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Doula Support That Actually Helps
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Birth prep gets marketed like a checklist, but the hard parts usually show up in the gaps: the first painful latch, the exhaustion at 2 a.m., the moment you realize you do not know the right question to ask a nurse or doctor. We wanted to talk about the real experience, so we brought on Shannon Allen, a postpartum doula and lactation care provider and the founder of Desires of the Heart Doula and Lactation Care in Columbia, South Carolina.
Shannon breaks down what a doula actually does and how that differs from a midwife, then goes deeper into the kind of support most families wish they had sooner. We get into breastfeeding support and the stigma around it, why “natural” does not mean “easy,” and how small tools and simple visuals can stop parents from spiraling when they think they are not producing enough milk. She also shares her own three very different birth stories, including moments that were scary, exhausting, and ultimately grounding, plus a reminder of how powerful a steady partner or support person can be.
We also talk advocacy and informed consent: how to speak up, how to ask what is happening to your body, and why a good doula focuses on empowering you rather than talking for you. If you are researching postpartum doula care, lactation consulting, breastfeeding help, or the midwife vs doula decision, this conversation is built to leave you more prepared and less alone.
If this helped you, subscribe, share it with an expecting parent, and leave a review so more families can find the support they deserve. Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible moms we love!
Support the show
BOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):
https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909
BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42e
Make sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.
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By The Hilltop Glove PodcastSend us Fan Mail
Birth prep gets marketed like a checklist, but the hard parts usually show up in the gaps: the first painful latch, the exhaustion at 2 a.m., the moment you realize you do not know the right question to ask a nurse or doctor. We wanted to talk about the real experience, so we brought on Shannon Allen, a postpartum doula and lactation care provider and the founder of Desires of the Heart Doula and Lactation Care in Columbia, South Carolina.
Shannon breaks down what a doula actually does and how that differs from a midwife, then goes deeper into the kind of support most families wish they had sooner. We get into breastfeeding support and the stigma around it, why “natural” does not mean “easy,” and how small tools and simple visuals can stop parents from spiraling when they think they are not producing enough milk. She also shares her own three very different birth stories, including moments that were scary, exhausting, and ultimately grounding, plus a reminder of how powerful a steady partner or support person can be.
We also talk advocacy and informed consent: how to speak up, how to ask what is happening to your body, and why a good doula focuses on empowering you rather than talking for you. If you are researching postpartum doula care, lactation consulting, breastfeeding help, or the midwife vs doula decision, this conversation is built to leave you more prepared and less alone.
If this helped you, subscribe, share it with an expecting parent, and leave a review so more families can find the support they deserve. Happy Mother's Day to all the incredible moms we love!
Support the show
BOOK OUR SPACE (Columbia):
https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/673ab11c9ec72595c7e5f909
BOOK OUR SPACE (Charleston): https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67ae7cb5cb965a8e4b77028f https://www.peerspace.com/pages/listings/67a92b506ec2c3b8a866f42e
Make sure to subscribe to us on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and YouTube. Also follow us on Instagram and Facebook @hilltopglove. Sponsored by: @lynxrecording @asylum_digital @celebstudio_ @caddypack . Become a member of our Patreon channel to watch our exclusive series, Amplifying Voices: Carolina Storytellers and Cre8 Talks: SC Hip-Hop Pioneers.