postpartum

3 Things I Wish I Knew

Learning the hard way has always kinda been my thing. I have a kid who takes the same approach to life, and it is soo incredibly frustrating to witness. Looking back, there are several things I really wish I knew going into my first pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. I really tried to inform myself as much as possible, and honestly I maybe read too much–partly reflected in the B I got in one of my grad school classes the semester I found out I was pregnant–though all the vomiting & napping surely didn’t help that either. Some of these hindsight observations might surprise you!

Approach Matters

I wish I knew the difference between the obstetric & midwifery approaches to prenatal care. While my friends were getting 5-10 minutes with their OBs, I was getting 30 minute talks with my midwife about all of my worries so that they had a whole picture of my life and not just some measurements and numbers in a chart. My friends who had family practice doctors for their care had much more similar experiences to mine with the midwives too, and for low-risk pregnancies some family practice doctors are amazing. Finding a provider that you’re comfortable with and who you don’t dread seeing is probably the most important part though, regardless of what model of care they practice.

Expectations?

I wish I knew that giving birth inside a hospital could be an amazing experience. I read and heard ALL the horror stories about getting run over by the system. I walked into my birth fully armed with all the information and ready for a fight to get the birth I wanted. I ended up having the most supportive team around me including my amazing nurse, my midwife, my doula, and even the supervising OB who stopped by for my whole pushing stage and whose words frankly got me through to the end. I will fully own my privilege and say that being a middle class presenting, white, fairly attractive & fit person (at the time anyway)–all of those things signaled different things to the people in the room on how to treat me. But I didn’t expect everyone to be so kind and supportive of my plan to give birth without medication or intervention in a hospital whose reputation is a “baby factory” known for high intervention rates in the area. The support afterwards with lactation was also so great. I wish more people would talk about their GREAT experiences too.

Right Way?

I wish I knew that there was no one right way to do all of this. My first time around, I was searching for what the RIGHT way to do things was. The lesson I continually come back to with parenting and birth and all of it, is that there is no one right way. I would have spent so much more time thinking about what was right for me and my family and my baby and the situation we were in at the time regarding finances, location, information, ability, capacity, etc. I stressed myself out to the point of exhaustion trying to find the “right” way, when I truly wish I had spent more time focusing inward and figuring out where & who to ask the questions when they came up later.

When you look back on your pregnancy, birth, & postpartum, what did you learn through hindsight? Are there things that you would do differently? If this is your first time, I urge you to take the 20 years perspective and think about how important some things that you might be fighting for right now, might actually be in the grand scheme of things too. As a doula, I can say that how you remember this will stay with you for the rest of your life. Your experience matters, so find what is important to you and surround yourself with people who share your values and approach to things. What would you add?

If you are wondering where to get started in your journey through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum, we have a resource just for you! Grab our free EBook written to help take the worry out of the beginning. Ready to talk about adding a doula to your team? Book a FREE 30 minute call to talk about who on our team might be the right fit for you. We also offer a FREE Biweekly newsletter with ideas, news, & resources open to anyone. We truly do want our experience to help improve yours!

3 Ways Doulas Support Partners

Your doula will never know you as well as your partner. Some partners don’t want to hire a doula because they are concerned that we might replace them. That is frankly never the goal of our doulas, though there have been a few times when we’ve had to step in because a partner couldn’t be there for multiple reasons. The truth is that hiring a doula helps support partners too. I’ve supported clients whose partners were in the birth pool squeezing their hips and others whose partners had to hide their eyes during their entire labors because everything medical made them nauseous. I’ve caught dads who passed out at the sight of blood and helped others find better places to stand for camera angles. Here are the top 3 ways that doulas help partners.

Knowledge

Doulas help partners know what is going on in the birth room and during postpartum. We answer all kinds of questions like: is that normal? Is everything ok? What’s going on? Why are they suggesting that? Where should we go for help? Our doula knowledge helps not only reassure partners, but also help them ask good questions too. We suggest resources specifically for partners to learn if they’re interested. All Doula Group of Evansville packages come with access to Supporting Her (a $69 value) an online class specifically designed with partners in mind, because we know you want to know how to be the best support you can be too!

