World Doula Week - Doulas Make A Difference.
Welcome to my first ever blog (and slightly updated),
I have been wanting to write a blog for a long time but I’ve never taken the step to do so. Since today is the first day of #Worlddoulaweek it seems like the right time to put my foot in this pool.
Today kicks off World Doula Week. This week celebrates how doulas all over the world make a difference to parents as they navigate the challenges of pregnancy, labour, birth and postpartum whether its the first time doing so or the fifth. We doulas are literally there to nurture you, provide evidence based information for you to make decisions, offer non judgemental support and to make life easier as you navigate this time of your life.
As a postpartum doula in Brisbane, I see it as my absolute privilege that I get to work with families in one of the most the sacred times of their life, when they bring a new baby home. A postpartum doula, comes in and does all of those jobs around the home that you need help with and that don’t stop when a baby arrives. This leaves you more time to be with your baby and sleep, all without worrying about the ever growing mount washmore or dishes pile that could be building around you.
For me the best gifts we can give parents are:
Time with their babies
⭐️ Support - telling them they are doing a great job
⭐️ Sleep
⭐️ Evidence based information and not advice that is based on parenting 30 or 40 years ago
As a postpartum doula I get to do that everyday I work with families. I honestly am so lucky to do this. Depending on the family and the day they are having, I can:
⭐️ Sit and hold space with mum and dad as they share their concerns around parenting
⭐️ Listen to birth stories
⭐️ Wash dishes and put them away
⭐️ Wash clothes, hang, fold and put them away
⭐️ Watch baby while mum sleeps/showers
⭐️ Prepare meals and snacks to keep everyone feed and nourished
⭐️ Do the shopping for you or pick up a click and collect order
⭐️ Play and spend time with older siblings as they navigate the huge change that has just happened
⭐️ Hold baby while they sleep, gosh I love baby snuggles
⭐️ Provide education when asked and help find services to refer you to for help
Or do anything else that makes life easier for you!
A postpartum doula is honestly like that warm hug and reminder that you’ve got this and you are doing your best. Something that new parents, mum and dads need to be reminded of all the time and I feel very privileged to do so. We know that postpartum is a time where mothers experience a higher rate of perinatal distress, and its not surprising that a postpartum doula can help reduce postpartum mood and anxiety disorders and improve breastfeeding success. We honestly need a cheerleader and someone to support us through early breastfeeding challenges.
If you are looking for a postpartum doula and live in and around Brisbane, Ipswich or the Gold Coast reach out and let’s chat, to see how I can make a difference to your postpartum and set you and you’re family up on the path to parenthood.
If you don’t live in this area, but know someone who needs this support, a gift voucher is a great option to help them in this special time. Drop me a line and I can help you arrange that.
Happy World Doula Week
Katie xx
