Becoming a mom for the first time (or for the second, third, fourth…) is a positively transformative experience; you are blossoming into motherhood and getting to know your baby after a long 9 month wait. It is a beautiful and tender time of love and connection, but at times it can also be challenging. You are exhausted, sleep deprived and your hormones are on a never-ending rollercoaster. You and your partner are figuring out your new roles and adjusting to how this little person will change everything in your lives. Your older child(ren)are adjusting too and so are your pets! It is a massive transition for everyone involved, one that requires guidance and support.

Friends and family play such an important role in the early postpartum days, but at times new moms can still feel lonely and unsupported amongst a sea of visitors. Everyone wants to stop by to meet the baby and a new mom may feel like she has to host and entertain guests, instead of resting and recovering.  New parents may find it difficult to ask family members or friends to cook them dinner or to help with some much-needed laundry. Moms may feel overwhelmed by the constant in-flow of advice and information when all that she wants is just someone to listen and acknowledge how hard motherhood really is.

While the arrival of a new baby is filled with love and joy, it’s also an emotionally intense period, often compounded by sleep deprivation and hormonal fluctuations. Amidst the flurry of well-meaning visitors, a new mom might find herself wrestling with feelings of isolation and sadness. In these moments, finding adequate support becomes paramount. It’s essential for friends and family to recognize the signs of postpartum depression and offer the new mom a listening ear and a helping hand. In recent years, some mothers have explored alternative methods like cbd vape juice to alleviate feelings of anxiety and stress associated with postpartum depression. As society becomes more open to diverse solutions, the importance of acknowledging and addressing the mental health challenges faced by new mothers cannot be overstated. Genuine support and understanding, coupled with innovative approaches like CBD, can go a long way in nurturing the emotional well-being of mothers during this delicate phase.

This is where a postpartum doula comes in… You may have heard of a birth doula (link: https://www.motherandsol.ca/birth-doula ), a trained professional that supports moms through pregnancy, labour, and birth. A postpartum doula (link:https://www.motherandsol.ca/postpartum-doula ) continues this important work and offers guidance and unconditional support to parents through the whole first year of their baby’s life.

In my experience serving families, the needs of every mom, baby and family will vary greatly, and so does the support I offer. As I postpartum doula (link: https://www.motherandsol.ca/postpartum-doula), I may:

• Guide first time parents with how to care for, bathe, dress, feed, burp, swaddle, change and soothe their newborn and be present answering all of their questions as they get to know their baby and become comfortable in their role caring for him/her.

• Offer support, reassurance, and guidance with breastfeeding or formula feeding your baby.  A postpartum doula can help in the process of going back to work, pumping and/or weaning your baby.

• Care for your baby and older child(ren) while you rest. A postpartum doula will hold the fort while you nap, take a bath, do some yoga or whatever it is you need to do to regain your sanity.

• Provide in-home support including light housekeeping, baby laundry and dishes. A postpartum doula understands that as a new mom sometimes you have to choose between the dishes or having a shower and she wants to provide you with enough support so that you can do both, and whatever else you need. A postpartum doula (link: https://www.motherandsol.ca/meal-preparation) can also help with preparing school lunches, make nutritious snacks for mom and prepare a healthy meal for the whole family.

• Assist with creating schedules and establishing routines. Getting your days back into flow is so important when you have other children and guidance through this process can be invaluable.

• Listen to your questions, fears and concerns about parenting. She may listen to your birth story and help you work through and heal from a traumatic experience.

• Ensure that the baby’s other parent also feels listened to, cared for and has their needs met. By lightening the load, the doula allows everyone time to rest, relax and bond with the new baby.

• Unconditionally support without judgment all of your parenting choices, without questioning or giving unrequested advice. A postpartum doula will support however you choose to feed your baby, whichever method you use to get them to sleep and every decision in between.

• Give you a break when baby is teething or going through a growth spurt and has been waking up every other hour through the night. Life happens and it’s ok to ask for help. The calm and nurturing presence of a doula can be so healing and may bring peace to your days during chaotic and exhausting times.

• Provide phone support, day or night, to answer any questions you may have about your newborn’s behaviour, breast or bottle feeding, your recovery from childbirth or just to listen when you need someone to talk to.

• For families with twins or triplets, a doula can be a much needed extra hand to soothe your babies, help with meal prep or to give you a much-needed rest.

A postpartum doula takes care of everything else so that you can rest and spend time bonding with your baby and caring for your body. Even more, a doula is someone who understands that parenthood is messy, exhausting, complicated and most of all beautiful. A doula wants to support you as you blossom into the parent you are meant to be.

The first few months home with a baby can be very isolating; whilst the baby blues are to be expected after birth, 1 in 5  women experience postpartum depression and 10.4% of dads suffer from paternal depression.  As a postpartum doula, I am trained in recognizing the warning signs for these conditions. I offer referrals, as needed, to postpartum mental health professionals in Sarnia-Lambton (link: https://www.motherandsol.ca/resources) and stay by your side, offering support as you recover.

A postpartum doula is an investment in your health and your family’s.  As a new parent, you deserve to be nurtured, cared for and unconditionally supported through this life-changing experience. 

I began my journey to become a birth and postpartum doula after recovering from my own struggle with postpartum depression and anxiety following the birth of my son in 2017. As a first time mom staying at home with my son, I experienced the isolation of stay-at-home parenting and an overall lack of support from family. I learned about doula care and realized the impact this service could have in my community. I am proud to offer doula services to families in Sarnia through pregnancy, birth and the first year of parenting. If you would like to learn more about how a postpartum doula can help your family, visit my website at www.motherandsol.ca

*Sarnia Mom Source would like to thank guest blogger Javiera Aviles-Saez from Mother and Sol Doula Services for writing this informative piece and sharing her experience with the women in our community.