Postpartum Health

Many birthing and postpartum parents suffer perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs). But parents in emotional distress can recover – with social support, psychotherapy, and medication – often without being separated from their babies. In fact, programs that keep parents and babies together during treatment are on the rise in the U.S., and Metropolitan Doulas…

Bringing a new life into the world is a magical and challenging experience. Postpartum doulas can be your partner in navigating many of those magical moments and their challenges. As a doula myself, I’ve had the privilege of supporting countless families during this tender time. Today, let’s explore the diverse world of postpartum doulas, and…

Have you noticed how everyone talks about pregnancy and birth, but less so about what happens after you have your baby? Adjusting to the “fourth trimester” is difficult for everyone involved, and families are often encouraged to keep the messiness of their experience under lock and key. I’ve noticed that people are especially silent when…

Father’s Day is just around the corner, and every year a whole new batch of guys have moved out of the Dude Zone and into the Dad Zone and are celebrating this day of recognition for the very first time. However, I think that we should also start to make some extra efforts to include…

It’s definitely an interesting time to have a baby! Things are slowly starting to open up in the United States, but many people still feel uncomfortable doing many of the things we used to do a few months ago. Add a newborn to the mix, and things can feel downright terrifying.  We often recommend that…

Living with a newborn can be difficult.  That’s not news. Often when folks are trying to be helpful to new parents, they will offer advice like “Sleep when the baby sleeps” or “Take time for yourself.”  Sometimes those platitudes are helpful, but more often they leave parents at a loss on how to practically add…

Written by Client Kate – Silver Spring It was 3 a.m. on our first night home from the hospital when I dialed Metropolitan Doulas, crying and desperate for help. Our daughter, Piper, had been inconsolable for hours. We had tried everything – the (not-yet-recalled) Rock n’ Play, swaddling, white noise, rocking, shushing, bouncing, just holding…

This month, nine Metropolitan Doulas attended a gathering of professionals who work with pregnant and postpartum women – doctors, nurses, therapists, midwives, doulas, massage therapists, social workers, and beyond.  We met for four hours to talk about perinatal mental health resources in our region and how we can better work together to serve families. Since…

Predicting how we will experience and endure birth and postpartum is near impossible, but planning for both is. The power of a (birth) plan If you are an expecting parent, it is likely you have a birth-plan – a careful piece of research on the setting and support you want during your labor and birth.…

It takes a village. As doulas, we say this a lot and, as postpartum parents, we seldom hear it enough. Loud and clear are social expectations for our recovery from birth and our adjustment to life with a newborn. From how we should look in our new skins to ways we must love the babe(s)…