Connection, compassion, gentleness, a kind word, a quiet presence, calm and caring support… these are some of the ways love shows up in birth’s journey. And love matters. Love supports the very process of birth. Love is key in birth’s outcomes. And love is part of the difference that a doula makes.
When I read this quote (below) from Tao Te Ching, written hundreds of years ago, I can’t help but think of how well it describes doula work as well:
You are a midwife assisting at someone else’s birth. Do good without show or fuss. Facilitate what is happening rather than what you think ought to be happening … When the baby is born the mother will rightly say, “We did it ourselves!”
Welcome to ‘The Gentle Journey’. I hope you will pour yourself a cup of tea, sit down and join me as I share thoughts, inspiration and more from my work as ‘The Gentle Doula’.
“So,” you may ask, “what exactly is a doula?” That’s a good question! So many words come immediately to mind: companion, helper, friend, guide, listener, assistant, cheerleader…
The baby blues, postpartum depression, postpartum anxiety… these are all part of the range of postpartum mood disorders that affect more than one in five birthing people in Canada. Changing hormones, lack of sleep, adjusting to life with baby and underlying predispositions to depression or other mood disorders can all contribute to this statistic.
As we head into winter, we are continuing to navigate the ups and downs of life during the pandemic, including where doulas can and can’t support clients in-person in hospitals. However, the one-on-one care through pregnancy and labour that are part of the doula difference are always still available to clients. Whether it’s through online meetings or virtual labour support, doulas continue to have their clients’ best interests at heart.
In these late days of fall, where we know that winter is just around the corner, a cup of apple spice tea is the perfect way to unwind for a few moments! And if you’re like most of us, you can use some time to relax – maybe even more than usual – because of added stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Doula work has gotten harder all over the province, too…
