"It takes a village to raise a child"... and support a mother
Me and my 3 kids - Raphael, Stevie and Zoe (left to right).
A deep dive into why I chose to become a doula and help couples throughout familyhood...
I grew up in a typical Greek family in the Eastern Suburbs in the 90’s, where grandmothers and aunties were very hands on in my upbringing. Our weeks were filled with midweek family dinners at Yiayia’s, being cared for by grandparents while parents were working and hanging out with our cousins almost every Friday night and on weekends. Seasons were sprinkled with celebration, tradition, nourishing food and ritual.
Words to describe those early years - enveloping warmth.
So, when I was due to become a Mum, I assumed my experience would be the same as my mother's, that others would step up and help me become a mother and show me “the ropes.” But, times are different now, grandparents work well into their 60s and 70s, and our generation often have to move further away to be able to afford a comfortable life.
After complications with PCOS and an early cervical cancer removed when I was 21, it was honestly a dream come true when I learned I was pregnant for the first time (especially since I was on the pill!). I remember crying, staring at that pregnancy test, relieved, excited and also overwhelmed.
When my eldest daughter Zoe was born in 2017 and I instantly fell in love with motherhood. I have always been a nurturer, so mothering came easily to me - but I wasn’t very good at looking after and honouring myself.
I ended up feeling quite alone and isolated in my matrescence, though I didn’t realise just how isolated I was until years later during the C-19 pandemic - any breadcrumbs of connection I had were scattered through the odd video call with family, and FaceTime Wine Fridays with friends.
Where was my "Village"?
I found myself with a lot of time on my hands, and decided to immerse myself in what felt like an old flame, one of my first true loves - Yoga.
In 2021, I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training and also my 30-Hour Kids Yoga Certificate, as well as my specialist Prenatal & Postnatal training.
Having served women in the region for over a year now, facilitating yoga classes and Women’s Circles, I have seen a gap in what the mainstream medical system provides, compared to what women need throughout pregnancy, birth and even beyond the fourth trimester, to be fulfilled in their matrescence.
The care once provided by midwives during birth, and by mothers and grandmothers postnatally, wasn't there anymore.
Not just women, but entire families need "re-villaging." Isolation and detachment takes a toll on mothers, but also on fathers and children who need support, care and to feel a sense of belonging and connection to others.
It was a natural progression for me to become a doula and now, as a Sinlge Mum, it's hard to find the time to provide face-to-face support.
I have now created a range of online workshops and digital resources to help couples throughout the early years of familyhood, from the comfort of their own homes.
Maria
Click Here to tap into an online birth education workshop or download a Postpartum Planner - these have all been carefully designed by myself, and industry experts to help you feel informed and empowered leading up to birth.
