From Swaddles to Solutions: Liz Hilton’s Journey in Postpartum Innovation

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Hi, I am Lucinda Koza, and
this is how I ally.
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Welcome to my guest.
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Would you please introduce
yourself and give a little backstory,
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if you don't mind.
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My name is Liz Hilton.
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I'm a mother, inventor, and entrepreneur.
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So before I became a mother In
August of 2017, I had founded a company
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called Knit it, which is a
soft, good additive manufacturing
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company.
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I'm a 3D knit programmer by trade.
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I program 3D knit solutions on
a computer, and then I knit it seamlessly
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in one piece on CNC knitting equipment.
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And, you know, I started out
basically doing this in my garage,
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and then, you know, wasn't
very successful.
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Um, and then, you know, that
saying, necessity is the mother of
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invention.
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I was thinking about that.
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That is like the living,
breathing example of that, because
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I became a mother.
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And of course, the number one
problem you have when you become
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a mom is sleep.
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And so I had a little Houdini
baby who would escape every swaddle.
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And you've heard a lot of
entrepreneurs, mompreneurs, if you
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will, who've stayed, started
swaddle companies.
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But for me, because I was a 3D
knit engineer, designing 3D knit
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solutions for office furniture
companies and oven gaskets and shoe
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uppers and all sorts of
things, I.
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I had the tools at my
fingertips to solve this problem
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in a whole new way.
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I thought if I could invent a
swaddle solution that could hug my
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baby, that could help calm his
central nervous system, activate
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his vagus nerve, and increases
proprioception, while also allowing
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freedom of movement to
experience active sleep and moral
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reflex.
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I knew I'd have something, and
so I prototyped it.
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I put it on my baby, and I
remember putting him to sleep in
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the crib that night.
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He was like two months old.
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I go to bed.
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I wake up in a panic.
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My husband and I both wake up
realizing we slept through the night
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for the first time since we
got home from the hospital.
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And we run to the crib, make
sure he's okay, and he's sleeping
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there peacefully.
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And my husband grabs my arm
and he's like, you're gonna sell
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a million.
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Of these, and it's fun.
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I didn't.
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I was not as excited.
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In that moment, I realized,
this is gonna be a lot of work.
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Like, I had something, and
this was going to take years of all
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my energy and focus.
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And it did.
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Like, it took.
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While I was growing a family,
I also had, like, my business wasn't
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doing well.
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I had to go get a W2 job, you
know, to pay bills.
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And I, I still pursued
Swadolini by going to baby shows
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all over the country, meeting moms.
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And it really like Swaddellini
is what it is today because of the
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feedback from other moms.
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And I love that it's every new
product we come out with is because
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moms asked for it or dads
asked for like the caregivers.
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So I love being so connected
to them and so connected to the medical
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community.
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Um, so we've done a lot with
neonatal abstinence syndrome babies.
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We've donated to babies who
are born addicted to fentanyl.
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And our, our products are
engineered with hug technology which
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helps with the tremors, helps
with exacerbated more reflex which
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these nast babies suffer from.
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And then it, it is also
doctors and nurses have used it in
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NICUs for babies with
respiratory problems because they
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have trouble calming down to
get the rest they need.
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And our product helps with that.
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So it's, it's been a wild ride.
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It, it didn't take off until
January 7, 2021 and I had a viral
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TikTok.
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In one day I had a million
views, 341 orders from all over the
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world and zero inventory and
one machine in my garage, two kids
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and a full time job.
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So I hired like the daughter
of my mom's friend from Chen and
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who still works for me by the way.
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She's amazing.
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She's now a technician and programmer.
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Yeah.
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Anyway, yeah, the rest is history.
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So now I have a, a 9,000
square foot facility, 17 machines
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and 11 employees.
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Oh my gosh, that is so incredible.
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It's just such a success story.
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It is, it's the American dream
and I love that it's all about manufacturing
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here and I'm like the lady I
mentioned who helped me when I first
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went viral who's still working
for me.
