Today we’d like to introduce you to Gigi Vera Vincent.
Hi Gigi, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was very lucky to have a smooth pregnancy, birth, and postpartum with my oldest child, but when I became pregnant with twins a few years later, everything was different. I struggled from early pregnancy through the first year after their birth. That experience paved the way for me to become a doula. In my work as a postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, and lactation educator, I’m committed to shifting the disparity between the amount of focus most families place on birth versus preparing for the fourth trimester. My goal is to share the work of doulas and make it accessible and normalized.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
My biggest struggle as a postpartum doula is shifting the narrative of preparing to have a baby: everyone prepares for birth and their nursery, but they don’t realize that postpartum is forever, and it is so important to prepare for that time as well. People are often unprepared for the reality of postpartum healing or caring for a newborn; it is a struggle to convince people to seek postpartum education while pregnant. I envision a world in which all parents can access services like a doula, a lactation consultant, a meal delivery, or a pelvic floor physical therapist. Until that time, I consult with parents to leverage the support that they have and to use their baby registry to include those services.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am a postpartum doula, newborn care specialist, and lactation educator. As a former teacher, I am always teaching. I host classes and workshops for childbirth education, registry consultations, postpartum preparation, and more.
Most of my work is in holistic postpartum support; I offer services like Ayurvedic abhyanga – a head-to-toe warm-oil-infused body rub, Bengkung belly binding, and herbal support. These services are relaxing and healing and a way for new parents to receive in a time they are constantly giving. When I’m not providing holistic support, I do the important work of a doula. This looks like caring for families in a variety of ways: holding a baby to give parents time to rest, preparing light meals and snacks, spending time with older children, or educating parents about feeding, sleeping, bathing, and keeping a newborn alive and healthy.
I am most proud of my podcast – the Ready for Baby podcast – where I speak on my own or interview amazing guests in the pregnancy, birth, and postpartum world.
Risk-taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I always trust my gut, and often, my gut tells me when it’s time to take a risk. It was a risk to start a business when I had three small children at home; it’s a risk when I pivot in my business, like adding new services or starting my podcast. To me, when I take a risk, it’s because I am ready to grow. When I’m not sure what to do, I ask myself if I’d be happy if nothing had changed one year in the future – if the answer is yes, then I am most likely not ready or willing to take the risk, but if my gut tells me that I would be upset or disappointed, then I am probably ready to take on the risk.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.asimplehome.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/a_simple_home/
- Other: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ready-for-baby-evidence-based-realistic-prenatal-and/id1625151256
Image Credits
The Good Light Club
