Nikole (she/her)

When we’re younger, there are a so many possibilities of what we can do and become “when we grow up.” I wanted to be an architect, a veterinarian, a language interpreter for the UN and even an embalmer at one point. Of course, all of that has changed with time, as things do. However, I always knew I wanted to be a mother, and I knew I wanted to become a mother in my early 20’s. Thank goodness I did because I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without that experience. 

I didn’t prepare for the postpartum. I read the pregnancy books, got the “needed” baby gear and the cute clothes but I didn’t prepare for taking care of myself. I neglected my physical and mental recovery, due to the common belief that we are fed in the U.S., that we should prioritize our baby and not ourselves. I needed support, physically and emotionally, and while I did have some physical support, the lack of emotional support really took a toll. The absence of support affected not only my partner and I but our ability to be the parents we wanted and dreamt we would be for our child. Support in the postpartum is a necessity not a luxury, and while building a support system looks a bit different for everyone, it truly makes all the difference.

12 years and 2 children later, I am thankful for those hard and transformative lessons that led me to birthwork and becoming a postpartum doula. What an honor it has been and continues to be, to walk alongside families as part of their chosen village.