As doulas, we spend our days nurturing, supporting, and caring for everyone else. But how can we also teach mothers how to care for themselves? In this week's episode, I'm joined by Dr. Gertrude Lyons, author of Rewrite the Mother Code: From Sacrifice to Stardust, for a conversation that completely reframes what it means to support women through motherhood. We dive into the concept of self-mothering, the practice of offering yourself the same compassion, grace, encouragement, and care that you so freely give to everyone else. And then modeling that for our doula clients. For many women, becoming a mother comes with an invisible set of rules: Put everyone else's needs first. Don't ask for help. Keep giving, even when you're running on empty. As doulas, we have a unique opportunity to model something different. We can help our clients understand that caring for themselves isn't selfish, it's one of the greatest gifts they can give to themselves, their babies, and their families. In this episode, we discuss: What "self-mothering" really means The hidden messages women receive about motherhood and self-sacrifice How doulas can help clients build self-compassion during postpartum The importance of receiving support instead of trying to do it all alone How this conversation applies to doulas, too Whether you're a birth doula, postpartum doula, childbirth educator, or simply passionate about supporting mothers, this episode offers a beautiful reminder: The way we care for ourselves teaches the next generation how to care for themselves. I hope this conversation encourages you to not only support your clients differently, but to offer yourself that same compassion as well. About Dr. Gertrude Lyons: In her coaching, retreats, workshops and book Rewrite the Mother Code: From Sacrifice to Stardust – A Cosmic Approach to Motherhood, Dr. Gertrude Lyons challenges the limiting beliefs and expands the concepts around what it is to be a mother. Lyons blurs the lines that pigeonhole women into limited roles that ultimately disempower them. Rather than operating within a narrow conception of what mothering is, she invites people to open themselves up to what is possible and see the truth: that all women mother, and that mother energy is accessible to all of us-including men. Rewrite the Mother Code is a celebration of motherhood, bringing spirituality and community back into the experience and empowering women to be what they truly are, the ultimate creators. https://www.drgertrudelyons.com/ https://www.instagram.com/drgertrudelyons/ https://gertrudelyons.substack.com/
