Content Warning:
Postpartum psychosis and suicide
Hello and welcome to Perinatal Wellbeing episode #23. Today Gillian Cullen she/they Full-spectrum doula, CST practitioner, founder and CEO of Birth Mark joins me to talk about starting Birth Mark, a charity dedicated to providing full spectrum doula support for marginalized and at-risk communities throughout the GTA and Hamilton. Gillian started Birth Mark from the ground up and is doing incredible work in the community to raise awareness, advocate for better care of those in the Perinatal period and provide amazing doula care access to people in underserved communities.
In this episode Gillian really broke down the deep impacts that the pandemic has had on birthing parents. Gillian shared with us what Doula support looks like and how Doulas at Birth Mark support their clients who are birthing babies. And Gillian provided their insight about gaps in mental health services in Ontario and the advocacy work they do to try and fill gaps in these services.
Highlights:
2:04 - Gillian’s background and starting Birth Mark
6:36 - Barriers to starting Birth Mark
10:37 - Birth Mark’s Core values, services and outreach
18:07 - Impact of the Pandemic on Birth Mark
35:49 - The loss of a Birth Mark’s client Flora to postpartum psychosis
39:44 - Gaps in reproductive care in Ontario
43:48 - Having Doulas provide support to help reduce the burden on the healthcare system and diversifying the healthcare systems
48:37 - What do Doulas do?
58:40 - How you can support Birth Mark
1:01:14 - The benefits of having a doula
1:03:35 - What would Gillian like to see and change in the perinatal community
Resources:
You can find us at www.perinatalwellbeing.ca on Instagram @perinatalwellbeing_ontario or by email info@perinatalwellbeing.ca
You can find Gillian on Instagram and Facebook: @gillian.doula.cullen and on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gillian-cullen-a73798193/
Birth Mark’s website is https://birthmarksupport.com
You can donate to Birth Mark here: https://birthmarksupport.com/donate
Instagram @birthmarksupport
Facebook @birthmarksupport