Today I had the opportunity to sit with my two adult daughters, 22 and almost 21 years old. It’s not often I get to just sit with my girls and talk about everything and anything. The conversation started out about working and job opportunities, how I am revamping my doula business and what I really want to focus on, more of a “coaching” aspect to assist a birthing person throughout their pregnancy and birth. To expand, I want to give thorough knowledge of the birth process, the fear -tension - pain cycle and how to reduce the fear, to work with your body, to lessen the discomfort, and have the desired birth of your choice.
Birth & Breastfeeding
My girls and I talked about their siblings' birth and then I shared their birth stories with them, as I have numerous times over the years. My 22 yr old then shared her birth story of my granddaughter, who is six by the way, and how she was a teen mom, and she really didn’t “know anything” about birth, we discussed her fears and her postpartum depression that followed. She also struggled with breastfeeding, having to pump and supplement with formula for 3 months. She shared with me that it took her those three months to figure out how to breastfeed. She said she persevered with support, lactation consultants, and her sheer determination, all while struggling with her mental health. Her diligence paid off, she went on to breastfeed my granddaughter for another 3 years. This was her childbirth and breastfeeding experience. She has learned a lot since then.
It was very eye opening for me, and I really started to think of how I want to focus on the birthing concept and how to lessen your fears, to awaken your gut instinct, to understand what birth is and how the body and baby work together to achieve a positive birth. I want to assist with knowledge and information, but also have you work and gather information so that you gain the confidence to birth your baby as you intend.
What I provide is more than an assistant, more than a mentor, might fall on the “coaching” spectrum, but you will gain confidence in yourself to birth your baby, to ease your fears, to work with your body, and to trust your intuition when it comes to decisions.
Have you struggled with past birth or breastfeeding experiences? Please share below.
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