Feature Friday: Kaytee Crawford

We have Doula, Babywearing Educator and Artist Kaytee Crawford on the blog today. Kaytee is a certified birth and postpartum doula who has a passion for helping others from pregnancy through bringing baby home. As a Babywearing consultant and educator, Kaytee helps parents benefit from keeping babies close and shares tips and videos on her IG @doulakaytee wearing her children. You can find out more about the services she provides on her website www.doulakaytee.com

You post lots of fun videos on Instagram with tips on how to wear different carriers, and benefits you can expect from babywearing. What encouraged you to become a babywearing educator? How has babywearing helped you as a mom?

I've been babywearing since 2010, but when my 3rd was born, I really really fell in love with it. I think part of it was that I was majorly outnumbered. But once I started to learn wrapping, I couldn't stop. I started helping people at our monthly meetings and they asked me if I wanted to be an educator and I said yes. I've been an educator since about 2016...could be 2017, I can't remember. Like I said, I was a mom of three, so babywearing really helped me to navigate 2 littles at home while our oldest was starting kindergarten. I remember voting in the 2016 election with a 3 year old on my back and my 6 month old on the front. Also, my third is autistic and I really think that babywearing was what helped him to regulate his body so well.

Doula Kaytee in hope&plum Amber ring sling

As a doula you provide birth and postpartum services to caregivers. What has been your favorite thing about being a doula? What challenges have you had to overcome when providing your clients the care they need?

Definitely love watching babies be born. Love it love it love it. I think that's my favorite or seeing the way the parents look at their baby for the first time. Like...nothing better. I think in terms of challenges, just making sure my clients are being heard and listened to. Making sure I'm empowering them to speak up for themselves so that they can get the care they deserve.

Doulas are a great resource for pregnancy and postpartum care. What would you say to someone who was debating on choosing to use a doula for their care? What is one thing you wish people knew about how they could benefit from having a doula for support?

Just do it. Trademarked by Nike, obviously. But, yeah. Get a doula. You deserve a doula. If it's a cost issue, there are programs that can help you to get one and you can do a paypal pool or a gofundme. I think babylist lets you put it on their website now. Like, get one. You deserve all the care. It's someone you'll know for however long they're hired for. Someone who knows you, who knows your wishes. Someone who can be a second or third set of eyes in that room. They've got your back. One thing I wish people knew was that we do not take the place of your partner if you have one. I feel like that's a big reason couples don't get doulas. They think the doula is going to be the second parent. No, sir! We are also helping the partner. We're there to help yall be a great team. We're there to encourage both of yall.

As a babywearing educator you provide babywearing consultations. What would you say to caregivers who want to give babywearing a try but find it overwhelming or intimating?

Start simple. We're not trying to reinvent the wheel. We want to support you in wearing your baby in the simplest ways possible. Reach out to a group or a consultant. We've got you. We'll make sure that nothing is overly intimidating. Also, a lot of my babywearing work is around being plus sized. If you're plus sized, you can wear your baby. We can always find something to work for you. Do not feel like you can't babywear because of your size.

On your Instagram we can find you making fun videos as well as keeping it real with the daily struggles parents face. Do you have a guideline or plan for your content you post? What encourages you to continue posting fun content for others even during the hard moments?

I don't have a plan, but I really need one. If anyone reading this had executive dysfunction and can help a sister out, email me. LOL. But seriously? The way that I am encouraged is by messages and comments from other caregivers. It really helps me to keep going because I would've loved to have someone making this content when I was a new and seasoned mom. Just the tips plus the funny. Sometimes we gotta laugh at ourselves, you know? Because if we don't laugh, we'll cry.