Over the weekend, I attended one of our local Remembrance Day services. As always, it was very moving and reminded me to be thankful for so many things in my life.
Suddenly, I thought of how interesting it was to be surrounded by serving members and veterans. They all had such wonderful family support behind them, cheering them on as they marched in the parade.
It also made me think of the work that I do as a doula and childbirth educator. Support is the keyword that stood out to me and how vital it is in our lives.
As a doula, I am part of the support team. Meeting with families a few times during pregnancy, attending the labour and birth, as well as visits postpartum - it allows these families easy access to someone who can provide them with information when they need it to make decisions, hands on support during labour, and their own personal cheerleader to get breastfeeding off to a great start.
Teaching childbirth education classes, the support is still there. I always let people know to call me if they have questions. Sharing the information with them about what to expect and what their options are allows each family to understand their unique needs and start to think about what works best for them. I know, at the end of the day, the information we shared is going to help them grow their family and help make their experience a powerful, memorable birth.
Support is so important in pregnancy because it can reduce stress, which in itself can help reduce risks of preterm labour (although there are other risks to consider as well).
Moms are not the only ones who need support. Partners face many challenges too! They are often overlooked and feel the burden of the many tasks to be accomplished. Anyone can help by bringing over some food, offering to do laundry or dishes, or just being the listening ear.
I hope that you can all take a few minutes to say thank you to your support systems, whether it be family, friends, a local group, religious community, co-workers, or other special people in your lives.
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