‘While my client rested, I folded a few loads of laundry, cleaned her kitchen, looked after her older kids, and made kale soup.’: Doula reminds us to ‘nurture postpartum moms’

“The last two times I’ve arrived at my client’s place, she has taken a nap as soon as I got there.

Today, she napped for about 3 hours.

While she rested, I folded a few loads of laundry, looked after her older children, cleaned the kitchen, bathroom and living room, organized some things she hadn’t gotten around to and made sausage, potato, and kale soup.

When she woke up, I continued to clean and organize so she could rest.

We chatted about sleep associations and how to set up an environment to promote sleep for her newborn. I made her an herbal infusion and we ended the day with an hour massage.

I’m working to change the way we support new moms. Much of what I do for my clients is not the role of a postpartum doula. But that’s okay.

Here’s why…what I do for new moms is what family does for new moms in others cultures.

They do everything that needs to be done around the house so the new mom can focus on resting and bonding with her baby.

I’m bringing those cultural traditions to moms here in my community…a community where many of us have been left unsupported and disconnected.

You deserve this type of care as a mom within your first two years postpartum. Don’t focus on those who forgot about you. I remembered and I am here for you!

It is so important that we hold new mothers to a high regard and treat them with so much love and kindness in their postpartum time.

Most of us who are on the outside looking in to the life of a new mom only see warm moments where they are cuddling and loving on their babies.

We rarely see those moments where they are breaking down because they are sleep deprived and struggling to find balance in their transition into motherhood. Many new moms feel disconnected with themselves and their community and are hanging on by a thread.

Every opportunity you get, show kindness to the new mom and let them know you are there to hold space for them and show your support with absolutely no judgment. Nurture them and help them feel empowered in their postpartum journey.”

This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Kilah Lawson. You can follow her journey on Facebook. Do you have a similar experience? We’d like to hear your important journey. Submit your own story here. Be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.

Read more stories like this here:

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‘As soon as you birth your baby, you’re a different person. Take it and run. You’re now a mama before anything else. There is no higher title than that.’: New mom shares candid reality of first-time motherhood, ‘You’re doing an amazing job’

‘She walks slowly toward labor and delivery, cradling her tight, swollen belly. Life as she knows it will never be the same.’: Woman urges to new moms ‘you are completely enough’

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