Postpartum Support

“After birth there is a sacred window of time. A time for complete rejuvenation of a woman’s physical, mental and spiritual health. A time for deep, extended bonding with her newborn. The first 42 days after birth set the stage for her next 42 years”.

– Ysha Oakes

This quote envelopes the importance of the postpartum period.

Birth is intense, but often it’s the postpartum period that can be the most challenging.

Why is this?

Well, it’s not just one thing. It’s:

• A nutrient & energy depleted mother who has just grown an entire human being.
• An often physically exhausted mother after her labour experience – regardless of birth length or how the baby entered the word.
• A mother who continues to lose nutrients though bloods loss while her body heals the wound from the placenta detaching.
• Having to care for a teeny tiny human who is incredibly demanding for such a small thing. Their tummies are around the size of a fingernail, so it’s entirely likely they’ll wake every 2-4 hours needing a feed.
• Then there is the settling-in period. This tiny human has never been in the outside world before; never felt wind on their face; all those new noises; milk needing to be digesting in their tummies. So many new sensations. The primary caregivers are now their safe space. And the settling-in for the parents, often a vastly different life to the one they led prior to birth.

It’s completely normal to feel moments of overwhelm in parenting, but particularly these first few months.

Research indicates there is a strong link in positive health outcomes when new mothers are cared for in the first 42 days after birth.

This may seem dire, but it doesn’t have to be.

The postpartum period can be full of love, joy, and peaceful flow.

But like birth, it’s MUCH more likely to happen with planning & support.

So here is my offer to you…

Give yourself permission.

Permission to embrace the newborn phase.

To thrive, not just survive.

To slow down; give yourself the time to fall in love with your baby and learn to understand cues and subtleties of your newborn.

To focus on breastfeeding and bonding; it’s a full time job.

Permission to make mistakes, to fail sometimes. That’s how we learn, and how we often develop ‘mother instinct’.

Permission to ask. Forget your hang ups or self limiting beliefs.

Permission to accept help. If only for these precious first weeks. No cooking, cleaning, dishes, ironing, hosting. Embrace the oxytocin fuelled bliss potential that this phase present. Give yourself permission to set your parenting journey from a foundation of strength, support, connection and love.

Doula vs Postpartum Doula

A ‘Doula’  in the maternal care context was coined by the famous medical anthropologist Dana Raphael to mean “non-medical caregiving”.  A postpartum doula does the work ‘after birth’. A doula provides informational, practical and emotional support to new parents.

Why a Postpartum Doula?

As a Postpartum doula, I will help guide you through this part of your parenthood journey Mother instinct knows best; but hearing her voice and trusting her insights can take time.

I’ll be walking this path alongside you. I won’t save you; you can do that yourself. But sometimes we just need a ledge to steady ourselves – as your Postpartum Doula I can be that support.

Postpartum Doula Options

Build your own package to bring the greatest sense of peace and joy to your postpartum period:

• 2-hour pre-natal meet up to prepare for your peaceful newborn phase – establishing a plan to reduce stress and feelings of self-doubt, support in building your village including putting together a meal train for the early weeks, creating support mechanisms between you and your partner.
• Emotional support and guidance;
• Gentle direction on embracing baby brain, it’s actually there to help!
• Support to tune in to what brings you peace and joy as a Mother, and as a family;
• Help in boosting your love hormones to support you to thrive, not just survive;
• Basic baby care and breastfeeding support;
• Caring for your newborn to enable you to rest/sleep/shower/or whatever brings you the most peace and joy at that time!
• Guidance for you to make space to develop your parenting style;
• Friendly, non-judgemental support to create the space for you to vent, cry, laugh or whatever it is you need to move back into emotional balance;
• Flexibility around time of visits to include evenings;
• Belly binding;
• Demonstrating self-massage and baby massage;
• Help with caring for other children;
• Light house duties.

Peaceful Birthing services the Noosa and surrounding areas from Maroochydore, Yandina, Buderim, Gympie, Eumundi, Coory, Coolum and everywhere in between!