Practical Support

Partners need physical support too! I’ve seriously massaged more than one dad’s shoulders during the course of a long labor, and reminded more partners to pee than I can count. We help partners find pillows and towels in the hospital room, or make sure they know when a good time to sneak to the cafeteria to eat would be. We help you know where to press on their back when contractions come and remind you to hydrate too. Postpartum doulas will teach you the best swaddle and bring you a one-handed snack while you’re rocking in the chair with your newborn. Doulas are the extra set of hands that anticipate everyone’s needs!

Emotional Support

I’ve waited outside the doors to the operating room with anxious worried partners waiting to be called back. I’ve hugged a sobbing father whose baby was born sleeping, and handed more tissues to silently crying and ecstatic partners. I’ve reassured frustrated partners that yes, they can and should speak up when they’re not getting the answers or care they need. This holding space for partners is a dance that we know and prepare for as doulas. This is one of the reasons we want to meet with you and your partner before birth and postpartum; getting to know you and your wishes helps us help you better.

Doulas help partners participate and engage however they want and are able to. We never try to step on partner toes, literally or figuratively! We love all kinds of partners and know each family is unique. Having a doula on your team can help you have a better experience too. When you’re ready, we’re here to support your whole family from your wet pregnancy test all the way through the 4th trimester.

A little anecdote for you: pre-COVID, I taught a 3 hour class on natural coping techniques for labor and delivery. I had been talking to this awesome pregnant mom who really wanted to hire me as her birth doula but her husband didn’t want to spend the money, and they came to my class. After 3 hours, her husband was 100% convinced that they definitely needed to hire me as their doula. Unfortunately, I was already booked for their due date, but I know they had an awesome birth anyway. If you’re on the fence about hiring a doula, reach out to set up a FREE consult together. We’d love to chat!

After a Cesarean Birth

CBAC, HBAC, or VBAC?

April is Cesarean & VBAC Awareness month, and we know exactly how important it is to recognize both of these ways of giving birth. We know that nationally, around 1 in 3 births happen via cesarean section, and locally that holds fairly true according to the latest available data. While we don’t know the full extent as to WHY the planned hospital birth cesarean rate is so high, “It seems increasingly clear that anxiety and easy access to many medical procedures at hospital may lead to increased levels of intervention, which in turn may lead to further interventions and finally to unnecessary complications (Olsen & Clausen 2023).” All of that is big picture stuff though, and this post is really seeking to speak to the patient side of things. We celebrate ALL births, no matter how they happen. Let’s talk about 3 big areas where doulas can help after a cesarean birth.

The first 6 weeks after cesarean surgery can be challenging. Your body really needs to rest, but you have a newborn to take care of too. Maybe you’re still dealing with pain when you get home and timing medications, or your other kids really want to cuddle but you’re worried they might bust your incision. Lifting restrictions make moving baby, other kids, laundry baskets, etc challenging after a cesarean birth too. Hiring a postpartum doula, even when you didn’t plan to, can be a huge help to your family and your health in those first 6 weeks. Whether you get a doula or not, delegating should definitely be in your wheelhouse, because your body needs TIME to recover properly in this postpartum period at home.

Recovery

Physical recovery is what most people think about after a cesarean birth, and yes that is really important. After that initial 6 weeks, you may want to talk to your provider about physical therapy to work on scar mobilization and pelvic floor therapy too. Yes, even after having cesarean surgery your pelvic floor might need some work. Honestly, I don’t know why pelvic floor PT isn’t a standard referral after having a baby, but that is a blog for another day.

Mental recovery after a cesarean birth is something that we need to talk about more. I often find myself processing with my clients who’ve had cesarean surgery to talk about how things went, even if I wasn’t there for that birth. People react very differently to having cesarean surgery, and we truly believe all feelings are 100% valid. Mental recovery can be very easy for some and others struggle with it for a long time. Processing with a birth professional like a doula or with a therapist trained in birth trauma can be really validating and helpful for some people. This is a service we offer for clients all the time!

