Hidden Gems: Meet Madelene Martin of Beautiful Beginnings Doula Services

Today we’d like to introduce you to Madelene Martin.

Hi Madelene, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always loved children and their families. Because of this, I studied Family and Child Development in college. Afterwards, I went on to earn my Master’s in Human Services Counseling. Throughout all of my studies, I saw that if I wanted to support children in the best way possible, I would support their parents. Children need their parents, but parenting is hard. Through working with a non-profit, the parents there gave me a beautiful gift in sharing their parenting journeys. I learned so much by watching them, but one of the things that will forever remain in my mind is that Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders are real. When everyone is telling you that this is the best time of your life because you just gave birth to a beautiful baby, sometimes it is the hardest part of your life due to depression and anxiety. I knew helping parents right before and after their babies were born was what I wanted to do. After my husband and I moved to Fuquay-Varina, I decided to begin my doula business, and I now help parents around the Triangle take care of themselves first before taking care of their babies. And I love what I do!

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?
Moving and beginning a business during a pandemic has been hard. While parents need support now more than ever, support services are more difficult to find today. Advertising is a business aspect that I am learning, but the birth and postpartum communities here are amazing!

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Beautiful Beginnings Doula Services offers birth and postpartum doula support around the Triangle and beyond. As a doula, I do not deliver babies nor offer medical advice; instead, I support you and your entire family through your prenatal, birth, and postpartum journeys. In other words, I am a pregnancy, birth, and parenting coach and cheerleader. I help families think of and prepare for all aspects of this special time. I offer practical support like baby laundry and meal help, emotional support like active listening and communication facilitation, and parenting support like feeding help and how-to’s. Each service is customized for individual families as support looks different for each family. Day and night bookings are available. For more information on services, please visit beautifulbeginningsdoulallc.com. One of the aspects that makes my services different is that I love working with parents who have Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders. I am not afraid of tears, anger, or large feelings of any kind. Parenting does not always go as expected, and I enjoy helping parents find joy and rhythm in this new role.

What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
One of the most important things that I have learned along the way has been to take care of myself before taking care of others. Just like they tell you in an airplane to put on your own mask before helping those around you, I tell parents that they need to be nourished and cared for before they attend to their babies. The same is true for any in a caregiving role, though it is sometimes hard to implement.

Contact Info:

• Email: [email protected]
• Website: https://www.beautifulbeginningsdoulallc.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beautifulbeginningsdoulallc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautifulbeginningsdoulallc

Image Credits
Personal photo by Mackenzie Kern Photography