Pregnancy, Birth and Postpartum is a period of time unlike any other. When it comes to becoming a mother, there is no back; there is only through. The impact of this journey will ripple out through the rest of your life, so I invite you into my wholehearted approach as a lifelong gift to yourself. You deserve to be held on this journey Mumma.
The Wholehearted Approach
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Gather
To gather means to come together. It also means to collect gradually.
This is the perfect definition of the journey we will embark on during your pregnancy.
Together, we will slowly start to weave the threads of your dream pregnancy, birth and postpartum experience, embracing your inner wisdom and holding you as you transcend this sacred rite of passage.
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Surrend
We have done the gathering. Now is the time to surrender.
The final days of pregnancy are upon you , it is the days of the in-between. Neither here nor there, in this world or that world. Your old self and your new self - balanced on the edge of pregnancy. I see you in all your vulnerability and openness.
Together with your partner, we will hold your hands and your heart so you can let go and surrender to your birth unfolding on its own.
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Nurture
Birth is just the beginning. When a baby is born, so too are you as a mother and you will need just as much care and nurturing as your baby.
To nurture means to care for and protect. It also means to help develop. As you move through these early days, I will hold you, while you hold your baby.
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Tend
Tending to the placenta is one of the most intentional acts in honouring your journey of bringing your baby earth side. Giving reverence to the powerful symbol of birth, spirituality, motherhood, fertility and life.
I will tenderly apply my specialised skills in encapsulating your placenta, offering you nourishment in your early postpartum and ultimately optimising your journey.
A doula is not an advice giver. I am a guide. I help you find within yourself the answers that make the most sense to you.
How we will spend our time during your pregnancy…
We will take the time to understand what is important to you. We will dive into the visions you hold for your own journey through pregnancy and into the birth realm, through the other side into postpartum. We will cleanse out the noise of anyone else’s stories to make sure we are only reading from your book.
Gathering your values
There is a lot of decision making that takes place during pregnancy and uncovering your values will bring so much clarity to help guide and navigate anything that comes up. We do this your way.
Gathering your knowledge
You are already holding all the wisdom you need to birth your baby, we will take the time to uncover it. Together we will explore the physiology of birth. By questioning everything we know, we can start to uncover your birth imprint, shaping the story of the knowledge you already hold.
We will gather the evidence to fill in any gaps, unpack interventions/policies/protocols, and explore the many different pathways that any birthing journey can take. Our goal in this gathering is to leave you feeling prepared and holding the true power of your own decision making.
Gathering your thoughts
Pregnancy is a time for deep self-enquiry. There are so many layers to peel back, and together we will carve out the space to explore the topics that your internal voice is speaking to you.
This could be delving into your relationship with pain and fear and also debriefing on any previous birth experiences. You will not be alone in doing this deep work.
Somewhere deep inside you, at a primal level, your cells and hormones, your mind and your soul begin the work with your baby and labour will begin.
I will come to you when you say that you need me.
I will set up your sacred space, how you have already shared with me you have pictured it.
I will help you with guiding your breath, feeding and hydrating you, finding your sources of relaxation, providing touch and comfort, movement and positioning. I will assist with finding the zone and bringing you back to it.
I can support you through each contraction, whispering encouraging words or simply holding the space close by.
I will assist with communicating your birth preferences and supporting you with advocating on anything that arises outside of these preferences.
Together with your partner, we will hold your hands and your heart so you can let go and surrender to your birth unfolding on its own.
Once the birth has unfolded, I will be right there capturing those first hellos.
I will lovingly tend to your needs in those first few hours and will stay with you until you are satisfied you have everything you need for your first few days of parenthood.
And if I am tending to your placenta, it will come home with me for encapsulation.
How I will support you during birth…
Nurturing you in postpartum…
Typically, postpartum is thought of as a rollercoaster of raw emotions, driven by hormones, sleep deprivation, a healing body, a frazzled nervous system, a partner who tries so hard, but just doesn’t get it and the overwhelm of the responsibility of caring for your newborn baby. Yes, postpartum is incredibly hard, I will never deny that. But that doesn’t mean that it also doesn’t get to be a time of complete joy too.
I will hold and support you as you grieve the parts of yourself that you need or choose to let go of. Your unravelling. As well as supporting you in creating space to get to know your newfound self. You deserve every opportunity to thrive in this new role.
My postpartum care looks different for each Mum, but it is always approached in the same way. Filled with deep intention, nurturing and tending to you, so you can nurture and tend to the connection with your newborn baby.
Having already planned and prepared for this chapter before baby arrives, some of the ways we will spend our time in the first forty days will look like;
Nurturing you with beautifully nourishing snacks and meals
Being a loving ear to listen and shoulder to lean on, with zero judgement
Making space for you to bring joy and happiness to your everyday
Openness for real conversation on any challenges and reminding you of your powerful intuition
Setting and asserting boundaries to protect both your recovery and energy, as well as baby’s
Creating a beautiful space to rest
Debriefing your birth
Gentle guidance on newborn care and normal newborn behaviour/sleep
Support with babywearing
Breastfeeding and bottle-feeding support
Yoni steaming
Light housework and errands
Accompanying you to any appointments that you feel need the extra support
Loving care for older siblings and pets
Direction towards other professionals as needed.
The intention for our time together is to help you feel supported on a physical and emotional level. Knowing that you don’t have to do this alone. By allowing the hands and hearts of others to hold, nurture and nourish you through your postpartum will encourage you, your baby, your relationships and ultimately your village to thrive.
We will mark the end of our time together with a beautiful closing ceremony, celebrating you and your transformation through this rite of passage, from maiden to mother.