Next time

The big question that many people have after a cesarean birth is often, what should they do next time. Should you try for a VBAC (vaginal birth after cesarean), maybe an HBAC (home birth after cesarean), or maybe a planned CBAC (cesarean birth after cesarean) is for you. There is no one right answer that will work for everyone in this situation, and there are many many factors that go into making that decision. As doulas, we tend to nudge people to think about 4 things when they’re discussing what to do for their next birth:

What were the factors that lead to your cesarean surgery?
How do you feel about giving birth again?
Is there information or other support that would be helpful for you to know when making this decision?
How will you feel about your choice in 10 years?

Everyone answers those questions differently, and honestly there is no one right answer that will work for everyone. One thing we can say with the utmost certainty is that no matter what your choices are, our doulas will be there to support you 100% of the way. We’re working to try to help hospitals understand the value of having your doula in the operating room to support you during your surgical birth too, and will keep pushing for this here locally!

We’re very grateful that cesarean surgery exists, as we’ve seen it save lives. At the same time, we know that it is often over used. We LOVE that VBAC is a truly viable option here locally with many providers, and have seen some amazing HBAC births too. Birth is honestly just amazing in all the different ways it happens. If you’ve had a cesarean birth and want support in any of the above ways, don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

Babies Gotta Eat

Informed is best!

Rule #1: Feed the baby! You get to choose how you do that, and informed decisions are always best. As with all things human, there really is no one right way that is going to work for everyone. The two recent train derailments upstream from Evansville have parents worried about environmental toxins in our water, and I’ve gotten a few very worried parents asking about the safety of preparing formula with our tap water. I know my answer surprised them, so maybe it will surprise you too.

You shouldn’t be making formula with water straight from your tap. Yes, I’m serious, and no I didn’t know that when I was making formula for my children many moons ago. It wasn’t until I read the WHO’s Safe Preparation, Storage, & Handling of Powdered Infant Formula, that I really understood how wrong I had been. Sometimes formula can get contaminated during the manufacturing process. We saw this happen in one large facility and shutting that down to clean it up is part of what caused the recent formula shortage here in the United States. You can still look up your formula to see if it has been recalled here. To control for water-born pathogens that could come through in your tap water, yes, even here in Evansville, it is best practice to make your infant formula with water that has been boiled and then cooled. If you are concerned about contaminants in the water, then you could consider purchasing water to make formula for your baby.

Babies have to eat & making sure they can do so safely is really important. As one of my favorite lactation scholars has said multiple places: informed is best! Formula feeding has risks, and knowing how to mitigate them can help you be more at ease with doing what is best for you and your family. Inform yourself so that you can feed your baby confidently whether that’s with your body or from a bottle!

Hiring a Doula

We know that the decision to hire a doula can be a BIG one for many families. Maybe you’ve been thinking about it for a long time and trying to decide if adding a doula to your team is something you want to do. Maybe hiring a doula for your birth isn’t really that important to you, but planning to have help around the house and someone to ask all the questions postpartum would be nice. We know hiring a doula is a big investment, but we also know that doulas help not only improve outcomes, but also improve parental stress levels, mental health, & overall confidence.

How does it work?

We have 2 types of doulas on our team: Birth doulas & Postpartum doulas. (One of our doulas does both, for those families that want that continuity of care too.) Our manager, Hillary, talks to every person who inquires about doula services to see what they are looking for and match them with a doula on our team who will be a good fit for that family. She’s kind of like a doula match maker that way. The family then gets to interview the doula to decide if they’d like to work with that doula. Once you make the decision to hire your doula, then we send you a digital contract & invoice. You pay a deposit to reserve your time on your doula’s calendar, sign the contract, & then get access to our online client classroom filled with resources and information for you.

Every doula in the group is mentored by Hillary, who has been a doula here in Evansville, IN since 2014. She’s served at more than 200 births and has been invited to speak about doulas at both our local Evansville hospitals. At this point, she takes less clients so that she can run the business side of things for our group including all the emails, contracts, invoices, website, social media, bookkeeping, outreach, etc. Clients interact with her as the primary point of contact, but then move to interacting with their specific doula for birth and postpartum services.