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She's going to get a state
certification for being a technician
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and honing all those skills.
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And so I love that I get to
invest back into the talent in my
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community.
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It's, it's amazing.
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I, I am, I'm very, I, I, I, I
don't take my, this privilege for
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granted.
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Like I know that this is a
privilege and so part of understanding.
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Wow.
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I and a platform on social media.
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I, I built this incredible
community of new and expectant mothers
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online.
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What am I going to do with
this responsibility?
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And I thought about how I
could best add value and I came up
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with Project Chip which is
cultivating health in Postpartum.
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It's a documentary where we
are following one woman's journey
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preparing for her postpartum cardan.
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There are so many
documentaries out there about the
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postpartum depression and all
these jarring, shocking problems.
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There's nothing about the solution.
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And I, I, I want to make the
first documentary about the solution.
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So I actually got together
with Han.
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Oh.
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Who wrote the first 40 days,
which is a beautiful nutritional
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guy.
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You know it?
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Yes, I do.
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I got, I bought it and I gave
it to my husband.
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I was like, here's a gift of
how to take care of me.
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Well, did he use it?
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Did he use it?
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So sort of, but hard.
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Yeah.
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I feel like it's like a whole,
you know, concept that you mindset
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shift too.
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It is, yes.
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Yeah.
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About, like, how to really
take care of a woman after she gives
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birth, like, how to nourish her.
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Well, it's not a Eastern and a
little, like, west from Europe.
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Almost every culture that's
been around for more than 500 years
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has their own, their own way
to support a woman in her rest and
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recovery journey.
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Postpartum.
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And America being so new and
so lost.
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We have lost how to mother in
our country.
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We need to relearn it.
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And we.
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It starts with investing more
in preparing for our postpartum than
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our birth.
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Our birth only takes a few hours.
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Postpartum is years.
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You want to plan your
postpartum, especially in the first
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40 days.
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Absolutely.
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And I have twins.
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Whoa.
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Hello.
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And God, I was so unprepared.
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How old are they now?
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They're 19 months now.
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Well, my gosh.
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So you're still in the thick
of it.
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That's such a hard age.
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Oh, yes.
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I, I've been told that I'm at
the hardest stage for twins.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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I mean, for any baby, probably.
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I know by twins, it's double
everything, so.
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Yeah, yeah, yeah.
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Oh, my gosh.
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Yeah.
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Did, did you get plugged in
with Twinversity Nat, do you know?
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Yes, yes.
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Yeah, she's a friend of mine.
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I know.
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Oh, really?
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Oh, yeah, yeah.
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The baby industry is so small.
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We all know each other.
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I've been to all the shows, so.
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I know, Nat.
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I know.
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Yeah, we every, we all, we're
very incestuous industry all night.
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That's amazing.
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It's, that's it.
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It's an incredible community.
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She's great.
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Yeah.
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I love Nat.
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If you got have twins, you
gotta check out twinversity.
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Oh, yeah.
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I get the emails that are
like, it's now week, blah, blah,
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blah.
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With your twins, you should
have her.
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On your, have you had her on.
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Your podcast I want to.
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Yeah.
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Yeah.
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Well, I love that you're
focusing on postpartum support, because
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women just aren't.
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And that book that you bought
and gave to your husband, that.
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That only came out, like, nine
years ago.
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Hunt wrote that.
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And.
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And.
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But in.
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It's gained in popularity in
the last few years, and I really
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feel like it's bringing to the
consciousness of the American woman.
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Hey, if you don't stop and
invest in yourself and prioritize
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your nutrition and your rest
and your recovery, you're going to
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pay for it later.
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And I think we're finally
starting to understand this, and
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I'm hoping so.
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The big question that my
documentary is going to ask is, what
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is postpartum support?
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We always talk about it.
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We talk about community.
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I want the meat and potatoes
of what is it?
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So we are getting detailed and
specific and giving people tools
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throughout the doc and
illustrating stories of what you
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can do to help.
