Trauma

 

Trauma really starts from birth, more than 50% of birthing people in the US are unsatisfied by the level of care, treatment and support they received from care providers during and after their pregnancies. 

              

               Postpartum

is especially a delicate time, you've spent 9 months preparing to bring an amazing little ball of joy into the world but what's next?Adjusting to the new demands of a baby, maintaining household order and life as you know it is very stressful. Balancing it all while running on fumes of exhaustion, how are you? No seriously, how are you really feeling? Each year 4 million babies are born in the US and over 3 million birthing people are diagnosed with Postpartum Depression, a serious form of Depression that usually begins 2 weeks - 3 months after childbirth and can last for up to a year in 50% of birthing people diagnosed with the disorder. 

 

Mental Health is now losing its stigma and yet, 1 in 5 birthing people have a mental health issue brought on by pregnancy and postpartum, more than half do not seek help and aren't adequately screened or treated.  Mothers/Birthing Parents and their babies aren't heard, supported and tenderly cared for as they need and deserve. Which causes a disconnect, turmoil and feelings of hopelessness within a mother/birthing parent and their family. Untreated Mental Health issues can effect the baby too, often times suffering mothers/birthing people are unable to bond, care for and nurture their baby. This disconnect from the relationship a mother/birthing person has with their child can negatively impact the identity a woman/birthing person has with themselves and that can damage mother/birthing person and baby years after.         

 

                 The Doula 

There are two types of Doulas, Birth Doulas help prepare and support a woman/birthing person during pregnancy and through labor. Birth Doulas are thought of as the keepers of pregnant people as they hold and guide you through education, hands on care and advocacy of mom/birthing parent, baby, their birth plan and physical health. Birth Doulas prepare the mind, body and soul of a pregnant person, feeding them with pregnancy and childbirth knowledge, wisdom and generational teachings. Postpartum Doulas are guides of the final phase of pregnancy and beginning phase of Motherhood/Parenthood as we Mother the Birthing Person. Postpartum Doulas hold space for the mother/birthing person often listening to the birthing person's worries, troubles and fears, respecting and validating them and their wishes; observing cues of mental and emotional unrest and developing plan designed to care for, teach and educate not only mom but her support system as well.  

 

             We Want To Be

  The Connecting Bridge                   For You  

Education, care, love, support and validation is the mission of With Women Village, studies have shown that having a Birth Doula as a member of a mother's birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labor by 25%, the use of oxytocin by 40% and requests for an epidural by 60%. Having a Postpartum Doula has been shown to decrease transitional stress, anxiety, Postpartum Depression, Postpartum Psychosis, Postpartum Complications, Sleep Deprivation and Breastfeeding Complications. Postpartum Doulas lead by example, often with more of a tender hands on approach by modeling a can do healthy and informed lifestyle, self-care and baby routine.

 

  The Birth Community and Covid-19, the rise of birthing people who’ve had to birth alone, endure miscarriages alone and have appointments alone due to efforts of limiting the spread has created a deep wound and fear with all expecting and postpartum mothers/birthing people. Even after the pandemic, everyday protocol concerning large numbers of people and health hygiene are going to change for an unforeseeable extended period of time. Which will cause a generation of victimized birthing persons, families and newborns. Allow With Women Village the honor and privilege to teach, love, educate, support, fellowship and improve the experiences and lives of the birthing community to the best of our ability, especially during a time of it really taking a village to keep a community.