Getting help for after the baby is born, with Kristy Zadrozny

The Birthful Podcast: Episode #9

In this episode of the Birthful Podcast, we are going to be talking about getting the help you need for after the baby is born. You know the saying about how “it takes a village….” It’s because life with a newborn is much harder than you think! How much support will you need, and how can you go about getting it? To find out, I’ll be talking with Kristy Zadrozny.

Show Notes: what we talked about!

• Building your village
• The third day: “with the tears comes the milk”
• How long will I need help?
• Why everyone should take care of mom, not the other way around
• “Sleep when the baby sleeps, clean when the baby cleans”
• How to ask for help
• What’s “good help”?
• Tips and tricks for planning ahead
• Setting visiting hours
• Repeat after me: “It’s ok to not be ok. It’s ok to need help.”
• That baby knows your voice!
• The problems of parental leave
• Alienation as a postpartum depression trigger
• Giving yourself permission to be taken care of

Super helpful links we mentioned during the show:

• KellyMom.com: for evidence-based lactation support with a killer search engine
• Jack Newman’s breastfeeding videos: see the difference between good drinking and nibbling
• Elly Taylor’s book: Becoming Us: 8 Steps to Grow a Family that Thrives
• Postpartum New York

Great interview, article and video about all things Kristy:

• On Building your Village
• More on getting the support you need
• On the Role of the doula

[mark]About Kristy Zadrozny[/mark]

Courtesy of Kristy Zadrozny

Before being a doula, Kristy spent years specializing in Prenatal and Postnatal massage. But then, her clients started asking her to attend their births, and that radically changed the direction of her life’s path. Within a week of her doula training she attended her first birth and has been supporting women and families ever since.

Kristy is an advocate for a woman’s right to have a healthy, positive birth experience in the environment of her choice. And her method in supporting women includes mindfulness, evidence based education, and an open heart.

She is also a Certified Lactation Counselor and educator.

In 2010, Kristy founded the Village Wellness Project, as a community of wellness practitioners with varying specialties, whom were operating and marketing under the same brand. After much success as a community, The Village Wellness Project has turned its focus toward education and support for families during pregnancy, birth and postpartum. In 2013, Kristy extended her support services further by launching Expecting(nyc): a pregnancy support center in Manhattan.

Most recently – and most excitingly- she is co-producing the  documentary “Expecting Support” with the hope of awakening people everywhere to the importance of birth and postpartum support.

You can get a hold of Kristy by email, or join the conversation in the Expecting Support Film Facebook page. If tweeting is your thing, follow her at @WeExpectSupport.

Check out all about Kristy’s upcoming film at ExpectingSupportFilm.com