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And I hope that people will
take the call to action seriously
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and think, okay, if I want the
village, I gotta be the village.
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That's.
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That's the.
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And.
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And that.
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I didn't know that was gonna
be the message of the doc.
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But after talking to women,
this is.
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This is what it needs to be,
and this is what we all need to hear.
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That's.
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That is the perfect sound bite.
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Thank you.
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But that is also so true.
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Can I tell you a story that
illustrates why it is so true?
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So I learned about the first
40 days book from my.
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My best friend Paige.
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And Paige went through her
first postpartum without a baby.
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She had a stillborn at 36 weeks.
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It was, you know, the most
traumatic, horrible thing you can
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imagine.
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And so her reaction to that
was to really dig deep into her spiritual
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healing and her physical
healing and what she needed from
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a.
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A spiritual level, a
psychological level, and a physical
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level.
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So she threw herself into her
nutrition, and through the teachings
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of the first 40 days, she
threw herself into her community.
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Community.
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She made.
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She made meals, postpartum
meals, and then delivered it to the
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women she knew that were
recovering from postpartum.
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She's like, I don't have
anything need take care of, so I'm
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going.
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I'm going to be there for
them, and I'm going to be their village.
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And she said she received so
much healing by stepping out into
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the world and doing this for
other women who.
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Who.
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Who.
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00:10:58,062 --> 00:10:59,638
Who were, you know, doing their.
256
00:10:59,774 --> 00:11:02,918
Their stuff with their newborn
and didn't have time.
257
00:11:02,974 --> 00:11:05,478
She had the time, and that was
her gift.
258
00:11:05,654 --> 00:11:08,294
And she said, I Mean, it's
just so beautiful.
259
00:11:08,342 --> 00:11:13,892
But she received so much
healing from doing that and, and
260
00:11:14,076 --> 00:11:14,820
for after that.
261
00:11:14,860 --> 00:11:20,468
But she now has a healthy baby
girl who's 2 now, and she's pregnant
262
00:11:20,484 --> 00:11:21,440
with her third.
263
00:11:22,380 --> 00:11:26,740
So, yeah, we're very, very
happy and everything's going well.
264
00:11:26,780 --> 00:11:27,780
She's almost at the end.
265
00:11:27,820 --> 00:11:29,840
She's due any day now with her second.
266
00:11:30,700 --> 00:11:31,604
But yeah, to.
267
00:11:31,692 --> 00:11:35,600
To go through something like
that and have such a.
268
00:11:35,900 --> 00:11:37,252
A healthy reaction.
269
00:11:37,316 --> 00:11:39,382
I mean, wow.
270
00:11:39,526 --> 00:11:43,270
And now imagine, okay, she was
in an extreme situation, but what
271
00:11:43,310 --> 00:11:47,638
if all of us women, even
before we give birth, had this attitude
272
00:11:47,734 --> 00:11:52,790
of, of service for one another
and showing each other love in this
273
00:11:52,830 --> 00:11:53,318
way.
274
00:11:53,454 --> 00:11:54,150
You know that.
275
00:11:54,190 --> 00:11:56,850
Because this is what we used
to do.
276
00:11:57,710 --> 00:11:59,990
And if we could get our get.
277
00:12:00,030 --> 00:12:04,406
You know, I think what the
first 40 days is doing is, it's created
278
00:12:04,438 --> 00:12:10,192
a cultural shift, and we're
starting to value these small, these
279
00:12:10,216 --> 00:12:12,016
acts of service, of making
someone a meal.
280
00:12:12,048 --> 00:12:16,540
It's becoming more mainstream,
and I think that's really great.
281
00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:20,880
Postpartum women have started
making healthy boundaries with in
282
00:12:20,920 --> 00:12:22,500
laws and visitation.
283
00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:26,048
Now, of course, enforcing
those boundaries is a totally different
284
00:12:26,104 --> 00:12:29,616
thing, but at least we're
talking about it and we're setting
285
00:12:29,648 --> 00:12:29,888
them.
