Why I Am A Postpartum Doula.
Indie Doula was inspired by the birth of my sweet niece, Indie. Her little life + the help + support I was able to offer her parents after her birth, as well as the extreme lack of care given to most postpartum people in the U.S. is what encouraged me to advocate for mamas any way that I can.
I’ve been a Postpartum Doula in training since 2011, after the birth of my first daughter. It’s always been a passion of mine to shower new mamas with food, herbs, + love, + I’m usually always whipping up some type of potion in my home to help nurture + heal. But having one, then two, + now three babies has taught me something very unfortunate about our culture in general + that is we do not value the postpartum period.
Your mamas have had babies.
Your grandmas, aunts, + cousins have had babies.
Your friends + coworkers have had babies.
Your neighbors + strangers have had babies.
And yet, there is this extreme lack of care that happens immediately after birth. Hopefully a mama-to-be is surrounded by countless resources + support for almost ten months of pregnancy, but once the umbilical cord is cut, the attention shifts almost completely to baby + she can easily feel dropped.
Even though people all around you have given birth, sometimes even multiple times, it’s easy to forget how hard those first days, weeks, + months were. You might have flashbacks to the lack of sleep, late-night arguments, aching body parts, + sheer panic that overtook you, but once you are out of that fleeting phase, it’s really difficult to go back to that time with clear eyes. It’s even tougher to put that into action + anticipate what others might need when they are postpartum.
That’s where a Postpartum Doula can lighten the load.
As a mother of three, I have had three profoundly different postpartum experiences, but especially my first birth was traumatic + my healing was slow. Breastfeeding was more painful than I had anticipated + I struggled with how to function as a partner, daughter, + friend as a new mama. My identity was rocked + my body was battered. It was all new to me, so I figured that’s just how motherhood starts, but I was wrong. It doesn’t have to start out that way.
Indie Doula was inspired by the birth of my sweet niece, Indie. Her little life + the help + support I was able to offer her parents after her birth was what inspired me to to take the leap + officially be available to more parents.
Here’s a little note I wrote about my little inspiration last year:
My name is not Indie, but someone very dear to me was given that name nearly 5 months ago + although I have yet to meet her, she holds a precious spot in my heart.
☀
Someday I will hold you in my arms, baby girl, + tell you tales of how your daddy + I used to tramp around the wild outdoors for hours on end. I will go into detail about how we used to have sleepovers in his bedroom + build GI Joe obstacles from the top bunk. I'll tell you about the time when your daddy got his front tooth knocked out + our shared obsession with all the stuffed animals (i.e. the panda bear he still has in those hot pink bike shorts).
☀
Someday I will share with you the passion + depth of love that developed during some of those freshly postpartum calls with your mama + daddy. How your little life inspired me to take that next step. Someday my kids will smother you with love + you will all get into some deep mischief together. Someday I'll get to love on you in that special way that only an auntie can. That day cannot come soon enough. I love you, dear one!
Indie Doula was created out of my deep passion for the sacred postpartum period + a belief that your experience can be different. There’s no way around the emotional, physical, mental, + spiritual changes that take place when a child is added to your family, AND when these changes happen you can all thrive simultaneously.
I believe that a vibrant postpartum is possible. As you are learning how to mother (or mother again), I believe the postpartum period is a time to also be mothered. To be nourished + nurtured. To be held + heard. To be celebrated + seen. Postpartum is rich + sacred + I invite you to plan + prepare for it as much (or even more!) than you planned for pregnancy + birth. Hiring a Postpartum Doula is just one of the ways to help make a vibrant postpartum reality!
