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Have you heard of Circles of Support before? If you or someone you care about is having a baby, I want you to! The basic concept is that the primary person, in this case, mom and baby dyad, are at the center of a handful of concentric circles that represent a support structure. The second circle is reserved for the partner. And as you work your way out, a thoughtful arrangement of friends, family, framily, family friends, coworkers, neighbors, etc.
This can be used as a strategy for communication, but most importantly, it's a framework for how energy should flow IN ➡️ and OUT ⬅️ of the circles 🔘.
➡️CARE & SUPPORT ✅ Members of bigger circles can send love, food, service, words of kindness and positivity, check ins, etc IN to the smaller circles. This doesn't only apply to mom and baby. This might look like a family friend reaching out to my husband to ask how he's doing. Or my mother in law's neighbor sending her dinner.
⬅️STRESS & WORRY ✅ Flowing out from the center of the circle are the fears, complaints, concerns, and negative thoughts. The larger circle members carry those burdens outward, creating more space and ease at the center. This might look like sharing my disappointment from my birth experience with my doula. Or my mom calling a friend to share how worried she was.
If you're pregnant, talk to your partner about this simple concept. Scribble it down on a post it note and put it on the fridge.