"Should I Get a Doula?" Hollywood's Go-To Doula Shares Her Biggest Piece of Advice

If it takes a village to raise children, then it most definitely takes a village to support our moms as they navigate the tremendous shift that is motherhood. For Patti Quintero, she decided to build that village of support herself. Quintero, mother of two and Founder and CEO of Uma Mother, is a pillar in the motherhood community in Los Angeles and recognized as a women’s health and wellness educator globally. As a Birth Doula and yoga and meditation teacher for over two decades, we are honored to welcome Patti Quintero to our Perelel Panel to share her unique wisdom and expertise with all of you. Keep reading for our conversation with Patti Quintero. 

Perelel: Why did you want to create UMA Mother?

Patti Qunitero: I created Uma Mother to serve as a home base for mothers to grow, learn and expand their knowledge base together through the shared experience of motherhood. Having gone through back-to-back pregnancies myself, I realized the importance of having a supportive community of mothers and mentors and access to practices that strengthen not only my changing body, but also most importantly my sense of inner guidance. Uma started as a small group of mothers in my living room and I am excited to see it growing into a global online platform.

P: For those who don’t know, what can someone expect when working with a doula?

PQ: A doula is a person who comes in to support, guide and nurture another person in one of life’s greatest rites of passage, like birth, postpartum and death. I find that one of the main roles I serve as a doula is to help awaken knowledge, to educate and inform people of their options, and to help them ground into a space of love so that they can navigate the experience feeling more connected to their own intuition, their body, their baby and nature's current. Every person’s choices and experience of birth are unique, the key is to understand the landscape well and feel able to navigate that space feeling emotionally and physically supported, respected and loved. 

P: Can you share some of the techniques that you teach women to prepare for birth throughout their pregnancy?

PQ: I work with practices that help bring you back home to your inner teacher. These include yoga practices, movement, meditation, mindful breathing, communication, stress release and self-inquiry. 

P: And what about navigating the shift postpartum? We love that you continue to support moms after their baby’s birth.

PQ: Postpartum can be a very tender stage of life. Uma Mother supports new mothers throughout this stage by creating a loving community to heal, rehabilitate, nurture, strengthen and integrate. I feel like slowing down, resting and doing less is one of the most challenging practices for some of us. In early motherhood, these practices are key for both you and your baby to thrive. 

P: Yoga and meditation are the cornerstones of your practice, why are they so important throughout pregnancy?

PQ: These practices peel back the distractions, the noise and static that are present in so much of our daily lives. Pregnancy is a powerful calling to acknowledge the power of nature, the symphony of life. You are in a transformative stage, rapidly changing and growing. These practices bring you back to the now, they help destress body and mind so you can show up with greater adaptability and relevance to these changes. The yoga postures also help keep your body supple and strong. 

P: Love it. Now, let’s talk Perelel—what is it about Perelel that made you want to join our Perelel Panel?

PQ: I love that Perelel is created by two mothers who have themselves navigated the needs we have while going through these stages. I really appreciate the fact that they tend to each trimester as a unique stage and focus on the nutritional needs of each stage in accordance with our baby’s development and our body’s growth. 

P: As a mother yourself, what’s the best piece of advice you would share with new moms?

PQ: I like to remind new mothers that they too are in their infancy stage, learning a new language and way of life. Compassion, patience and curiosity are cornerstones in motherhood. You are the lighthouse of your family. Tend to your light, to your healing, to your heart and your happiness. When we do the work on ourselves to better understand our patterns and habits we are gifting our children with an awakened parent and guide. This is far from the notion of perfection, instead, it is a way of embracing your humanness and your ever-changing process with love. 

Get more from Patti Quintero and our Perelel Panel by joining our community on social or by subscribing to our newsletter. Want to support your body at every stage of motherhood? Find your Perelel pack now to feel good from the inside out.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not, nor is it intended to be, a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment and we recommend that you always consult with your healthcare provider. To the extent that this article features the advice of physicians or medical practitioners, the views expressed are the views of the cited expert and do not necessarily represent the views of Perelel.