When it comes to raising kids, there’s a saying that floats around: it takes a village to raise a child.  Previous generations grew up in close-knit communities made up of families, friends and neighbors that came alongside parents to help guide, teach and nurture their children.  But over the last century, the village dynamic has drastically changed in response to world-altering events. 

In the last 50 years alone, families saw some of the biggest shifts in the village mentality and in their own household structure. The 70s marked a rise in single-parent households and the birth of the counterculture movement that challenged traditional family structures.  With a large economic shift in the 80s, changes in the job market forced families to relocate for more work/better pay, leaving behind their village and support systems.  The 90s saw another cultural shift with both parents working longer hours, latchkey programs replacing grandparents and neighbors in childcare, and the rise of the internet further isolating people through digital connections.

So, what happens when the village doesn’t exist anymore?  How do families cultivate a support system when they’re expecting a new baby and they haven’t established a village within their local community? Thankfully, postpartum doulas can help bridge the gap.  

Postpartum doulas hold a wealth of information for local resource connections.  When you’re new to the area, postpartum doulas can help you find pediatricians/family doctors, lactation consultants, mom groups, and even baby/kid-friendly places and activities! She can help you get connected, and just maybe, be the starting point to finding your village!  Postpartum doulas provide emotional and physical support.  Adjusting to a newborn, whether it’s your first or last, can be overwhelming, especially if you aren’t surrounded by family or your village.  A postpartum doula provides encouragement and hands-on help to ease families during this transitional and transformative time.  Postpartum doulas can help out around the house.  A mom should be able to focus on her rest and recovery while caring for her baby.  Usually, family and/or the village helps pitch in with light housework, meal prep and even sibling care.  When families don’t have the support of either, a postpartum doula can step in to fill the gap so mom can recuperate and tend to baby.  And finally, postpartum doulas can provide infant care education.  New parents, especially those without a village or family nearby, can benefit from infant care education. It’s more than just feeding the baby and changing diapers; its about learning how to soothe your baby, utilizing new care techniques so your baby can adjust to life outside the womb and finding your stride as a family.

Parenting can be hard at times, but when families are supported by a village?  They don’t just survive, they THRIVE.  A postpartum doula can be a stepping stone to finding your village and creating a life filled with community, love and memories. Welcome home friend!