Meet Jess, as a birth and postpartum doula, as well as a nutritionist, her goal is to hold space for women at this key time in their lives - the forth trimester. To offer continuity of care, gentle guidance and resources, the opportunity for them to tune into their intuition in preparation for and during, pregnancy, birth and beyond.

She offers women the chance to reconnect with their bodies, prioritise their health and find convenient, practical and educated options for them to maintain emotional and physical wellbeing as they find their feet in motherhood, be it for the first, second, third or fourth time! 

How can new mothers best support themselves through such a life changing event?   

So much is learnt on the job, which requires considerable patience, grace and surrender with oneself, which, spoiler alert… alot of us struggle with!  Birth and postpartum is a gradual unfurling and rebuilding of yourself. As you enter this time of life it is imperative to seek out  (read, watch and listen) resources you resonate with. There are varied approaches and perspectives to pregnancy, birth and postpartum so tune into what feels best for you, your baby and family.  Having children is a constant lesson in surrender and attunement with your intuition. Allow yourself time and space in your matrescence, go gently. Remember we live in a time of considerable resources in this space; if you have a query or a concern, get in touch with someone you trust and respect to get some guidance or advice. You don’t have to do it on your own.  I also think it’s super important to not just physically prepare for birth and postpartum, but allow yourself time to explore and understand yourself emotionally and spiritually. Practice creating anchors that can quickly tune you back to a place of calm and clarity in times when your concept of self is challenged, when your nervous system is triggered, when you’re exhausted in a way you never have been before.  This is a big part of the practice of parenthood; resetting your nervous system so you can operate from a place of calm, confidence and clarity. 

How can partners, family and close friends better support the new mother? 

Practically speaking, nourish her; Keep her as comfortable as possible, don’t come over empty handed, feed her wholesome food, get her a cup of coffee or tea, do the washing up, help with the laundry, listen to her, trust her. Give her time to find her feet in motherhood… it doesn’t happen overnight.  

From a nutrition perspective, what types of foods should new mothers make sure they are consuming postpartum?  

In as few words possible: nutrient dense, warming wholefoods. This means literally warm and energetically warming (in line with many traditional cultures such as ayurveda and chinese medicine).

I’m also big on keeping stimulating food such as coffee, sugar and highly processed carbohydrates to a minimum (it’s hard i know!) or at least well balanced (consumed with fibre and protein) to support your blood glucose levels so you are less prone to energy crashes which don’t help in the slightest with rebalancing your hormones, your mood, your stress response and your general energy in the long run.

Key nutrients to be considerate of include: iron, B vitamins, magnesium, calcium, choline, omega 3 essential fatty acids, iodine and selenium, along with zinc and vitamin C. Oh and vitamin Sunshine - obviously for vitamin D, but also to help with healing and mood management, rebalancing your melatonin production after disturbed nights sleep.

My favourite postpartum foods that incorporate the above include: eggs, lentils and legumes, leafy greens, yoghurt, feta, oats, quinoa, salmon, sardines, mackerel, grass-fed organ meats and bone broths, mushrooms, matcha, cacao/ chocolate (the darker the better), avocados, tahini, sauerkraut, seaweed and brazil nuts.

What types of things do you see new mothers struggling with and what types of solutions do you suggest to them?  

Learning to take care of yourself whilst learning to take care of a baby is a big adjustment. Managing the juxtaposing emotions of joy and grief. Some hours or days of motherhood can feel overwhelming and others can be so content and happy. The swings in emotions and experience are discombobulating, most of us crave consistency and have worked our whole lives to create a consistent, reliable life experience and parenthood uproots that for a while, until you find your flow with it.  Which is a huge part of what I like to help mothers with; finding their flow, letting them have space for the overwhelm and the joy. Trusting that they will find their way. It’s the same way I approach birth; deep trust in women; their intuition, their bodies.  

What was the most challenging thing you experienced as a new mother??   

Oh where to start with this one… this list feels long!  The shaky sense of self, the overwhelm in the long days, the desperation for nap time so I could feel like I had a minute to myself to simply think clearly, the loneliness, the disrupted sleep.

It was a lot for me and I’m well aware this is not everyone’s experience, but I think talking about these feelings honestly can help other mothers, who like me, have taken time to find peace and confidence as a mother.

I’ve always been very independent but this makes me introverted when I experience struggle, which in postpartum was not ideal. This enhanced the sense of isolation and anxiety which would get in the way of me reaching out to those who could offer support or guidance. When I did break out of this bubble it would really uplift me, so I had to remind myself, like an actionable item on a to do list to be proactive in connecting with my people.

Discover more about Jess here

Learn more about our community kitchen and Paddington store here  | Learn more about the Nature Baby x Orchard St collaboration here