Episode 10: Healing, Help, and Holding Space
An interview with Ingrid Bal, Postpartum Doula
In our conversation with Ingrid Bal, we explore her work as a postpartum doula and how she provides emotional, physical, and practical support to new mothers and their families during the early weeks after birth. Ingrid explains how her approach differs from kraamzorg, focusing on individualized care that adapts to each family's needs. She emphasizes the importance of involving partners in the postpartum experience and shares how she helps them feel more confident and connected. We also discuss the cultural differences in postpartum care, the vital role of community, and Ingrid’s work with the Postnatal Support Network to advocate for better support systems for new parents.
Keywords
doula, postpartum, fourth trimester, postnatal support, kraamzorg, postpartum doula, maternal wellbeing, community
Episode’s main topics
Understanding the role of a postpartum doula
The difference between postpartum doula work and kraamzorg
Daily life of a postpartum doula
Involving partners in the postpartum experience
Cultural insights and the importance of community
Advocating for postpartum support with the Postnatal Support Network
Resources Mentioned in Today’s Episode
Find Your Village: A birth and postpartum fair
28 June 10:00-17:00
Hotel Campanile Eindhoven
Listen, rate, and subscribe to help more expecting expat families find our show!
About Our Guest
Ingrid Bal is committed to a well-prepared, relaxed maternity period and the often forgotten fourth trimester. The first six weeks is the minimum period the new mother and her family need to recover from childbirth and get used to the new reality of ‘being a parent’. In addition to providing support during the first six weeks to families who prioritise recovery, she works with her foundation Postnatal Support Network on a Postnatal rEvolution where she, together with a collective of multidisciplinary birth organisations, raises awareness and improve policies for the fourth trimester.
Her knowledge covers a broad but also deep range of different techniques including maternal nutrition, massages, rituals and abdominal closures, as well as the recent deepening of ‘Birth Story Listener’ a listening and conversation technique from her mentor Pam England (US). Her ‘backbone’ is formed by her personal practice in and study of Kundalini Yoga where she completed her level 1, 2 and Teacher Trainer training. In her working life, she gained knowledge and experience as a hostess (SVH Gastronomy) and communications and press manager at Philips Electronics. She is married, has two sons, is a passionate gardener and studies the healing properties of herbs.
www.revolution.postnatalsupportnetwork.com
Get in Touch
Expecting Together Pregnancy and Postpartum Meetup You can find us each month at our pregnancy and postpartum meetup where we help you build your community, make friends, and answer all of your pregnancy, birth, breastfeeding, and postpartum questions! More info at pregnantineindhoven.com
Julianna Feron
Website: juliannaferon.com
Instagram: @julianna_feron
Anna Latham
Website: empoweredbirthservices.nl
Instagram @empowered.birth.services
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