Birth Doulas

Our birth doulas are phenomenal! Their experience ranges from brand new to very experienced, and they set their own prices. Each and every birth doula client gets two prenatal meetings to get to know their doula, to talk about birth planning & logistics, to practice comfort techniques, & more. Birth doulas are there with you for the big birthing day to help with all the things like movement, deciding when to go to the hospital, handing you things you didn’t ask for yet, suggesting positions, offering information about options, and so much more. After baby is born, birth doulas typically stay for 1-2 hours to help with the initial feeding and bonding time before they skedaddle out of there to give you time alone as a family. Your birth doula will come visit you once more after baby is born to check on you, talk about how things went, and offer any resources that you might need at that time. We might even bring you a little present too. Hiring a doula means you not only have someone to text with random questions throughout your pregnancy, but you also have someone to walk with you for the journey from expecting to beginning. All of our birth doula clients will also be getting a postpartum planning session with one of our postpartum doulas.

Postpartum Doulas

If everyone knew about postpartum doulas, then honestly EVERYONE would hire one! Postpartum doulas come for 3-4 hour daytime shifts to help you with light housework that might be piling up because you’re busy taking care of your new human. They answer questions without any judgement & help with resources if you’re concerned that something isn’t normal. They hold the baby while you shower and help with meal planning too. Postpartum doulas help the family as a whole to transition to having a new baby in the house, because postpartum can be challenging for everyone. So whether you would like an in-home postpartum massage, help with meal planning & grocery orders, someone to look at your surgical scar or help you off the couch, then one of our postpartum doulas would be happy to help. We currently have one postpartum doula who is also able to do overnight shifts for families that would like help throughout the night for feedings & baby care too, so feel free to inquire if that is something you are interested in learning more about. Postpartum doulas are a little big magic and also *ahem* one of the BEST gifts you can get for your friend who already has everything they need for baby and could just use some extra TLC in those first weeks at home.

Don’t Wait

If you’re thinking about hiring a doula, don’t wait! We have an awesome team that is pretty flexible in being able to accommodate all schedules, but sometimes we really do ALL get booked up. July-October are the most busy times of year for us, so definitely reach out early if your due date falls in that range. (In case you’re wondering, September is the most popular birth month in the United States for several reasons.) As I write this, it is June 2022, & we’ve started booking clients into February 2023 already!

Hiring a doula takes some courage, and we know that. We also know that hiring a doula can help the entire process of bringing a new baby into the world feel much more personal and cozy when you have a doula by your side. We’re here to help you navigate it all like a tour guide who’s been down this path many times before. If that sounds like something you’d be interested in exploring, then hiring a doula might be right for you. Reach out to us if you’re interested. You can even see some great videos of our doulas on our YouTube channel before you reach out too!

AND, if hiring a doula isn’t in your comfort zone, we really do try to put out a lot of FREE content on our Instagram & Facebook pages too. Find us there! We have a FREE e-book available here on our website, as well as lots of free blog posts, including this perennial favorite about how to have a good conversation about induction with your provider. Oh yeah, and we do placenta encapsulation too if that is something you want to explore. We want to be a one stop shop for helping expecting families in the tri-state area.

A New Postpartum Doula on Our Team!

We are so very excited to announce the addition of the amazing Christina Renock to our team here at Doula Group of Evansville. Christina is a postpartum doula currently working toward her certification with DONA International. She lives in Newburgh with her 3 boys and very sweet dog. Like me, she moved to this area in 2012 after living abroad, and has been busy raising her family. Christina is a magnificent listener and has a marvelously calming presence about her that allows you to be fully at ease and vulnerable. That along with the facts that she is an excellent cook and ever so patient means she is honestly the perfect person to help our clients during that 4th trimester transition.

About Christina:

Christina is a DONA educated Postpartum Doula who is working towards full certification. She is passionate about empowering and collaborating with the individual, especially women, as they navigate their own health and wellness journey. Christina decided to pursue work as a Postpartum Doula because she believes one of the best things we can do for our communities is support women and families as they build the foundation for the relationships that will shape the emotional and mental health of the next generation. She has worked in natural medicine since 2009 and been a licensed massage therapist since 2013. Christina completed university in the United States and London, England where she studied herbal medicine, naturopathic medicine, and business management. She moved to the Tri-state in 2012 and now lives in Newburgh, IN with her 3 sons and their wide variety of pets. When she finds free time she enjoys cooking, gardening, and being active outdoors.

