Being a mom is hard, I know people say this all the time, but being a new mom is HARDER! I remember the early days with my daughter, I was a HOT MESS! I was tired, dirty, tired, frustrated, did I mention tired, and EVERYTHING hurt! I was STRESSED and my first thought was, Girl I have made a MISTAKE!!! I thought I wasn't cut out to be a mom, it had to be me, right? This sweet little baby who depended on me for sure wasn't the problem. While I thought everyone prepared me for the fe
elings I would have my first time postpartum, I was in fact not prepared.
Everyone I knew that had been postpartum or the people I looked up to that were moms were graceful. They were the perfect mom and never once in my mind did I think that they would have thought about flicking their baby for latching onto their bleeding, cracked nipple. (I never flicked my baby for breastfeeding but there was a night I thought about it and that was enough to make me feel like the worst mom in the world.) Everyone I had looked up to was in the "I told you this was hard" phase and while my postpartum anxiety and exhaustion had gotten worse, so did my thoughts of myself.
This is where a postpartum doula would have helped me SO MUCH!! Looking back now I really wish I would have taken this option and run with it. As a postpartum doula my job is to help you get some rest when you need it by taking the baby. Sometimes that's overnight in your home, sometimes that's during the day in your home. My job is to do the dishes so you can enjoy the snuggles with your little one. Play with your older kids so they get some extra attention, hold your little one so you can give the bigger kids some extra special mom time. Or sometimes even to just listen and tell you how great you are doing when it's been an especially rough day (or night). I'm trained to notice the postpartum issues that can come up, and help you find resources if and when you need them.
My job is to make your job, EASIER and to be the one-person that's focused on you more than the new baby. Sometimes the hardest step is reaching out, I'm here to support you and your family educationally, emotionally and physically.
And whether you are postpartum, a new mom or just trying to become a mom...
I'M PROUD OF YOU!!!
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