Monday, April 24, 2017

Maternity Monday - Postpartum Doulas

Postpartum doulas help moms recover: http://www.citizen-times.com/story/life/family/2017/04/01/postpartum-doulas-help-moms-recover/99904044/

"Doulas are trained to recognize symptoms of postpartum depression. They are trained to provide warm comforting foods to help restore the new mother’s strength. They recognize the peaks and valleys of breast-feeding. They provide complementary care to the mother’s health care professional. They are even trained to recognize when the mom’s partner needs support."

Physically, emotionally & culturally, postpartum doulas are invaluable.

Monday, April 17, 2017

Maternity Monday

15 Famous Women on Postpartum Depression: http://nymag.com/thecut/2017/04/quotes-from-15-famous-women-on-postpartum-depression.html

"There’s a lot of misunderstanding — there are a lot of people out there that think that it’s not real, that it’s not true, that it’s something that’s made up in their minds — ‘Oh, it’s hormones.’ They brush it off. It’s something that’s completely uncontrollable. It’s really painful and it’s really scary and women need a lot of support."

Monday, April 10, 2017

Maternity Monday

A postpartum doula isn't just for those who "need" help or may be prone to postpartum disorders. No, postpartum doulas are for ALL families! In fact, WHO (the World Health Organization) greatly encourages postpartum support & education.

Monday, April 3, 2017

Maternity Monday

"In many cultures, women and their families are cared for and nurtured by the community around them for weeks, and sometimes months after the birth of a new family member. Women living in kin-based communities adhere to customary postpartum rituals and typically do not experience postpartum disorders. They also tend to breastfeed their babies for a longer period of time and feel closer to their infants than women who have had no support. Strong social support is vital.

In today’s mobile society, extended families do not live close and may be unable to provide care for the new family. New parents may expect medical professionals to provide not only informational support but also educational and physical/emotional support outside of the hospital setting. When this support from family or professionals is lacking, mentoring is then lost. This is where the postpartum doula can be an invaluable resource, by bridging the gap and providing the missing mentoring opportunity."

#postpartumdoula