Postpartum Doulas

Postpartum doulas help families typically during the first 16 weeks after baby is born, to move more fluidly through the hazy beginning of life with a new baby in the house. These magical humans come and help you with light housework like straightening up, organizing, folding laundry, dishes. They talk to you about what is going on with you and baby, and offer unbiased and evidence-based advice and resources for you. They help you know what is normal and connect you with further resources if you need them. They know which local dentists do laser tethered oral tissue revisions and help you with meal planning/shopping/preparation. Honestly, they are one of the most underutilized resources here locally. I fully expect that once word gets out about how amazing postpartum doulas are, Christina is going to be REALLY busy.

Christina Renock, Postpartum Doula

Christina is currently offering these services:

In person daytime postpartum services
Prenatal & Postpartum massage in your home
Nursery Set-Up Consult
Virtual Postpartum Doula Support
1-on-1 infant massage lessons
Meal planning + online ordering for grocery pick-up

We would love to talk to you about how Christina could help ease your 4th trimester transition. Sometimes just having someone come to your house who is only there to help you and isn’t asking to hold the baby unless you want to hand them off is a GREAT thing. Never underestimate the power of someone who supports you without judgement and truly understands there is no one right way to get through the 4th trimester. Postpartum doulas support you how you want to be supported, and Christina will knock your socks off with her empathy, compassion, & resourcefulness. Contact us today if you’d like to set up a consult with Christina!

Pssst, if you are already a client with us, you can schedule a discounted massage with Christina!

“The Secret Menu”

Have you ever wanted to order something that wasn’t on the menu at a restaurant like they do in Ratatouille the movie? What about finding that ever elusive Unicorn Frappucino? Well, we firmly believe that when it comes to your pregnancy, birth, & postpartum, there should NOT be a secret menu. That’s why we’re here to both demystify some of the evidence based things you could be using/requesting AND to make recommendations for you too. Secret menu items might be all fine and good for fast food restaurants, but we’re not keeping these secrets from you any more!

**Note, some of these links are affiliate links and we may get a small compensation if you use them. We promise this is not how we are getting rich, and we only recommend products we really love!**

Secret Menu for Pregnancy Top 5

Pregnancy can be rough, but we’re here to tell you some of our favorite “secret menu” things that can make it a little bit better. Here are our top 5:

1. Compression Socks–yes they can be tough to get on, but they seriously help with swelling so much. Kindred Bravely has some that don’t even look like your grandma would wear them, & bonus this mom owned company has comfy cozy clothing for every step of your pregnancy to postpartum journey.

2. Slide on shoes–bending over to tie your shoes is overrated, & we’ve been hearing rave reviews of Hey Dude Shoes from lots of our clients.

3. Magnesium lotion is great for helping with restless legs, and our favorite is the lavender sleepy lotion from 8 Sheep Organics.

4. A good support belt will save your lower back as your belly grows & we think the awesome belts that Belly Bandit sells are soooo worth your investment.

5. Finally, our secret menu favorite thing to recommend is to take an independent childbirth education class that fits with your goals. We know of a ton of great online classes to fit every budget (including free), & if you want to try an in-person class, hit us up, because we totally do that!

Lamaze Classes for VBAC, Bringing Home Baby, Breastfeeding Basics, Labor Pain Management, Safe & Healthy Birth in 6 steps, or Labor Confidence (free).

Alice Turner has awesome classes including Supporting Her (specifically for partners), Birth A to Z (free), & FREE live Lamaze classes via her YouTube channel too.

If you’re looking for an awesome class for partners to learn how to help, The Birth Partner’s Ultimate Labor Support Toolkit is an excellent one!

Mandy Irby (The Birth Nurse) has a really great pre-recorded full Lamaze class that I like to recommend as well: Ultimate Guide to Taking Control of Your Childbirth. (Use coupon: BIRTHGEEKS for 15% off)

Secret Menu for Birth Top 5

Not all of these options are available at all facilities, but it never hurts to ask and even asking for these things helps plant a seed that people would like them.

1. Intermittent &/or Telemetry Monitoring can be soo helpful for movement while you are in labor! Intermittent monitoring is typically available if you don’t have any drugs in your system & everything is looking great with you & baby. Times for intermittent monitoring can vary, but typically 15-20 minutes out of every hour used as a metric. Telemetry monitoring is WIRELESS & AMAZING for sooo many reasons including moving, getting up to use the restroom, walking the halls, etc. ASK for these things!

