I believe that birth creates a newborn mother, and not just a newborn baby. The way that women are cared for in pregnancy, birth and the post-natal period really matters because it impacts their pelvic, emotional and overall health for many years to come. However women generally feel a strong expectation to get back into everyday life as though they have not been through a life changing transition. With such a high percentage of mothers experiencing post natal depletion, immune conditions, mental health challenges and pelvic floor dysfunction we don’t seem to have struck the right balance. 

Post-natal doula training has changed how I offer talk and touch based supports as an occupational therapist; both in the respect I have for mothering transitions, and the notion that nurturing support at this time is a necessity rather than a luxury. Newborn mothers universally need deep rest, good nutrition, companionship, connection and loving touch to promote birth healing and tap into their innate mothering ability. However, each person is unique in how she wants to experience this support.

I encourage women to consider traditional approaches to mother-care; to understand the aspects of these practices that brought restoration and healing, but then determine how they might want to reinvent and incorporate their own meaningful rituals or routines into everyday life and mothering transitions. 

Wherever you are in your mothering or parenting journey, this concept of deep nurture can be received at any time as you seek to recover full health and wellbeing.