286
00:12:29,944 --> 00:12:34,104
You know, it's.
287
00:12:34,232 --> 00:12:37,128
And then teaching ourselves how.
288
00:12:37,264 --> 00:12:39,976
How to mother, how to.
289
00:12:40,128 --> 00:12:44,952
How to do what we need to do
for ourselves first so that we can
290
00:12:44,976 --> 00:12:47,048
be the best caregivers for our baby.
291
00:12:47,224 --> 00:12:51,352
And I, I know that the
American people are not ready to
292
00:12:51,376 --> 00:12:52,232
hear this message.
293
00:12:52,296 --> 00:12:56,520
A lot of them are not ready,
because when I make a post about
294
00:12:56,640 --> 00:13:00,136
a moment, so I make a lot of
posts about safe sleep.
295
00:13:00,168 --> 00:13:00,808
I do.
296
00:13:00,944 --> 00:13:05,544
I do a whole scene that
exemplifies safe sleep practices.
297
00:13:05,672 --> 00:13:09,112
If you're a new mom and you
get sleepy, you put your baby down
298
00:13:09,136 --> 00:13:13,752
in a safe sleep environment,
bassinet by your bed, and then you
299
00:13:13,776 --> 00:13:14,344
get rest.
300
00:13:14,432 --> 00:13:17,512
And people online will see
this and go, why don't you just hold
301
00:13:17,536 --> 00:13:17,896
your baby?
302
00:13:17,928 --> 00:13:18,584
You're so lazy.
303
00:13:18,632 --> 00:13:20,312
Moms are so lazy on their
phone all the time.
304
00:13:20,336 --> 00:13:21,416
And I'm like, oh, my.
305
00:13:21,488 --> 00:13:22,540
Oh, my God.
306
00:13:22,880 --> 00:13:24,872
Like, that woman needs to get
the rest.
307
00:13:24,976 --> 00:13:27,932
She needs to recover and be
the best, best mother she can be
308
00:13:27,956 --> 00:13:28,876
for that baby.
309
00:13:28,988 --> 00:13:29,260
And.
310
00:13:29,300 --> 00:13:30,044
And you're on.
311
00:13:30,132 --> 00:13:32,668
On my page judging her for that.
312
00:13:32,804 --> 00:13:34,332
Like, people are.
313
00:13:34,436 --> 00:13:36,156
Have lost their minds.
314
00:13:36,268 --> 00:13:39,772
And, and social media has
never made that.
315
00:13:39,956 --> 00:13:41,800
It's made that very clear.
316
00:13:42,260 --> 00:13:43,040
Yeah.
317
00:13:43,780 --> 00:13:44,236
Yeah.
318
00:13:44,268 --> 00:13:45,964
I read something today that was.
319
00:13:46,132 --> 00:13:52,572
It was like, there's so much
advice about how to parent, but there's
320
00:13:52,636 --> 00:13:53,240
no both.
321
00:13:53,300 --> 00:13:58,288
But what about advice about
how to take care of people doing
322
00:13:58,344 --> 00:13:59,460
the parenting.
323
00:14:01,640 --> 00:14:06,624
Yeah, that, that is a book
that should be written.
324
00:14:06,752 --> 00:14:07,136
Okay.
325
00:14:07,168 --> 00:14:07,360
Because.
326
00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:09,712
Well, one thing, some people
think they're taking care of you
327
00:14:09,736 --> 00:14:11,680
by disciplining your child for you.
328
00:14:11,800 --> 00:14:13,744
And I, I really don't like that.
329
00:14:13,832 --> 00:14:16,640
Um, it's like, if I'm, I, I
don't believe in policing.
330
00:14:16,720 --> 00:14:18,656
I believe in guiding and coaching.
331
00:14:18,768 --> 00:14:22,346
So if someone, like, wants to
come in and disclaim a kid.
332
00:14:22,378 --> 00:14:23,550
No, it's not okay.
333
00:14:23,890 --> 00:14:26,030
That's not okay.
