Guest Blog - Postnatal Birth Support
This guest blog has been written by the wonderful Samantha Adams. Sam is a birth and postnatal doula, offering her support to Mums through childbirth and beyond. We are so lucky to have Sam as a guest speaker for our studio, offering her expertise and guidance.
Sam recently came into the studio to do a series of talks for our Pilates for Pregnancy clients. Something we realised through these talks is the Mums are often unaware of the support that can be available to them after the baby is born - and how important & valuable that support can be.
Here is what our lovely Sam has to say…
During pregnancy, there is a lot of emphasis on preparing for birth and labour. The precious postnatal period is often overlooked but it is crucial when we talk about ongoing mental and emotional wellbeing for the whole family.
“WHEN A BABY IS BORN, SO TOO IS A MOTHER”
In our culture, we are so focussed on caring for the newborn baby that the mother often gets forgotten. During the Fourth Trimester (the first 3 months postpartum), the preservation of the mother and baby dyad is of crucial importance. This is the symbiotic bond, wherein both are dependent on each other being close and attached, both for the developmental needs of the baby and the emotional wellbeing and recovery of the mother, and it needs to be protected and honoured.
Today’s society encourages parents to get back to “normal” as quickly as possible following the birth of a baby. Whether the emphasis is on mum “pinging back” physically to her pre-pregnancy shape and size, or parents leaving baby for work, social engagements or nights away before they’re ready to do so, there are hundreds of directions from which external pressure and judgement can appear, unbidden and unwelcome.
But what happens when you slow things down, embrace the new normal of life as a family and unapologetically put the needs of your new self and your new baby above all the external noise? The benefits of ensure someone is around to protect your space and support you all through the most intense and important of transitions?
As a postnatal doula, I am a professional support person, there to protect your space and support you gently through one of the most intense and important of life transitions. I completed my training in January 2024 and have since worked with lots of beautiful and unique families, all of whom have benefited from having postnatal help in very different ways.
First and foremost, I am there to listen. Being an emotionally supportive safe space for both parents to debrief and discuss their birth experience is a very important part of my role. Whether it all comes out in our very first session together, or we are a few sessions into my time with you when you choose to share with me, my listening ear is always open. Allow yourself to truly be heard and understood, gently and without judgement, as you talk about how you’re feeling.
All doulas are different, but cooking nourishing food and preparing healthy and wholesome snacks and meals for the family is an important part of my offering. I’m a very keen cook with a particular interest in postpartum nutrition, but I generally just love taking care of people with food!
Light housework, shopping and laundry are all part of the day to day load that I can bear for you while you rest and recover. Spending lots of time snuggled in bed with your baby is the best way to bond, so let me put some crispy clean sheets on for you while I watch baby as you take a long, hot reviving shower. Folding onesies, making sure you have enough clean muslins and replenishing nappy bags and changing caddies so that your mind has space to concentrate on yourself and your baby.
Other things I’ve done for families working postnatally include (but are in no way limited to):
Accompanying mum to the beach so she can enjoy a swim in the sea and a sauna while I care for baby; accompanying mum to the gym so she can have a workout and a coffee while I care for baby; walking dogs and taking baby in the pram; going grocery shopping with baby; accompanying mum on her first outing with new baby at a cafe; playing with older children and helping them tidy their bedrooms; prepping breakfast lunch and dinner to last the week; chasing slow worms and shrews out of the house after the cat bought some ‘presents’; organising and refilling nappy caddies and changing tables; even braiding mums hair!
Lots of doulas (including me) offer nighttime support as well, helping you through the long lonely hours of wakefulness when it feels like the whole world is asleep around you. Whether its a bit of company and assistance, or you want someone else to take responsibility for the entire night so that you can recharge with a full sleep, a nighttime doula can really turn your week around in just one shift.
Whether you are having your first baby or fifth, I believe every mother deserves the most respectful, caring and supportive help throughout the crucial postnatal period with her new baby.
Remember; when a baby is born, so too is a mother.
Sam giving an enlightening guest talk to our Pilates for Pregnancy clients during summer 2025.
About the author:
Samantha Adams is a doula, supporting women and their families through pregnancy, childbirth and beyond. She is also trained in Biomechanics for Birth and KGHypnobirthing. She passionately believes that every woman deserves to be heard, held and lovingly supported through all aspects of becoming a mother. You can find out more about Sam and there services she offers at https://www.southdownsdoula.co.uk