MAMADOULA
holistic birth care
coaching & therapy
around pregnancy & birth
Brand-new parents
Optimal support after childbirth, in your new role as (grand)parents
MAMADOULA postpartum
A real treat for yourself and everyone around you
creative ● powerful ● loving
Born!
Your baby is finally there.
Congratulations, welcome in your midst.
Restore & peace
And now the postnatal (or postpartum) period begins. This is the period of recovery and rest after giving birth.
In the Netherlands we traditionally talk about maternity week or maternity days. I prefer to talk about maternity weeks, maternity period, maternity months, maternity time. As long as you need to recover from this life changing experience. As is customary in many cultures, it lasts about 40 days, about 6 weeks.
Overwhelmed by attention from family and friends. Fortunately maternity help is there and then one day it is gone, you have to do everything yourself. All attention and energy to the newborn, the other children, the pets. Is it possible to really use this period of recovery and rest? If you had a tough delivery, or even a caesarean section, that rest is so necessary!
Impact
Also to realize what a huge impact childbirth has. After all: it is life changing, a transition from woman to mother. And also from husband to father, from only child to brother/sister, from parent to grandparent. A shift in the generations, a new balance is sought, getting to know each other in this new role.
If you are breastfeeding, this also requires a lot. That costs and gives you energy, you pay attention to your nutrition so that your child gets the best from you. Feeding, including bottle feeding, contributes to the important connection with your child.
So new mothers need recovery time, are vulnerable during this period and deserve extra care and attention, just like the little baby. Take good care of yourself or have it taken care of.
Sounds simple right? Or not?
Think about it beforehand
Maybe you think 'well we'll see', and yet it's good to think about during your pregnancy. That is why it is also discussed in our doula process.
Make a baby board
Tell your birth story with a baby board. Not only nice to do, it also helps you to process what happened.
It can also be very enlightening to do this together with your partner. Your mood board has a lot to tell you.
Did you already make a birth mood board? Then you already know a little bit about how things are going. Hang your baby board next to it, success is guaranteed!
Are you still coping?
So much to do! And then also maintain your relationship and friendships. The initial euphoria is over, the maternity assistant is gone, you have just left the hospital, your baby is still in the hospital.
You are mainly busy feeding, changing, trying to sleep, sharing together, who does what.
Can you manage that?
If you can't take it anymore
The new roles you have, your other children who need attention, ex-partners, grandparents or other relatives who may or may not get in the way with or without well-intentioned advice.
Having to go back to work and find it difficult, still experiencing pain or discomfort, or a baby that cries a lot and is not as happy as you would like. Did you have a bad delivery?
And there is even more that ensures that it does not look like what you had in mind.
Then it can be nice to put everything together. What's going on, what's bothering you, how are you not doing well together, what's going well, what do you need and what can't you get done?
I can help you with that
Special: the generations
Brand new (great) grandparents
Just nice or does something heavy happen to you?
And then you are grandpa & grandmother, or even great-grandparents. It can happen that this causes all sorts of things.
Great memories, and also less pleasant memories. Like your own birth that was traumatic, but at the time it wasn't talked about or there was less help, and yet you feel overwhelmed now.
Did you often think back to it, or does it suddenly come up now that your own child has had a child and the generations have moved on.
A very special moment, and yet it can also be difficult. You don't want to bother your daughter or son with your own story, they just became new parents.
