Christy Jo Hendricks
By Christy Jo Hendricks IBCLC, RLC, CLP, CLE, Doula, Childbirth Educator
A Valentine to those who give their hearts all year long ❤️
Birth work is a labor of love so it’s fitting that February, the month of hearts and appreciation, reminds us to turn some of that love inward. As childbirth educators, birth and postpartum doulas, lactation professionals, nurses, and midwives, we give deeply of our time, bodies, and emotional energy. But the truth is simple: your well-being isn’t optional—it’s essential.
You can’t pour from an empty cup, and the families you support thrive most when yours is filled, too.
Why Self-Care Matters in Birth Work
Birth work is uniquely demanding. You might spend 14 hours on your feet at a birth, go from teaching an evening class to answering middle of the night texts, or shift rapidly between emotionally intense conversations with expecting families.
This work requires:
- Physical stamina—long hours, irregular meals, unpredictable schedules, and lots of standing or hands-on support.
- Cognitive load—teaching complex concepts, recalling evidence-based techniques, navigating hospital settings, and responding quickly in dynamic birth environments.
- Emotional presence—holding space, grounding families during fear or excitement, and constantly reading the room.
Over time, these demands can lead to burnout, compassion fatigue, irritability, and emotional depletion. Thriving means remembering that your health, boundaries, and energy are vital tools of the trade, not afterthoughts.
Helping Professionals (and Parents) Recognize Burnout Early
One of the most meaningful gifts you can give to your community is normalizing conversations around burnout.
Encourage other educators, doulas, or perinatal professionals (and the families you teach and serve) to look for:
- Chronic fatigue or brain fog
- Emotional numbness or irritability
- Feeling disconnected from clients or your mission
- Persistent aches, headaches, or tension
- Overwhelm, dread, or trouble turning “work brain” off
As educators and doulas, you can also model strategies for preventing burnout by weaving micro self-care practices into the very classes and support you provide. When parents see you honoring your limits, you give them permission to honor theirs.
Practical Self-Care Strategies You Can Start Today
These strategies are realistic for busy birth workers, especially those constantly balancing physical and mental demands.
1. Microbreaks with big impact
Birth workers rarely get long breaks, but even a 60–90 second reset helps regulate your nervous system.
Try:
- Shoulder rolls or calf stretches during charting
- Slow belly breathing in the hallway between classes
- Taking 10 slow steps to clear your mind as you are entering a client’s home
Your body will thank you later.
2. Mindful transitions
Client to client. Class to home. Birth to sleep.
Transition moments are where burnout often accumulates.
Pause to ask yourself:
What am I carrying that I don’t need for the next thing?
Release it before stepping forward.
3. Nourishment you can actually manage
Long shifts or teaching days make it easy to skip meals. Pack quick, energy-steadying options like:
- Homemade trail mix
- Pre-cut fruit or veggies
- Cheese sticks or protein bites
- Herbal tea packets
- A massive, beloved water bottle
These quick options keep you fueled for steady focus and lasting stamina.
4. Lean on your birth worker village
Peer support is not a bonus. It’s part of professional sustainability. Here are some ways to do this:
- Send a reassuring voice note after you know a peer had a tough shift.
- Share a win.
- Debrief a surprise or challenging situation.
- Laugh about the wild stories only other birth workers understand.
Always remember, community care is selfcare.
5. Set boundaries that secure your longevity
This may mean:
- “I don’t accept two new clients due the same month.”
- “I don’t answer texts after 8pm unless you’re in labor.”
- “I take two days off after attending a birth.”
Boundaries protect your passion.
Favorite Self-Care Practices from Fellow Birth Professionals
Conversations with childbirth educators, birth and postpartum doulas, and hospital staff revealed small but powerful rituals that help them stay grounded:
- Intentional breathing before entering a classroom
- Calming playlists for charting or preparing class materials
- A comfort object like a grounding stone, bead bracelet, or essential oil roller
- Setting timers for stretch breaks during virtual teaching
- Keeping a tennis ball in the car to roll tight muscles between visits
- Wearing supportive footwear or compression socks for long birth days
Sometimes the smallest habits become the most sustainable.
A Valentine’s Call to Action: Care for Yourself, Care for Others
Let this February be a reminder:
You deserve care, gentleness, and restoration just as much as the families you support.
When you tend to your mind, body, and spirit, you model healthy behavior. You teach by example. Your clients feel the difference. Your students feel the difference. You feel the difference.
Let’s choose thriving over surviving—together.