334
00:14:26,690 --> 00:14:27,066
Yeah.
335
00:14:27,098 --> 00:14:30,090
If someone wants to come in
and, and say, this is how things
336
00:14:30,130 --> 00:14:33,962
should go, this is how things
are going to go, then that's just
337
00:14:33,986 --> 00:14:35,510
not helpful at all.
338
00:14:35,810 --> 00:14:36,282
Yeah.
339
00:14:36,346 --> 00:14:39,978
Or if somebody wants to come
into your, your room when you have
340
00:14:40,034 --> 00:14:46,724
a newborn and say things like,
oh, are you, Are you breastfeeding?
341
00:14:46,772 --> 00:14:47,636
You're not breastfeeding?
342
00:14:47,668 --> 00:14:51,560
Like, getting into your
business like that, that's not helpful.
343
00:14:52,620 --> 00:14:54,052
Not helpful at all.
344
00:14:54,156 --> 00:14:57,300
But yeah, parents also need to
know that perfect parenting does
345
00:14:57,340 --> 00:14:58,340
not exist.
346
00:14:58,500 --> 00:15:03,652
Like, so you will mess up and
you just gotta, you know, try again,
347
00:15:03,836 --> 00:15:04,404
get back up.
348
00:15:04,412 --> 00:15:07,320
And it's not a, it's not a job
for a perfectionist.
349
00:15:08,140 --> 00:15:08,880
Right.
350
00:15:09,340 --> 00:15:10,452
What a job.
351
00:15:10,636 --> 00:15:11,410
Yeah.
352
00:15:11,580 --> 00:15:12,214
Um, yeah.
353
00:15:12,262 --> 00:15:14,502
And it's hard to deal with imper.
354
00:15:14,566 --> 00:15:16,582
You know, people are
imperfect, so it's hard to deal with
355
00:15:16,606 --> 00:15:19,990
the imperfect comments that
are made when you're a new mom and
356
00:15:20,030 --> 00:15:23,142
everything is triggered and
nobody gives you grace like that.
357
00:15:23,166 --> 00:15:24,934
That's another thing I would
love to normalize.
358
00:15:24,982 --> 00:15:28,262
Can we normalize giving a
postpartum woman grace?
359
00:15:28,406 --> 00:15:33,126
Because, you know, I, I have a
type A personality, and so when I'm
360
00:15:33,158 --> 00:15:38,824
postpartum, I am very
sensitive and I don't think I'm alone
361
00:15:38,872 --> 00:15:39,620
in that.
362
00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:45,128
And so I, I would love to see,
okay, I might have a moment of postpartum
363
00:15:45,144 --> 00:15:47,224
rage, but can you, can you
give me a break?
364
00:15:47,392 --> 00:15:48,680
Can you give me some grace there?
365
00:15:48,720 --> 00:15:49,320
You know?
366
00:15:49,440 --> 00:15:50,152
Right.
367
00:15:50,336 --> 00:15:54,248
Like, instead of using
postpartum rage, instead of using
368
00:15:54,304 --> 00:15:59,992
that term to, like, shame me
and make me feel like I'm crazy,
369
00:16:00,136 --> 00:16:04,940
how about it's normal that you
have a moment of postpartum rage,
370
00:16:05,410 --> 00:16:05,978
you know?
371
00:16:06,034 --> 00:16:08,042
Yeah, yeah.
372
00:16:08,106 --> 00:16:11,402
Or just like, say, oh, okay,
well, let it.
373
00:16:11,426 --> 00:16:11,658
Let.
374
00:16:11,714 --> 00:16:12,474
Or just say nothing.
375
00:16:12,522 --> 00:16:14,986
Just let it brush off and then
go about your day.
376
00:16:15,138 --> 00:16:15,882
Right.
377
00:16:16,066 --> 00:16:18,186
Oh, gosh, the things I want to normalize.
378
00:16:18,218 --> 00:16:22,634
I mean, I just imagine if,
like, every woman invested as heavily
379
00:16:22,682 --> 00:16:26,350
into their postpartum recovery
period as they did into their birth.
