Hello!
I'm writing this on a beautiful, rainy spring day. Kobe is snoring (SO LOUDLY!) on the couch, and my husband is working in our bedroom. I can hear my neighbor's music playing in her apartment below mine, and thankfully she has good taste. April marks a year of living in St. Louis, and a year of owning my own business as a birth doula! Some of my favorite birth-y moments thus far include virtually supporting my sister as my niece was born, talking with a mama as her baby was born by cesarean, watching a couple dads tear up and beam at the same time as their beautiful and powerful wives pushed their babies into the world, and seeing a few babies nestle into their parents’ loving embraces. I've recently decided to expand my services to offer postpartum support alongside birth support.
The postpartum period includes many changes and transitions, and I believe all families should feel loved and cared for during this vulnerable time. For moms/birthing people specifically, lots of healing, requiring lots of rest, occurs in the first couple of months after the baby is born. Parents bond with their new baby, and transition themselves into new roles. The baby also learns to navigate his/her new environment outside of the womb. As a postpartum doula, I come into people's homes to do what I can to create space for healing, rest, and emotional processing. Some tasks I consider part of my work include
- Postpartum planning (before baby is born)
- Gentle mom and baby care
- Options to practice ritual/ceremony to honor you transition to parenthood
- Meal preparation
- Grocery shopping
- Light housekeeping (i.e. baby/mom laundry, kitchen tidying, light vacuuming, etc.)
- Space to process your birth experience
- Support with nursing/feeding baby
- Respectful care that follows your parenting choices
- Babywearing
- And more!
The postpartum period encompasses the entire first year of a baby's life... way longer than the 6 weeks we typically talk about in the US. I don’t want you to need ongoing support from me for an entire year. Rather, I strive to provide specific and targeted support for a short period of time, so that you gain knowledge and confidence in your version of parenthood. My postpartum work varies based on each family’s particular needs. Because, like birth, no one really knows what postpartum will look like until they’re in it. I offer 24 and 48 hour packages, or you can book me for a la carte shifts as needed. If you’d like to learn more about how I can work with you, schedule a consult with me today!
Here for you,
Anna