Postpartum Community
I have joined two sessions about Postpartum period in European Doula Network Conference 2021: Postnatal Support Network and Cooking for Postpartum. As a postpartum doula, I believe there is always more to learn from other doulas to support mothers: different recipes, original methods that are useful.
Basically, the needs of the first 40 days are to rest, to bond with your baby, home cooked healing food, other women helping you (asking for help), massage.
One question in the sessions was very impressive and I want to ask you too.“Is postpartum luxury or essential?” I believe with all my heart that it is essential. I can hear new mother saying “Yes Yes Yes!”
Well you need the support of your community for making this possible. You can not do this alone. There is a saying: “It takes a village to raise a child” Yes it does but we are alone with our partners most of the time. So you need to ask for help and create your sisterhood community.
Couple of weeks ago, I talked to a new mother that I taught childbirth education and her words were magical, made me so happy. She is an expat mother and her mother is not here to help. Her husband's mother is also not here so she needed help from other people. She managed to get the support of her community. She, her self was amazed too. She said that for the first time she understood what sisterhood is. I wish the same for every mother! We are this community. We all can help each other.
I will form a postpartum/after birth whatsapp group in English soon, bringing together expat mothers. Please write to me if you would like to join too. I think new mothers have a lot to learn from experienced mothers (even if her baby is just couple of months older)
