Golden Month

Because proper support, care and healing is a necessity after having a baby. It is not a luxury.

You think because you understand “one” you must also understand “two”, because one and one make two. But you must also understand “and”.

— RUMI

Hi, I’m Hannah.

My work is mother focused.

Often, after having a baby, everyone’s attention (including yours) is on the baby. My job is to focus on you and ensure you are getting the healing, care and attention that you need.

In traditional medicine the weeks after birth are viewed as a transformative and powerful reset for the body. A moment where great healing that will last a lifetime can take place.

There is an expression ’40 days for 40 years’ which describes the impact of the postpartum time. How a woman is treated in this time will stay with her for the rest of her life.

So, this time of postpartum is anything but business as usual. There is a need to step away from day-to-day life for a while. A ‘wintering’ or hibernation while you heal, get to know your baby and start to find your feet as a parent.

Building this special cocoon for you as a new family can be challenging. Especially if it isn’t what you or your wider family are used to. However, there is a strong history of women receiving this type of care across many different cultures. While it isn’t the norm, it is so desperately needed.

If you would like some support designing this healing space for you and your family, or actually having weekly in home support from me, there is more information below.

Or you can book a call here to talk more, or send me an email to start the conversation.

Postpartum care Options

  • Postpartum Planning

    Support to ensure you actually get the postpartum you want.

    Bespoke sessions that explore traditional healing, boundaries, barriers to you resting and receiving and early motherhood.

  • Matrescence Coaching

    The transition to motherhood is a powerful shift. Almost every area of your life will change.

    Rarely do our expectations and our reality align. This can be deeply uncomfortable. Coaching is a safe space to explore these shifts.

  • Doula

    No one is supposed to navigate this alone. A postpartum doula is someone who is there by your side.

    Checking in on how you are doing and providing continuity of care. Holding you as you recover, heal and settle into your new role as a parent.

NOTE: All three of these elements are included in my work as a postpartum doula. However, I do also offer Postpartum Planning and Matrescence Coaching as standalone services that you can book on a session by session basis.

“Seeing Hannah has been amazing for my personal wellbeing and quality of life. She is a truly lovely individual who listens and cares…I highly recommend Hannah to anyone.”

— Sophie

What does a postpartum doula do?

Support.

Having a new baby is a lot.

Recovering from birth, especially if it was a different birth to the one you imagined, is a lot.

This is a time of life where you need people to care for you, so you can focus on caring for your new baby. Taking things off your plate so you can focus on healing and bonding.

While the language is new, this work has always existed. For our parents and our grandparents this role probably would have been filled by the women in their life.

Parenting in our generation is different. We have far less time in hospital. There is dramatically less continuity of care, so you meet lots of different health care professionals along the way. Plus, we are often living away from our families and our close friends. Also, those families and close friends are working, most of them working long hours in busy roles.

Those early weeks and months are precious. It is time for you to find your feet as a new family, get to know your new baby and begin to figure out who you are as a parent. You are also recovering from pregnancy and birth. Healing takes time and getting the right support and rest early on can mean that you feel much better, more resilient and able to cope with everything that parenting throws your way.

So, investing in you and your family in the early days is a good idea. You might choose to do that in lots of ways. Hiring a postpartum doula is one option that is available to you.

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What support do you offer as a postpartum doula?

Time. You need time and space that is totally focused on you and how you are doing. Someone coming to visit you once a week and check how you are feeling, giving you space to reflect on what you need and caring for you is essential postpartum.

Becoming a mother is a monumental rite of passage. One that brings change to every part of your life. Adjusting to that while also tending to a newborn baby is a big ask. So, this support is about helping you to adjust, to find your feet, to find your confidence.

Everyone needs different things. Often people need different things to what they thought they would need.

There will (almost) always be a brew, a handmade snack (always biscuit or cake based) and a chat.

Where we go from there will depend on how you are doing and the week you have had. It might be practical care like cooking or cleaning. It might be holding the baby so you can nap. It might be reflexology. It might be talking over your birth. It might be caring for an older child. It might be taking care of admin tasks.

We’ll decide together and there will always be flexibility to adapt and change as we go.

It could include….

Physical care, like reflexology, running a warm herbal salt bath for you to enjoy, herbal remedies, essential oil blends, caring for baby so you can nap.

Emotional support, like birth story processing. Support with your transition to motherhood and bonding with your baby. Support with relationships and coping with change. Space to talk and reflect on how you are finding things. Someone to notice how you are from week to week.

Supporting you as a parent, with things like baby massage, teaching techniques for comfort, connection, soothing, sleep and digestion. Feeding support. Sleep support (advice on co-sleeping, support to feed lying down, holding the baby so you can sleep).

Practical support. This looks different for everyone. It might include cooking postpartum meals. Planning a week of easy to prepare meals and snacks and stocking the fridge and cupboards. Cleaning, organising the home, cleaning the kitchen, changing the sheets, whatever it is that you need that day. Admin, organising thank you notes (however, please note - no one expects these), organising bills, emails. Caring for older children so you get some dedicated time with your new baby.

 

How do I book in?

You need to have a good connection with your postpartum doula. They will be a trusted person in your life and supporting you at what can feel like a very vulnerable time. So, I recommend speaking with a few people to make sure you are getting the right support.

If you think I might be the person for you, I’d love to meet you for a coffee and some cake (my treat), or we can have a virtual catch up.

I work Monday – Friday.  

 

Where do you work?

I’m based in North Preston but see clients across the Northwest. I’m happy to travel for around an hour for postpartum sessions.