For every birth, there is a postpartum season. A period in time so sacred that we either embody best practices and thrive, or we don’t. There is rarely middle ground here. This is why we entered into a new space with Cherry Blossom Doula Services, creating a team of postpartum doulas back in 2019.

Though really, it just started with one.

If you find yourself wondering about postpartum doula care we’ll tackle the what, who, where, when and why of it in this comprehensive post alongside our annual team-wide postpartum stats.

Are you ready to dive in with us?

First, a little history on our postpartum doula organization!

Our postpartum doula team began with one – and then exploded in a very good way, very quickly. So many families reached out in such a short period of time that our team grew. It grew and it grew and… it’s still growing. Our team is a gorgeous bunch to date. And in 2022, these beautiful humans took the support of postpartum mothers and families to the masses.

Through holistic and evidence-based wellness care, our postpartum doulas made visits with over 80 Arizona families and several others virtually.

Above, you’ll see many whom we loved on! Some of these families we spent a short time with and others the entire first 12 weeks of postpartum. A time lovingly referred to in the postpartum world as The Fourth Trimester. From prenatal planning (individual families and workshops), consultative care, meal preparation, womb care and belly binding to collaborating with our birth team for the best possible transition into new or new-again motherhood and parenthood, we met a whole lot of needs.

On this note, we know that for thousands of years mothers and birthing people have been cared for by a village. It’s only been over the last 100 or so that the fibers of familial and community support have become undone. And in a not-so-radical leap, we noticed this gap as individuals, mothers, parents, and caregivers – and sought to fill it.

In our line of work, we like to say, “Your first 42 days (postpartum) is equal your next 42 years.” The examples in science are now limitless. Like the fetal cells found in birthing bodies for up to 39 years post-birth! (Here is a wonderful article from ASU, if you’d like to geek out.)

Additionally, for mothers and birthing persons who have birthed and “postpartum-ed” before, your second (fifth, eighth…) postpartum can heal your last. We know this based both on evidence and in working with our clients. Over the years, we have seen countless clients receive the healing postpartum they desired with Ayurvedic care. In fact, personal experience is what birthed our postpartum vision of bringing specialized care to families today.

Because of word of mouth about these healing experiences, we saw an increase in the number of families who chose and are choosing Ayurvedic mother care for their postpartum.

In 2022, 38% of our clients requested and received care aligned with Ayurvedic postpartum wisdom.

While Ayurvedic medicine does influence the way that we support families, not everyone wants this advanced care. Some of our families simply wanted to be held. With daytime care, this often looked like hands-on attention to dishes and healthy meals; newborn care and reading cues; sibling care and folding laundry; emotional support and resources and referrals. And at night, we nurtured parent and infant sleep, supporting loose routines, reinforcing healthy attachment, and offering guidance upon request. But most often, we soulfully occupied the space at hand. For our families and their babies. Meeting needs on demand, and welcoming the challenges that can come in the dark.

Our postpartum doula team supported four sets of twin/multiple babies this year!

While every year the number of twin and multiples vary, this seems to be a common space where we can really offer a lot of extra (necessary) support for up to 12 weeks postpartum. Loving hands and hearts are invaluable in this tender season and time!

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Did you know socio-emotional support is a significant facet of our caregiving?

Postpartum doulas are a strong emotional support for families. While our doulas do not provide therapeutic interventions or counseling, 1:1 emotional caretaking is definitely within our realm of expertise.

Approximately 40-50% of our postpartum clients have (consistently over the last four years) had a previous history with mental health and wellness.

This year that number was 42%. Postpartum doulas offer hope for women and families who need to know that long days and tough nights don’t last forever. Doulas gift clients with the opportunity of a “safe container” to explore personal thought life and experiences; while applauding their (your!) inner wisdom that comes to life. And, the best part is the unbiased support. Maybe it’s postpartum depression… or maybe mom hasn’t had the support she’s needed to receive a decent amount of sleep. Postpartum doulas walk with clients through this quite often!

Side note, you won’t receive a diagnosis or label from our team. But we are trained to notice when you could feel better than you currently do. In these cases, our postpartum doulas might mention extra support options – with loads of love and gentleness, of course.

Last but not least, beyond our in-home care we served families through womb workshops, postpartum planning and newborn care classes. We mentored new doulas and those interested in the field. We were also interviewed by Raising Arizona Kids Magazine! All of this is such a labor of love. One that we believe can make generational impact.

If you have questions about our stats (individual or group), we want you to reach out.

Together, we can make a difference in how families across Arizona and the country thrive.

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Looking for more about postpartum doulas? Check out these posts below:

• All About Postpartum Doulas
• What I Wish I Knew About Motherhood
• Healing Your Uterus After Birth
• Mindfulness in Postpartum