Helping Hands Doula

“I Won’t Hold Your Baby

…unless you ask me to, in which case, I will snuggle and cuddle your baby as much as you want me to.

I never ask my clients if I can hold their baby. In fact, I rarely ever touch my client’s baby if I can help it. Sounds sort of like the opposite of what you might picture of a doula, right? We must all be birth crazy, baby obsessed women who just want to cover babies in kisses and love and get an emotional high from attending births?

Not this doula.

I LOVE attending births. Call me crazy, but getting those middle of the night calls is one of my favorite parts of this job. I get to listen to someone at their most vulnerable times - the excitement, the hesitation, the nervousness of the unknown. Being able to provide some comfort, reassurance and continuity of care to the people I work with is so important to me (and them!)

Rushing off in the night, quietly getting myself ready, getting in the car and heading off to their home or hospital makes me feel like I’m on a secret birth mission that nobody around me knows about. When I arrive I fall as seamlessly as I can into the rhythm of the birth and start supporting my clients in whatever way they need most.

When the baby arrives I step aside and leave room for the new parents to discover their baby. I try and grab some photos (I’m not a birth photographer though, so keep your expectations in check!) and then I only step in if my client needs me for some reason.

Why does that matter? Why won’t I ask to hold your baby? Simply because: they are yours, not mine. I want you to be able to hold your baby as close as you want, for as long as you want without anyone interrupting that time. There will be enough people coming along in the next few hours and weeks who need to take that baby out of your arms for whatever reason, and tons of friends and family who will offer help by “holding the baby”.

Instead, I want to hold you, whether that’s in my arms, in my heart or my thoughts. By supporting and “holding” you, I don’t need to hold your baby. But if you ask me to, I would LOVE to.”

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A secure attachment experience is a gift for children AND for parents. When we focus our intention on connecting with our children, on seeing them, hearing them, and adoring them, we set our children up for a deepened sense of self-worth and trust in relationships.

It is the gift that keeps on giving. It leaves them with fond secure memories of childhood, AND it equips them with the skills to relate to others with compassion, empathy, and connection.

Please stop judging and shaming parents for the choices they make for THEIR families. You don’t know the obstacles they may be up against.

Here are 10 benefits of an early bedtime for your child 🛌

Many of your child’s sleep struggles may be significantly lessened by one new habit: an early bedtime.

I often talk to parents whose children struggle with waking up at night, early rising, and resisting getting in bed as well as going to sleep. One of the most consistent issues that we need to address for these children is setting and sticking to an early bedtime.

An early bedtime can mean much more restful sleep for your child, and it is often much easier to implement than parents think.

To read more from the blog, follow the link below: https://sleeplady.com/toddler-sleep-problems/early-bedtime-10-benefits/

You should consider joining our private FB group for more individualized advice from one of our Gentle Sleep Coaches: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2400175330257346