It feels really important to explicitly name who we are here to support, and at Austin and Asheville Baby Guru, that very much includes LGBTQIA+ families. We offer affirming, inclusive care for families who fall under the queer umbrella. In this article, we share our commitment to queer families, as well as some of specific ways postpartum doula support can benefit LGBTQIA+ families.

Our Commitment to Queer Families

We are always working to learn and stay on top of the most updated terms and language. Furthermore, we meet families where you are and use the words that resonate most with YOU. From pronouns, to parenting names, to terms you use for your body, we are willing and ready to learn what feels best for you and your family.

We are committed to showing up in ways that not only affirm you and your family, but also celebrate your journey into parenthood (or parenthood again). 

Ways LGBTQIA+ Families Can Utilize Postpartum Doula Support

In some ways, postpartum care can look exactly like it does for cisgender, heterosexual couples. However, we also acknowledge that each family will have their own unique structure, needs, preferences, and wishes for their postpartum experience. Keep in mind that at Baby Guru, we are passionate about supporting the entire family, baby and adults. Below are some examples of ways that we can show up for queer families:

• In families where two people are lactating, we can offer feeding support, suggestions, and referrals to both partners. In families who are bottle feeding (whether with formula, pumped milk, or donated milk), we can help families become familiar with feeding cues, navigate bottle trial and error, and help with supplemental nursing systems.
• We offer prenatal meetings to discuss how to prepare for postpartum, and this can be especially helpful for queer families who are adopting or parenting through surrogacy.
• Families who have multiple partners may have extra built-in adult support, which is incredible, but these families can still benefit from a postpartum doula, ensuring everyone gets the rest and support they need.
• Parents may need space to process feelings about donor conception, adoption, or surrogacy along the way, and Baby Guru is here to listen and hold space for it all.
• We can help families plan and coordinate care with their chosen family.
• Baby Guru works hard to build referral networks, and we will always do our best to ensure that we are providing referrals to other affirming and competent providers.
• Postpartum doulas can help parents assess their mental health status and seek additional support. Queer and trans people– outside of pregnancy– have higher rates of mental health conditions due to systemic oppression, so we are especially attuned to this during the postpartum period.

A Few Resources for Our Queer Families

• Birthing Advocacy Doula Training’s resource guide for queer and trans folks is full of awesome providers, classes, and tools.
• Feed The Baby: An Inclusive Guide to Nursing, Bottle Feeding and Everything in Between by Victoria Facelli
• Lactation for the Rest of Us: A Guide for Queer and Trans Parents and Helpers by Jacob Engelsman
• Postpartum Support International support groups etc.

ABG is Here for You

We are here to support, affirm, and celebrate your family, and we’d be honored to help you plan for and navigate postpartum. Reach out about postpartum support in Austin or birth and postpartum support in Asheville!

*Photo credit: Canva