2. Squat Bar–YES, they have them, & no you don’t have to use them to squat if you don’t want to. I like to wrap the center of a sheet around the bar & put the ends in your hands so you can put your feet on the bar and pull the sheet while you’re pushing. It works really well for some people!

3. A Roller Ball Massager is something that you’ll need to bring, but you can grab a cheap one at 5 Below to help with massage and counter pressure on your partner’s sacrum. It is one of my most used tools in my doula bag.

4. Eye Masks are great for both helping you focus internally on how you are feeling & coping with labor AND signaling to the people around you that you want to be left alone to concentrate. Psst, I really like to wear one when I’m trying to sleep during the day and my kids keep coming upstairs to ask me questions too.

5. Alternate Pushing Positions are NOT used enough, & I’m here to say that they need to be, even for people who have epidurals!! As a #birthdoula, I’m a HUGE fan of whatever works for you and your baby, but I hear soo much misinformation about pushing positions, & the constant assumption that flat on your back with your legs in stirrups is just how it is going to be, is frankly annoying and not at all supported by evidence or physiology for the most part. I’m here to say that you CAN push in other positions and you probably SHOULD at least try a few before you figure out what will work for you.

Secret Menu for Postpartum Top 5

Everyone wants to buy stuff for your baby, but all of our “secret menu” things are specifically for YOU!

1. Milk Collectors are awesome for catching that extra liquid gold that might otherwise end up in your bra, but be aware that there are passive collectors like Milkies Milk Saver on-the-go & active ones like the Haakaa silicone pump. If you have a tendency to overproduce, be aware of if you are demanding more or just collecting.

2. The fancy peri-bottle made by Frida Mom is Ah-mazing if you’ve had a vaginal birth. Seriously!

3. #Cesarean or not, a belly binder can be your friend in those first days when your abs & organs are all still rearranging.

4. Clothes that are especially made for nursing your baby and being comfortable are important, & Kindred Bravely has some of our favorite pieces (& you can 10% off by using our link.

5. Our favorite pillows for nursing are from My Brest Friend, and not just because of the awesome pockets, though those are great too.

We truly hope…

We truly hope to keep breaking down the secret menu for our clients and community. If you don’t know to ask for these things, you might not get them. Keep learning and pushing for change, you know we will too.

Welcome Heather Spain: Birth & Postpartum Doula

One of the most sought after doulas in Southern Indiana has joined the Doula Group of Evansville team!

Heather is a modest and quiet person until you get to know her a little better. She is a highly intelligent and compassionate doula who knows her stuff because of her professional and personal experience. She is gentle and kind, but isn’t afraid to tell it like it is when that is what is needed in the moment. Heather has been a doula friend of mine for years, and I am honestly honored that she has chosen to join our team here at Doula Group of Evansville. I have had the chance to trust my clients to Heather before as a back-up doula, and now I get to help her find her own clients too!

Doula Heather Spain

Her Experience:

Heather has extensive doula experience both at hospital and home births. She is a highly skilled and trained doula who takes her role very seriously, but knows how to laugh at just the right times too. As a mom of 4, twins sandwiched between 2 singletons, Heather brings a TON of personal experience to the job as well. She’s had to juggle all the things, and she’s looking forward to helping all types of families learn to do the same from pregnancy announcement and into the 4th trimester. Heather is a former board member of our local Moms of Multiples group and fervent reader of all things lactation. She brings her knowledge and fantastic giggle to every interaction you have with her, and her organization skills are legendary. Heather is also an experienced placenta encapsulator, and will be tackling that role for us as well!

About herself:

“I have been a DONA trained birth doula since 2017 and have worked in many capacities within the birthing community. I was raised in Evansville, where I still live with my husband of 11 year and our four amazing children. Their unique births sparked my passion for working with birthing people and their families in all stages of their journey.”

See, I told you she’s modest! I would thoroughly embarrass her if I wrote all the amazing things I think about her here. Please suffice it to say that Heather is a one of a kind dynamite doula who knows her stuff!

