Episode 49: What is a postpartum doula anyway?

In this episode of the Nourishing Birth and Beyond podcast I chat with Alice, a postnatal doula, highlighting the essential support doulas provide to new parents during the postpartum period. Alice shares her experiences and insights into how doulas help bridge the gap left by the absence of traditional community support. We discuss the importance of preparing for postpartum, setting boundaries, and prioritising self-care and mental health. The conversation also touches on societal expectations, the lack of adequate postpartum support, and the benefits of investing in personalised care over material goods.

In this episode of the podcast we talk about:

• The critical role doulas play in supporting new parents.
• How doulas help ease the transition into parenthood by providing personalised care and filling the gap left by the lack of traditional community support.
• The importance of preparing for the postpartum period, advocating for self-care, and setting boundaries to protect mental health.
• Societal expectations that often overlook the needs of new parents and the inadequate postpartum support systems in place.
•  The importance of investing in personalised care, such as doula services, over material goods, to ensure a positive postpartum experience.

Sound bites from this episode:

“Looking after the mother is how you look after the baby.”

“A postnatal doula is someone who eases the transition from pregnancy to motherhood into matrescence.”

“There was a gap in the way that we live our lives today. We no longer have that village and we’re expected to do everything at once.”

“Don’t allow people to interrupt your peace with their trauma.”

“Having a birth doula is the ticket to having birth on your terms.”