What Do Miss Universe Pageants and Birth Have In Common Sometimes?
I want to preface this by saying that First Coast Doulas respects and supports all types of birthing experiences from elected cesarean births to un-medicated home births and everything in between! This blog is written for those who had their hearts set on a (fill in the blank) birth and ended with something other than their heart’s desire.
Being center stage waiting for the title of Miss Universe to be announced has to be nerve racking. Your competition has been narrowed way down; you are a finalist! Competition to your left, competition to your right, when it happens…
Steve Harvey announces you’re the winner!!
Then, as fast as you received the crown, it’s taken away in a blink. The wrong winner was crowned! You were Miss Universe for a moment in time.
What do you do?
What any winner does! You hold you head high, smile, and think to yourself, “What in the exact hell just happened?” You were announced the winner of the pageant and then crash, the crown was gone. The crowd stopped cheering; your heart sunk into your stomach. You’ve never felt anything quite like it.
Now, imagine your perfect birth is unfolding just as you planned. It’s really happening you think to yourself! Your partner and birth team are there to support you and keep you and your baby safe.
Sometimes though, things don’t always go as planned. Birth is one of those times. You really just never know!
Everything can change very quickly and you could find yourself thinking, “What in the hell is happening? This isn’t the way it’s supposed to be.” First Coast Doulas is there to help you get answers, know your options, and navigate the changes that are taking place .
Before you know it, you’re left with all of these feelings inside. Feelings you aren’t sure what to do with. You have pain, a beautiful new baby, a partner who just doesn’t understand.
You have people telling you, “No one gets an award for a (fill in the blank) birth. You did the best you could” and, “At least you have a healthy baby.”
What do Miss Universe pageants and birth have in common?
Sometimes we do everything right-we’re set, all is going perfectly. We’re in the home stretch and shit gets real, real quick! Your crown is snatched right off your head and you’re hurt, you’re angry, and sometimes you don’t even know what you feel.
You wonder, “what happens now?”
You are left to piece it all together, all while being a new mother. You have this precious little life depending on you and perhaps more children at home.
Your crown isn’t taken away by not having a (fill in the blank) birth. It’s taken when your choices are taken from you and when people feel like it’s not necessary to allow you to process the vast change that has taken place.
First Coast Doulas allows you that space to be angry, to process without judgement or guilt.
First Coast Doulas understands these feelings and emotions. We know that although you may have this beautiful healthy baby in your arms, you may feel lost or loss. We are here to help you process your birth experience. For better or worse. We listen with open ears and a loving heart who knows your feelings are valid and real.
We’re here when you bring home the crown and when it’s snatched right off your head.
The postpartum support we provide families is a huge part of recovery for the mother and helps the entire family unit bond. Our postpartum support relieves tension that can arise when no one else is understanding what you are going through.
Let First Coast Doulas help you recover your crown!
FC Doulas Postpartum Support;
While we can’t diagnose or treat, (we are not medical professionals), we are trained to identify signs of postpartum blues, postpartum anxiety, postpartum depression, and postpartum psychosis by:
Listening/Processing Birth Experience
Assistance with Breast or Bottle Feeding
Connecting You with Resources As Needed
Assistance with Mobility
Mother-Baby Bonding
Help with Pain Management/Relief
Meal Prep/Cooking
Easy Snack Prep for Mom
Light Housekeeping
Sibling Care
Steve Harvey Announces The WRONG Winner of Miss Universe 2015