Availability

Heather is available to start taking clients as early as mid-September for both birth and postpartum. That continuity of care from 1st trimester through 4th trimester is one of the greatest parts of Heather being able to do both birth and postpartum work! Want to meet Heather to see if she’s the right one to help you welcome your new little(s) into the world? Contact us today: doulagroupofevansville@gmail.com or 812-250-9590.

Postpartum Transition

All Birth Doula Packages with Doula Group of Evansville now include one postpartum planning session, because we think your postpartum transition is that important!

No matter what type of postpartum transition you are facing, we want you to feel prepared and supported. We talk to all kinds of parents about their worries and excitement and plans for postpartum, and while each situation is unique, so is our support. Beginning in 2021, all of our birth doula packages will now include one virtual visit with Kristyn, our postpartum doula.

Kristyn Tromley, postpartum doula at Doula Group of Evansville

We believe that postpartum transitions can be such an amazing time in a family’s life, and honestly think that an ounce of planning can head off many issues. We also know that having a postpartum doula can help ease that transition, even just to have someone to call and check on you and give you unbiased information based on evidence and experience, as Kristyn does for her virtual clients. Postpartum transitions are beautiful liminal periods full of growth, learning, appointments, hormones, diapers, spit-up, and so much more. We are passionate about helping all our clients’ postpartum transitions be less fraught with stress and more full of confidence and support.

First time parents facing their first postpartum transition, often have many questions, and not just about which structured carrier is our favorite. (Though of course we’re happy to tell you what we used and liked!) Sometimes first time parents don’t even know what questions to ask a postpartum doula, or why one might be really helpful. I think that a visit with our postpartum doula Kristyn is so important for first time parents facing that first postpartum transition. She can really help new parents think about some thing obstacles that might be thrown in their path and how to plan ahead.

Once you have one kid, you know it all right? WRONG! Sometimes that second or third postpartum transition can be challenging in ways that you didn’t encounter the first time. Sibling interactions are usually the biggest worry after the first baby, but there are plenty of other things that a postpartum doula can help discuss too. Meal planning and logistics also loom large in subsequent postpartum transitions, with more mouths to feed and car seats to wrangle comes some shifting of responsibilities. Kristyn recently learned about this second postpartum transition herself, when she had her 2nd baby in October 2020, so she definitely has a fresh perspective.

So whether this is your first or eighth baby, we would love to talk to you about how we can help your postpartum transition be a little easier. We know just how important the 4th trimester is!

Pregnancy Loss Support

Just because pregnancy loss is common, does not make it easy.

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and a time for remembering the smallest footprints on our hearts. Pregnancy loss isn’t something that we regularly talk about in our culture, so the regularity of it is often hidden. Everyone should know that one in four pregnancies ends in a loss.

Grief is a nebulous complex journey, and you don’t have to go it alone. Locally we have Emalyn’s Angels which is an outstanding organization dedicated to making sure parents don’t have to travel the path of grief alone. Speaking the names of their names and remembering them can be especially helpful for parents too.

I have also been so thankful for Chrissy Teigen & John Legend speaking out about their pregnancy loss. What a blessing they are to share their raw and real emotions. They are surely helping end the stigma of talking about pregnancy loss. We have been following their story and sending our love there way. They are so great at using their platform and images to push for change and acceptance. Speaking of photography: Did you know that there is a company that will send a free specially trained photographer for your baby born sleeping?

The complicated feelings that follow loss can be so challenging to navigate. That’s why one of the complimentary services we offer is Miscarriage & Stillbirth Support for both prenatal and postpartum. If you are facing a delivery knowing that you won’t take your baby home with you, we would be happy to meet with you to talk about your expectations and walk you through your options. Want to know what it could be like and what you can ask for? We will walk through it. We also offer postpartum support to help you find resources, talk about your experiences, and explore comfort techniques that might help during your grief especially. Please reach out to us if this is something you are interested in for your family.

I will never forget the brief lives of Ruby Grace and Desmond Truman. They were gone too soon, but most definitely left impressions on my doula heart. For all the beautiful births of babies that I get to attend, there are always those phone calls that break my heart too. When I know that a client is experiencing a pregnancy loss, I know that there is truly nothing that will bring them comfort in that moment. But doulas hold the space for pregnancy loss too, because that is what we do.