Community Highlights: Meet Jeannie Boschma of Provision Doula Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeannie Boschma.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My husband and I have five beautiful children. We grew our family through adoption and foster care. Each time our family grew I remember everything feeling overwhelming, and every day was exhausting. In hindsight, I believe I went through postpartum depression with every addition. I have always told people that if I struggled as much as I did, that I can’t imagine how mamas do it when they are also physically healing from delivering their babies. This has always given me a soft spot for mamas who bring home their new babies.

My friend Erica (Erica Joy Doula) is a birth doula, and her role has always fascinated me. We were chatting over lunch one day and I was telling her how I love watching her social media because the way she serves women is amazing. As the conversation went on, she suggested that I become a postpartum doula. I was instantly intrigued as she described what a postpartum doula’s role is and how they get to serve and love new mamas and their families.

Before our lunch was over, I was already convinced that this was something I would LOVE to do and that I could do it well. I started to research training and certification that same day.

I feel so privileged to get to serve families and to be welcomed into their homes at a time when I know they are feeling overwhelmed and vulnerable. In most countries what I do, as a postpartum doula, is just part of the culture. In those countries, the mama knows that her job is to heal and bond with her baby. Almost everything else is taken care of by her community. We don’t tend to do that well in America. Women are expected to “bounce back” and be right back on social media gushing about how well everything is going.

The reality is that there is a steep learning curve to adding any children to your home whether it is the first or fifth. There is also a lot of healing that needs to take place in the mama’s body. She needs rest, nutritious food, and someone to help with the day-to-day so that she can take that time her body needs, and she can concentrate on bonding with the new addition.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Serving families has been the easy part. Showing up and taking care of tasks around the house, snuggling the baby while mama naps, or preparing a nutritious meal is easy for me to do. I can typically see what would serve them best and can step in and do those things before they even know it needs to be done. Learning the business side of things has been a bigger struggle for me than anything.

Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Provision Doula Services?
A postpartum doula’s role can change from day to day or from family to family. Because each family is unique the way I can serve them best is always changing. With one family they might be first-time parents who need lots of evidence-based infant education in addition to dinner getting prepared. Another family might know what to do with the baby but mama needs time for some self-care and a shower while I get the older siblings some lunch and do a load of laundry. Another family might just want a full night of sleep so I come over for an overnight shift and take on all baby-related tasks so they can get a full night of uninterrupted sleep.

The definition of provision is “the action of providing or supplying something”. I chose the name Provision Doula Services because I view my role as a way to serve a family by providing for them in a way that is unique to them and what they need. I want to step in and serve them by giving them the tools they need in the long run.

Who else deserves credit for your story?
My husband got a call right after that lunch and instantly was on board. He keeps reminding me to be patient as I integrate myself into the birth community and grow my business.

My friend Erica has answered my many, many questions along the way and has been super encouraging the whole time. As I get to know more people in this community, they have all been very supportive and kind. Women really are really blessed to be served by the Phoenix area birth community. They are amazing.

Pricing:

• Daytime hourly pricing is $35 an hour with a four-hour minimum
• Overnight hourly pricing is $50 an hour with an eight-hour minimum
• Packages are on my website

Contact Info:

• Website: www.provisiondoula.com
• Instagram: @provision.doula.services