Postpartum Story

We were so excited to hire Alison to be our doula in the winter of 2021, but the Delta variant of Covid had other plans for us. Leading up to the birth of our baby, we always knew we wanted Alison by our side, to help me, to help my partner, to support us and guide us through the journey of the birth of our first child. That gave us a lot of confidence.

But when Sydney plunged into lockdown at the end of June 2021, just two weeks before my due date, we knew things might not go to plan. We clung to the thought and hope of Alison being with us for the birth of our child, but ultimately the hospitals would not allow her inside, which was unfortunately something completely out of our control. We were lucky that Alison was able to prepare us so well before the birth that it took so much of the stress and fear of the ‘unknown’ out of it.

Alison told us that although she couldn’t be with us for the birth of our son, she would be there for our postpartum care. As a first-time mother, I had no idea what to expect from a postpartum doula. I can tell you that the day she walked into my house, a week after my birth, I was so happy. She carried a bag full of amazing, mouth-watering food, along with a calm attitude and a gentle, caring spirit. She immediately gave me and my husband a break, allowed us to eat some incredibly wholesome food, and let our minds reset, even if it was a temporary reset.

Alison visited me every Thursday for the following six weeks, and I couldn’t wait for Thursday to come around. I knew Alison would arrive at my house in the morning with more amazing food and more amazing support. Not only would she hold the baby so I could shower, but she’d hang the laundry, she’d make me a cup of coffee, and most importantly she would validate my thoughts and feelings.

I was recovering from a mentally and emotionally traumatic birth and one of the best things that Alison ever did for me was sit in my living room with me and debrief my entire birth so that I had a safe space to voice and explore my feelings. I only ever felt supported.

Alison also taught me the best way to ‘wear’ my baby, which was great. And her postpartum massage and healing herbs for my sore bits were amazing. For me there is no doubt a postpartum doula can help speed up your body’s healing after birth as well as provide that extra pair of hands that help you get through the exhaustion.

Alison also knows if you need any additional care, and is across all the best specialist carers to refer you to. Whether it’s a lactation specialist or a chiropractor, Alison can point you in the direction of someone who understands exactly where you’re at.

When our baby was seven months old we had to make and emergency trip overseas for family reasons. I was so happy Alison agreed to come with us. She not only helped take care of the baby during the stress of getting on and off planes, but also during the flight so we could get a break. Once we arrived, having her with us allowed us to take care of things we needed to without worrying about the baby. I knew he was in safe, familiar hands. I would definitely recommend anyone needing to travel with a baby takes a doula with them. And you couldn’t ask for a better doula than Alison. 

It was an invaluable experience having Alison as my postpartum doula. Every woman deserves to have a postpartum doula. Not only did she give us warm, nutritious, amazing food every week – she provided an extra set of hands to hold the baby, help around the house, assuage my fears, and validate my feelings as a first-time mother. She is warm, comforting, and a genuinely wonderful person to be around, especially supporting you in those vulnerable weeks postpartum.