by Rachael Sage

Chuck and Chris Pritchard. Photo courtesy of Chris Pritchard.

I met Chris Pritchard in her Mama Circle clubhouse — not any ordinary clubhouse, but a sanctuary for mothers. A place for women to come together as an extended family and laugh, cry, vent, share funny stories, pass along suggestions, and learn from each other. Artwork from around the world decorates the walls, books line shelves, children’s toys are stashed in the corner, and comfy pillows dot the floor. It is a warm and inviting place, and Pritchard and her husband, Chuck, were delightful hosts. I was tempted to simply relax on the pillows and take everything in, but Pritchard’s energy and enthusiasm for her work snatched me out of my weariness. She spoke with a passion and understanding that could only come from a lifetime of pre- and post-natal care as a midwife and a doula.

In Pritchard’s words, “a doula cares for the mother, so the mother can care for the baby.” A midwife is typically only present during the birth of the baby, whereas the doula participates in both pre-natal and post-natal care for the mother. The doula, midwife and mother sit down before labor begins to discuss what the mother expects from the birth and how the mother wants her baby to be born. The midwife and doula advocate for the mother at the most crucial time, in the delivery room.

Pritchard’s story began when she worked in a hospital as a registered nurse in the 1970s. Home births began gaining popularity so hospitals started creating “birthing centers” in an attempt to re-create the home birth environment. “Attachment parenting,” in which the mother is in almost constant contact with her newborn, also started taking off. These changing philosophies led to a resurgence of breast-feeding. Since most doctors weren’t knowledgeable about breast-feeding, lactation education fell to nurses, midwives and doulas. Chris recognized an opportunity and became both a midwife and a doula.

A Mamasense gift basket. Photo courtesy of Chris Pritchard.

Throughout her years of service to mothers, Pritchard has accumulated a wealth of knowledge, both research-based and anecdotal. Her stories are both heartwarming and aggravating, as she has often found herself in the middle of a tense situation between a weary and emotional mother and an imposing and adamant doctor. Pritchard believes in integration between allopathic and homeopathic medicine, but a typical hospital environment isn’t always as accommodating. This is when her reputation and credibility from her nursing days comes in handy.

After spending a short time with Pritchard it was obvious that any woman in the throes of pregnancy or motherhood, or even just contemplating it, would benefit from her services. Fortunately, she offers her expertise in a number of ways.

Pritchard is still a practicing doula, providing healthful and supportive care to individual mothers and babies, and taking some of the worry out of both home and   hospital births.

She also holds weekly “Mama Circle” meetings at her home in Moss Beach on Wednesday mornings. The Mama Circles are a great way for women to meet other women who are having the same experiences with their pregnancies, childbirths and childrearing. Lifetime friendships between both mothers and children have been forged at Pritchard’s Mama Circles.

Pritchard’s latest venture is the Mamasense Market Web site. Pulling from her breadth of experience with different products and remedies, she personally selected the items that she sells on her site. She even created bundles of items that are good for specific needs: women having trouble breast-feeding, those who have had a C-section, those with colicky babies, and more. Products include milk-inducing herbal teas, soothing and healing bath crystals, diaper rash creams and colic tablets. Her bundles of products are perfect baby-shower gifts or welcome-home gifts for new mothers.

Whether you’re a new mother yourself, are pregnant, or have a friend or family member who is having a child, you can gain a great deal from what Pritchard has to offer.

On the Web:

mamatomama.com