380
00:16:26,690 --> 00:16:27,834
I mean, the whole.
381
00:16:27,882 --> 00:16:30,026
Our society would be different.
382
00:16:30,178 --> 00:16:32,490
The way we bond, our children
would be different.
383
00:16:32,610 --> 00:16:37,284
And especially as moms, I feel
like if we prioritized our rest and
384
00:16:37,292 --> 00:16:41,140
Recovery postpartum, we'd have
less resentment toward our kids because
385
00:16:41,180 --> 00:16:43,764
that's, that's where the mom
guilt comes from.
386
00:16:43,932 --> 00:16:46,724
Ah, that's my belief.
387
00:16:46,772 --> 00:16:47,908
I'm a, I'm speaking out turn.
388
00:16:47,964 --> 00:16:50,680
I'm not a psychologist, you
know, but I do have four kids.
389
00:16:51,020 --> 00:16:52,160
You have four?
390
00:16:52,540 --> 00:16:53,444
Four, yeah.
391
00:16:53,492 --> 00:16:58,132
So I have the, the baby I had
that, that inspired me to make the
392
00:16:58,156 --> 00:16:59,828
swadolini is now seven.
393
00:16:59,964 --> 00:17:04,292
And then I also have a, a four
year old and a two year old and my
394
00:17:04,316 --> 00:17:05,600
baby just turned one.
395
00:17:06,590 --> 00:17:07,302
Yeah.
396
00:17:07,446 --> 00:17:10,810
So you are still postpartum?
397
00:17:11,230 --> 00:17:12,086
Yeah, yeah.
398
00:17:12,118 --> 00:17:12,486
Oh yeah.
399
00:17:12,518 --> 00:17:14,374
I'm still breastfeeding, yeah.
400
00:17:14,422 --> 00:17:15,126
Wow.
401
00:17:15,318 --> 00:17:15,638
Yeah.
402
00:17:15,654 --> 00:17:19,894
And actually one of the things
I did for a friend, she had a nesting
403
00:17:19,942 --> 00:17:24,614
party and everybody signed up
to like do dishes one day, do laundry,
404
00:17:24,662 --> 00:17:25,286
bring her a meal.
405
00:17:25,318 --> 00:17:27,078
I signed up for bedtime routine.
406
00:17:27,174 --> 00:17:30,294
So I came over about eight and
she was making a bottle and I was
407
00:17:30,302 --> 00:17:32,550
like, you know, I'm
breastfeeding right now.
408
00:17:32,590 --> 00:17:34,488
Like, would you, I could be
your wet nurse.
409
00:17:34,504 --> 00:17:35,944
And she was like, oh, go for it.
410
00:17:36,032 --> 00:17:38,540
And I've done this for my
sister's kids.
411
00:17:39,520 --> 00:17:40,408
So I did.
412
00:17:40,464 --> 00:17:43,860
She went with her husband into
their bedroom to rest.
413
00:17:44,400 --> 00:17:47,752
Their baby was only a couple
months old and I hung out with him.
414
00:17:47,776 --> 00:17:51,464
I tried to keep him awake as
long as possible, changing his diaper.
415
00:17:51,592 --> 00:17:55,576
I fed him a couple times and I
think he finally went to bed around
416
00:17:55,648 --> 00:17:58,088
like 9:45 or so.
417
00:17:58,224 --> 00:17:59,896
And then I made sure he was still.
418
00:17:59,968 --> 00:18:03,576
I obviously put him to bed in
a swadolini and I think I creeped
419
00:18:03,608 --> 00:18:04,678
out like 10:30.
420
00:18:04,824 --> 00:18:10,026
And she said that he woke up
at like 6:05am the next day, slept
421
00:18:10,058 --> 00:18:10,950
through the night.
422
00:18:11,410 --> 00:18:12,090
I love that.
