A Girl and Her Doula

"Matriarchies are not just a reversal of patriarchy, with women ruling over men as the usual misinterpretation would have it. Matriarchies are mother-centere...d societies, they are based on maternal values: care-taking, nurturing, motherliness, which holds for everybody: for mothers and those who are not mothers, for women and men alike. Matriarchal societies are consciously built upon these maternal values and motherly work, and this is why they are much more realistic than patriarchies. They are, on principle, need-oriented. Their precepts aim to meet everyone’s needs with the greatest benefit. So, in matriarchies, mothering which originates as a biological fact is transformed into a cultural model. Heide Göttner-Abendroth Artist Ben Pease

Trustworthy info to help you navigate this challenging time as a pregnant or breastfeeding person

Came across this via the lovely Nadia Houle- RAc, Indigenous Birth Doula It’s my personal belief that a lot of postpartum mood disorders are birthed out of this grief. Grief for the type of birth and postpartum we feel in our bones we are entitled to, and yet, very rarely experience. While it’s hard to change how our current society perceives these experiences, the first step you can do for yourself is mourn this loss and validate this pain for yourself. It is real and it is... valid.

Doulas can offer a nonjudgmental space for listening sometimes all you need is some gentle acknowledgment and validation for your experience. Other times you might need more. Either way, how you feel before, during, and after childbirth is important.

A very worthy read

I’m slowly, slowly putting my business together piece by piece. Something you may not know about me >> I’ve worked as a self-employed entrepreneur on and off for 7 years helping other small business owners with their online appearance and marketing. I’ve always wanted to take full control over a brand and their website and social media platforms, and now I finally get the opportunity to have full creative control over my own business.... It will all come together soon as I stitch my dream together a little bit at a time. So if it seems like it’s taking awhile just remember a mom with two little kids is building a website and a dream behind the scenes

I got my Postpartum Doula and Birth Doula certificates! Yesterday, after I picked them up, I cried all the way home because I am SO damn proud of myself - probably prouder than even my university diploma - because of THE STRUGGLE. I had no idea we’d be entering a global pandemic when I decided to do this - nor could I have known what it would be like to try to do this with two busy boys at home with me, changing jobs, my hormones and mental health going AWOL or anything else ...that’s happened this past year. Grateful to everyone for their support - you know who you are - but mostly I’m grateful to myself for holding this vision for my future no matter what.