“It takes a village to raise a child.”
It also takes a village to support a mother.
Pregnancy, birth and new motherhood is not something that should be taken on as a solo act. Nobody needs to prove how tough and strong they are, and how independent they can be, and how much they can juggle on their own. There is certainly no prize given to the woman who can “do it all” and the personal rewards usually aren’t as amazing as we might have thought.
It’s been mentioned time and again that we have lost our sense of community when it comes to pregnancy and birth. The postpartum period, when women used to be tended to by family members or wise women of the local town or neighborhood seems to be long gone. Even the days of knowing your neighbors and having a home cooked meal dropped off by one of them after the birth of your new baby have all but disappeared for most people.
Pregnancy can be a confusing time for some women. There are a million changes happening week by week and sometimes it seems like everyone you ask gives you a different answer. You want reassurance and at the same time just an ear to listen to your worries and fears.
Birth brings up a lot of questions and again, there are so many opinions from those around you. Don’t even bother with Dr. Google because that will just lead you down a path you will probably regret.
Then you have the postpartum period. The first 6 weeks following the birth of your baby. You’re breastfeeding, or not. You’re co-sleeping, or not. You’re recovering from an intense birth, or not. You have family around, or you’re lonely.
Whatever your situation, you feel a void. Something is missing. You need a village. Where can you find that? How can we recreate this?
I have some ideas…
