Out of the Oven

Postpartum Doula Care

As a culture we are so devoted to the wellbeing of babies and that focus can be detrimental to families. My allegiance is to all of you. My job is to empower you, nourish you …

Babies bring incredible joy. The euphoria of childbirth is real. So is the time bending exhaustion that comes with caring for a helpless newborn. It’s easy for parents to neglect themselves and each other in this perfect storm of emotional and physical upheaval. As a culture we are so devoted to the wellbeing of babies and that focus can be detrimental to families. My allegiance is to all of you. My job as your postpartum doula is to empower you, to nourish you from the inside and out, to help you navigate the spiritual adjustment of parenthood while attending to your physical healing. I want you, collectively, to resurface from the immediate postpartum haze energized and confident.

My Philosophy

There’s a lot going on in a postpartum body. But without knowing what goes on, it is hard to heal effectively. Making a family is a spiritual and emotional leap.

When so much attention is paid to the health of babies, birthing people are often left in the dark about their own bodies. During pregnancy your organs move to accommodate the growing fetus. Your pelvic floor opens, your bones realign, your uterus enlarges from 2 oz to 2 pounds. Your breasts change. Your body grows an entirely new organ which detaches during birth and leaves you with an internal wound the size of a dinner plate. After birth your hormone levels shift from a pregnant state to a non-pregnant state.

According to Chinese medicine, the future health of a birthing body is dictated by how she/they/he recovers after pregnancy and birth. There’s a lot going on in the postpartum body but without knowing what goes on, it is hard to heal effectively. Making a family is a spiritual and emotional leap. The first year isn’t easy and I believe that the way families heal and transition after having a baby is an investment in their future health, both physically and spiritually.

I come without judgment. I share my expertise, I provide evidence-based information so you can make informed decisions. I cook for you, I listen to your birth story, I minister to your body’s tears, scars and wounds, I bring you a loaf of freshly baked bread, I do some laundry, I tidy up while you rest and acclimate. Every mother and father needs a mother. Every family needs the village.

Can your mother be your village? Maybe. But just in case she isn’t the right person for the job, or she isn’t here, I am.

The Relationship and Equity

The addition of children can alter what was once a very egalitarian relationship. Sometimes subtle resentments are ignited. These feelings can be confusing. Hormonal changes occur at birth which manifest as “maternal instincts”. Some partners feel useless in the presence of a lactating superhero who seems self-directed by maternal hormones. I can help everyone understand and appreciate their importance while sharing evidence-based methods for adjusting hormone discrepancies in non-lactating partners and formula feeding parents. As a certificated breastfeeding consultant I also provide hands on and evidence based support to parents breast or chest feeding.