One of my favourite parts of being a photographer is meeting new people. Last fall I had the pleasure of meeting Denise, her husband, and their little girl for a mini Christmas session. They came back into the studio this spring for L's first birthday cake smash (you can read more about the session here). She has the most amazing blue eyes and was an excellent smasher!
Over these sessions we spent some time chatting and I learned that Denise is completing her training to be a certified doula. You can browse her website or check her out on Facebook. Since we both work with families and newborns, I wanted to learn more and we met for coffee so I could hear more about her business.
While talking to Denise, I learned that doulas do a lot more than I originally thought! Not only do they support mothers during labour, they can provide practical help after baby arrives. They can help with baby feeding, bathing, and even light housework! I know that I could have used this help so badly after my own kids arrived. One of the most important aspects of her job is watching over the mental health of both parents. This is a topic that is very important to me and watch for an event this fall all about postpartum mental health! Postpartum can be a exhausting and overwhelming time, and doulas like Denise are there to help.
One of the most interesting thing I learned was that doulas can also greatly decrease the amount of interventions that birthing mothers receive, including chemical inductions, pain medication, and even cesarean sections!
If you are interested in learning more about what doulas can do for you, or even just want to chat with a really fun person, Denise has "meet the doula" events every second month.
Throughout this post, I've also shared some of the recent headshots I did for her. If you need a portrait for your professional life, please contact me today! I have special rates for headshots that also include a license for commercial use. Contact me for more information!
Also, if you are a small business owner that focuses on babies and families, I would love to meet you! Drop me a line and we can set up coffee.