The Best Birth Podcast Episode 35 - Mental Health and Physical Health in Pregnancy and Support After Birth with Postpartum Doula Calie Hong
INTERVIEW OVERVIEW
Callie Hong, a postpartum doula, shares her journey to becoming a doula and the importance of birth advocacy. She emphasizes the need for parents to have information and options when it comes to their birth plans. Callie discusses the tools she provides to help parents prepare and make informed decisions, such as researching different birthing options and creating a birth plan. She highlights the significance of having a birth team that supports and respects the parents' wishes. Callie also talks about the role of a doula in helping parents create precious moments after birth and offers tips for new moms, including the importance of sleep and asking for help.
TAKEAWAYS
Birth advocacy is important to ensure that parents have information and options when it comes to their birth plans.
Researching different birthing options and creating a birth plan can help parents make informed decisions and feel empowered during labor.
Having a birth team that supports and respects the parents' wishes is crucial for a positive birth experience.
A doula can play a significant role in helping parents create precious moments after birth and provide support during the postpartum period.
Sleep is essential for new parents, and asking for help from family and friends can provide much-needed support.
WORDS OF WISDOM
There's so much hurt in the medical system because people don't know what their rights are.
I encourage my parents to do research for what feels right for them.
Creating a plan and then being able to go with the flow when things aren't happening the way that you planned.
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction and Background
01:15 The Importance of Birth Advocacy
04:51 Creating a Birth Plan and Building a Supportive Birth Team
09:36 The Power of Research and Flexibility in Birth
15:03 The Role of a Postpartum Doula
TALKING POINTS
postpartum doula, birth advocacy, birth plan, birth options, birth team, precious moments after birth, sleep, asking for help
RESOURCES
Birth Without Fear - January Harshe
"That’s the thing about birth, we don’t get an itinerary. We have to surrender and let go and it’s in that vulnerability we find the courage and strength we forgot we’ve had since our own birth. The power is already in you."
Birthing From Within - Pam England
"Combine practical medical knowledge with the power of embodied practice, ritual, story, and artmaking for authentic preparation and healing."
"Build flexibility, resilience, and coping skills, so that you are less vulnerable to birth trauma."
Self Compassion - Kristin Neff
"Self-compassion is a way of emotionally recharging our batteries. Rather than becoming drained by life’s difficulties, self-compassion allows us to thrive and grow."
Calie Hong
Calie has been a postpartum doula for almost two years. She has always loved babies and has been a nanny in the past. She has become very passionate about mental health and education as it relates to pregnancy and birth. She is also passionate about supporting new parents as they transition into their new roles.
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