did it all: washing pump parts, handling breastmilk storage, cooking every meal, keeping up with laundry, taking care of their other kids, making sure she stayed hydrated, handling overnight changes, and more.
“We’ve been through it three times together, and everything on this list made me feel so loved,” she said. “I was able to stay in bed 10 days after birth and only got up to use the bathroom.”
The comment section was full of admiration—but it also served as a hard reality check.
“I already told my partner that this is the expectation. I will not be a married single mom.” — @nyni (4,135 likes)
“He quite literally fills your cup!” — @D (997 likes)
“This is the opposite of bare minimum. Bless this man.” — @Raeg (1,570 likes)
This viral moment tapped into a broader conversation about postpartum care and the expectations we place on new moms versus their partners.
Why is this exceptional? It should be standard.
In an ideal world, postpartum support like this wouldn’t be groundbreaking—it would be the norm. But as @sabriena_abrre pointed out, that’s just not the case.
“I know a lot of you are going to say, ‘that’s bare minimum,’ but listen—we both came from families where our dads didn’t change one diaper, our grandfathers didn’t change one diaper. It was all the mother. Showing up shouldn’t be discounted. This is a partnership.”
Her husband’s actions—doing laundry, prepping meals, taking on solo parenting so she could rest—weren’t extra credit. They were essential. And they made a real difference in her recovery.
Research shows that partner support during the postpartum period directly impacts maternal mental health. When partners share the load, new moms experience lower rates of postpartum depression, improved physical healing, and a stronger sense of emotional well-being. It’s not just about fairness—it’s about health and survival.
Related: What partners can do: 5 ways to support mom + baby in the 4th trimester
The mental load still falls on moms—can that change?
Even when partners want to help, many women still carry the heavier burden of the mental load—the endless to-do list that exists in our heads, from remembering when the baby last ate to making sure there are clean onesies in the drawer.
I know firsthand how rare and valuable it is to have a partner who truly shares that load. I’m very lucky because my husband is truly an equal parent, if not picking up more slack when he can. I deeply resonated a lot with this list and realize what a privilege it is to have a partner who not only does these things but wants to. With an almost one-year-old, we are still so very much in the thick of figuring things out, and communication about sharing the mental load is key.
More partners stepping up isn’t just about physical tasks—it’s about shifting ingrained cultural norms. And while videos like this one highlight a shift in the right direction, the real question is: Are these expectations changing fast enough?
Related: The invisible labor that’s breaking moms: How unequal mental load impacts mental health
What needs to happen next?
Postpartum care is a community effort. Paid family leave, accessible postpartum resources, and normalizing hands-on partner involvement all play a role in making sure moms aren’t left to fend for themselves after birth.
It starts with conversations like this. Setting expectations before the baby arrives, acknowledging that recovery is just as important as birth, and demanding a cultural shift where moms aren’t just expected to “handle it.”
No mom should have to fight for the care she deserves—especially in her most vulnerable moments.
