C&C Musings

Choosing the right doula is essential for a supportive birthing and postpartum experience, as many parents struggle to find a perfect match. Cradle & Coos emphasizes the importance of understanding your own needs and aligning them with a doula's approach and experience through a structured process of identifying needs, interviewing potential candidates, and making an informed decision based on a mix of careful evaluation and personal intuition.

Faced with unprecedented challenges as a first-time mother to premature twins during the COVID-19 pandemic, Sharmeen's story is a testament to human strength and adaptability. It emphasizes not just the physical and emotional resilience required to overcome such obstacles, but also the undeniable importance of having a robust support system—whether near or afar—to ensure a healthy and supported postpartum recovery. Her journey is one of hope, bravery, and the unspoken bond of motherhood that endures even the toughest circumstances.

The role of a doula, rooted in ancient practices that vary across cultures—from Latin America's "cuarentena" and China's "zuo yue zi," to Nigeria's omugwo—has evolved into that of a professional who offers emotional, physical, and informational support to new mothers. They play a vital role in supporting the mother and the family post-birth, just as seen in many traditional customs, thus providing a bridge between cultural tradition and contemporary medical systems for new parents.

From healthcare consulting to the dynamic world of health-tech startups, and now to building Cradle & Coos — a platform dedicated to providing expectant parents with access to comprehensive care services for both birth preparation and postpartum support, this is my journey.