Why do I talk birth when I'm a postpartum doula?

Why do I spend so much time banging on about birth info when I’m actually a postpartum doula? Because, quite simply, we can’t pretend birth doesn’t influence postpartum.

The impact, as any mother or person whose experienced a traumatic or amazing birth will tell you, is massive. As such, preparing for birth is, in a way, preparing for postpartum, but we can’t end our efforts at birth affirmations.

My tips are:

Get independent birth AND lactation education. You can’t receive empowering education about either of these within a system designed to oppress you or subjugate your needs beneath its own.

Understand “biologically normal infant sleep”. This is different to the standard cultural understanding of “baby sleep”.

If you have a partner, get them to take as much time off work as humanly possible after the birth.

Recruit additional help. Even if your partner is around, you will need it. This help could take the form of:

A postpartum doula like me

A perinatal counsellor

A lactation consultant

A pelvic floor physio

Meal or grocery delivery service

A cleaner

Someone to take your older kid to/from kindy first a few weeks

Asking a selection of friends to come by weekly/fortnightly at set times for the first 4-6 weeks you’d be otherwise home alone with baby.

Remember that your need for help does not expire at some arbitrary time point. It doesn’t just magically get easier at exactly 6 weeks old or 6 months old or 3 years old.

It’s a long haul, a beautiful, difficult, mind-boggling long haul, and it starts... now.

Apr 3, 2022 09:50am

By Anna Cusack

Under Birth, Post-partum, Partners, Food, Sleep, Parenting, Breastfeeding, Education & Motherhood

2 min read

Why do I talk birth when I'm a postpartum doula?

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