Ellie Cook
Community.
What does it mean for new families? Support? Comradery? Companionship? Sharing the load?
A shoulder to lay your head on and share knowledge and experience. It's who we are and where we come from. And for many it's an absolute lifeline.
It's been hard to understand Community in the years since we emerged from the pandemic; dishevelled and confused, desperate for company, yet out of practice at socialising. It was a funny time for doulas as we readjusted to the post lockdown world. Many of us continued to work during 2020, some of us moved our support to virtual offerings, and there was a time when we were allowed in your homes when your extended family weren't. Prior to 2020 we spent a large portion of our non-working hours volunteering for a range of different groups helping families with breastfeeding, birth preparation and babywearing to name a few. So much of this fizzled out during those challenging years and we know that parents in the local area are missing out.
Community is at the heart of what we have always done and the essence of who we are. So when nine of us sat around a table over a steaming cuppa, pledging to inject life back into our ‘village’ new ideas were born and The Cambridge Doula Collective was born.
We pondered on how we could pool our many resources and skills and provide them all to both expectant parents and brand new families. The answer was a place where all are welcome to drop by and get whatever they need from their local doulas: The Birth and Baby Hub.
Each month there will be two hours where we'll welcome you with a warm beverage and a piece of cake, to listen, signpost and make suggestions, drawing on our knowledge and experience working with families.
Whether you want to talk about birth plans, get some breastfeeding tips, discuss your baby's sleep, learn how to use a sling, or just need a listening ear, your local doulas are here to help. You'll have the privilege of connecting with other families embarking on the same journey as you, and share the stories of those who are slightly further along. We hope you can help each other as well as us helping you.
The most exciting part will be the community that forms around The Hub and we're so excited to see it grow.
So come along and meet some of the Cambridge Doula Collective on the last Tuesday of the month. Each session we will have at least one Birth Doula, one Postnatal Doula and one Breastfeeding Counsellor to cover all the bases. There is no booking required, just turn up. We can’t wait to see you there.
The Birth and Baby Hub runs on the last Tuesday of the month at Satyam Yoga and Wellbeing Centre between 12:30-2:30pm. We rely on donations to cover refreshments and small expenses. We suggest a donation of £2.
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