by Danielle D Jenkins, PsyD

As we round the corner into the second Mother’s Day in the pandemic I find myself struggling with celebrating Mother’s Day even more than usual. Don’t get me wrong, I love greeting card holidays. Love them! Valentines is my favorite, and the other non-religious ones like Mother’s Day follow closely. I adore days where we set aside time to reflect on certain types of people and say thank you for what they do and who they are. Even in times when I have been sad or at odds with the idea of motherhood, I have still liked Mother’s Day. I was still able reflect on the various types of mothers I’ve had in my life and I am totally a sucker for the sweet preschool Mother’s Day projects my friends and clients post on Facebook or show my in sessions. I mean come on that stuff is pure gold!!

However, this year, I am struck anew by the fact that we don’t listen very well to women and what they need and want. We glorify...

What new moms really need: how to be a doula for the women in your life

By Danielle D Jenkins, PsyD

There are lists and lists and lists about what stuff is actually necessary for a new baby or for entrance into motherhood. This isn’t one of those lists. The following are ways you can support the women in your life during the time that is such a mixed bag of emotion along with positive, intense, and horrific experiences. All of my life, dating back to childhood, I have been really good at caring for moms and babies and here’s some of what I’ve learned about what new moms actually need.

To be seen as a person not just a baby host

So many moms feel embarrassed to say that they are sometimes jealous of their babies or resentful of the attention friends and family members pay to their little one. However, resentment and jealousy are so common and so many women feel shameful about these feelings. Sometimes it is nice to just have someone truly see just you and...