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Tag: postpartum depression

Postpartum depression?

February 18, 2020 Karen Leishman Leave a comment

Do you feel like you’re on an emotional roller coaster after giving birth? You’re not alone. The number one complication…

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Filed under: birth doula, depression, doula, postpartum, postpartum depression

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Recent Comments

    Recent Feedback

    WHAT AN AMAZINGJOURNEY!

    An extremely scary and emotional roller-coaster ride was how I would have described life during my early pregnancy. From the moment I met Karen and she became my doula I was comfortable and started to feel excited about my pregnancy. Mentally, emotionally and physically she was there every step of the way. Providing me with the best information and preparing me for the healthiest and safest labor and delivery possible. Regular meetings, phone calls, messaging, educating and  always offering moral support she's extremely good at what she does. THERE'S NOTHING I WOULD EVER FORGET ABOUT HER AND MY EXPERIENCE!
    I rember  a few hours before delivery my life had flased before my eyes as I reflected on everything I was facing. I started to become overwhelmed and I honestly started to doubt myself. Reminding me that I was not alone Karen held my hand, she rubbed my back, she spoke positive words, she coached me, she encouraged me and helped me to remain calm. Even when my eyes were closed after delivery Karen honored every wish of my birthing plan that she and I had prepared together.
    I can surly say I didn't know my own strength until this pregnancy, and Karen helped me in realizing it!
    It's amazing how one single individual could provide the support of an entire team.
    Karen, I'm not sure you know how much of a blessing you were to me but you were and I'm extremely grateful. I honestly could not have gotten through my pregnancy and experience the best labor and delivery without you!!! You are an amazing person with an amazing heart. Thank you Karen  Leishma for everything but most of all for NEVER LEAVING MY SIDE! And thank you Mumda for providing such professional and amazing services! 🤗❤🤰🏾🤱🏾 💊
    I would always recommend both Karen and Mumda to any family that's expecting and encourage them to have fun in planning for their new edition/editions.
    #BestDoulaEver
    #mumda
    #WeDidIt
    #ProudMother
    #ForeverGrateful

    Having Karen Leishman from MUMDA as our Doula was the best decision we made to prepare for the birth of our daughter. She was/is knowledgeable, friendly, kind and was prompt to respond to all of our communication. The in-home prenatal meetings and educational classes helped make us feel prepared. The postpartum care was very helpful and such a comfort as well (even to a second-time mama).Through it all, Karen was right there to offer support and advice when we needed it. She helped us feel confident during the experience and was a source of comfort and inspiration. We consider Karen a friend now and look forward to her support when we have baby number THREE!
    We highly recommend Karen and Mumda

    My husband and I had the pleasure of having Karen Leishman as our doula. As first time parents, we both had a lot of anxiety fearing the unknown of labor/delivery. Although I’m in the medical field and have basic knowledge of childbirth, my husband does not and I had no idea how he would handle the experience and if he would know how to support me. I also knew of all the research about how doulas reduce length of labor, the need for a c section and pain medications. I interviewed 4 Doula’s but immediately felt a connection with Karen because she has such a calm demeanor. I also felt comfort that she is an experienced registered nurse. Throughout my pregnancy, Karen checked on me frequently and made sure my husband and I were well educated on what to expect during labor/delivery. She is very knowledgeable and provided us with evidence based research in making decisions for our birth plan. She was also fully supportive of our birth plan. Unfortunately, I had a very long induction which ultimately failed and ended up in a c section due to the baby’s positioning. I have no idea how I would have gotten through labor without Karen by my side. She did everything she could to help me throughout my labor and when I made the difficult decision to proceed with a c section, she was fully supportive. She knew that I really wanted a vaginal delivery and was really disappointed that I didn’t get that experience. Karen took tons of pictures for us during the c section that we will cherish forever. Going back and looking at those pictures took away all the disappointment I felt in not being able to have a vaginal delivery. Having Karen as our doula was the best decision and we look forward to having her as our doula for baby number 2.

    We were so blessed to have Karen as our doula during the third trimester, labor, and postpartum journey. My husband and I decided to get a doula since it was our first pregnancy and wanted to attempt an unmedicated vaginal birth. Karen was very supportive and informative throughout the whole process and things couldn't have gone any smoother. We met with Karen twice during the third trimester and she was always very prepared to answer our questions and refer us to evidence based articles for a more in-depth information. She helped us draft a birth plan and was committed to helping us achieve it. Her calming and reassuring nature, as well as her researching approach was so empowering to me. I was ready for labor, confident in my birth plan but ready to embrace my birth story no matter how it turned out, realizing that I had the BEST team by my side. My water broke two weeks earlier than the due date and before any contractions started. Karen was available at any hour of the day and night to check in with me, answer my questions and support me through the whole process. Once Karen arrived at the hospital, she set up the room based on what we had agreed earlier, dim lights, candles, and vision board on display. Karen was so prepared and had everything you could have asked for in her doula bag. She continually encouraged me, reminded me to switch positions, and kept me hydrated with water or ice chips the entire time. As my husband was doing acupressure points on me, Karen was a listening ear and extra helping hands to him as well. Our birth story couldn't have gone any better and Karen was detrimental to its success. Setting up the atmosphere, moving the vision board so it was always on display, and being a consistent help during labor were such a great aid to the natural unmedicated birth process. Karen continued to check in during the postpartum weeks and came over our house to spend some time with us and our baby girl. My husband and I couldn't be more grateful to have had Karen as our doula :)

    Karen L. Was the perfect doula for my first birth. She was the exact presence I needed in addition to my husband and mom. My mom is usually pretty chaotic and very hovers and Karen balanced her out perfectly with her calm and grounding demeanor. If I wanted someone to worry with me I'd look at me mom and if I needed to forget my worry I looked at Karen. Her face was always peaceful and expected nothing from me. No look of question on her face, just acceptance of the situation and how I was dealing with it. She was very respectful of my religious beliefs and even provided materials related to my faith. One of the quotes she provided actually stuck with me through labor and I'll never forget it. "When my strength runs out, His is only beginning". I would absolutely recommend Karen to anyone who is mostly looking for a grounding and calm presence for their birth experience. 

    Side note: my labor was on the longer side and Karen never complained nor did she look inconvenienced. She was very serving. She also took AMAZING photos of my birth and I get to look at the moment my baby came out. Very thankful.

    Choosing Karen as our Birth Doula was one of the best decisions that We made early on in our pregnancy! She is very patient, calm and nurturing! She was always sure to provide us with evidence based research for any issues or questions that we had. During my labor, Karen arrived early and stayed with us until the very end. She remembered ever detail of our birth plan and the plan was executed perfectly with very minimal changes. Thank you for all that you’ve done for us over the past 8 months; we truly appreciate it! Again, choosing Karen was the best decision for Hunter, Gary, and I…. We would choose you again and again! 🍼

    Photo credit © Ecaterina Tolicova | Dreamstime.com

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