423
00:18:12,130 --> 00:18:17,002
So I feel like I, I, I might
explore this, that I might have a
424
00:18:17,026 --> 00:18:19,114
new career path.
425
00:18:19,162 --> 00:18:20,150
You don't know.
426
00:18:21,330 --> 00:18:21,978
Sure.
427
00:18:22,114 --> 00:18:24,746
Like a, like a, I mean like.
428
00:18:24,898 --> 00:18:27,978
Hair'S night nanny, you know,
if I.
429
00:18:28,034 --> 00:18:34,724
Had known that that existed,
I, I, I think I would have with twins,
430
00:18:34,852 --> 00:18:37,284
like I, I would have.
431
00:18:37,372 --> 00:18:41,172
You didn't know about night
nannies when you were postpartum?
432
00:18:41,316 --> 00:18:41,764
No.
433
00:18:41,852 --> 00:18:44,884
I mean, which I didn't know anything.
434
00:18:44,932 --> 00:18:45,764
Oh no.
435
00:18:45,932 --> 00:18:48,020
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
436
00:18:48,100 --> 00:18:51,000
So I'm like a cautionary tale.
437
00:18:51,500 --> 00:18:52,452
Um, yeah.
438
00:18:52,516 --> 00:18:55,978
Basically a night nanny can
like will like do what I did for,
439
00:18:56,004 --> 00:19:01,662
or my friend or, or, or
postpartum doula type person or like
440
00:19:01,686 --> 00:19:04,286
whenever the baby wakes up, if
they're really young, like this baby
441
00:19:04,318 --> 00:19:08,330
was like two or three months
old that I, I did the routine for.
442
00:19:09,030 --> 00:19:12,222
But you, they'll bring the
baby to you so you can nurse them
443
00:19:12,246 --> 00:19:14,014
and then, and maybe they'll
bring you water.
444
00:19:14,102 --> 00:19:17,950
Maybe they'll do some laundry
or something while you're sleeping.
445
00:19:18,110 --> 00:19:18,526
Whatever.
446
00:19:18,558 --> 00:19:20,206
You negotiate into it.
447
00:19:20,358 --> 00:19:21,864
Yeah, that's.
448
00:19:21,912 --> 00:19:23,780
That's a huge act of service.
449
00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:25,288
Yeah, but.
450
00:19:25,344 --> 00:19:27,256
But the thing is, what I did
was for free.
451
00:19:27,328 --> 00:19:27,832
It was.
452
00:19:27,936 --> 00:19:31,240
Or another new mom in my
community who definitely could not
453
00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:33,368
have afforded a postpartum doulas.
454
00:19:33,544 --> 00:19:33,928
Right.
455
00:19:33,984 --> 00:19:35,144
Yeah, Right.
456
00:19:35,232 --> 00:19:37,272
That's the caveat there.
457
00:19:37,456 --> 00:19:37,864
Yeah.
458
00:19:37,912 --> 00:19:39,640
Well, there is, like, where was.
459
00:19:39,680 --> 00:19:44,728
I think it was Sweden is doing
a time bank system where you volunteer
460
00:19:44,824 --> 00:19:50,822
time to help and aid with an
elderly person and you'll be like
461
00:19:50,846 --> 00:19:51,750
their aid for a day.
462
00:19:51,790 --> 00:19:52,134
Right.
463
00:19:52,222 --> 00:19:53,558
And you bank that time.
464
00:19:53,614 --> 00:19:58,310
So when you get old, then it's
reciprocated with the next generation.
465
00:19:58,470 --> 00:20:01,126
And I think that is beautiful system.
466
00:20:01,278 --> 00:20:03,222
Would love for it to work here.
467
00:20:03,326 --> 00:20:04,918
Maybe for postpartum.
468
00:20:05,014 --> 00:20:06,090
Absolutely.
469
00:20:07,870 --> 00:20:10,730
No, I mean, why is Sweden perfect?
470
00:20:12,670 --> 00:20:13,678
I know.
471
00:20:13,854 --> 00:20:14,638
Oh, cool.
472
00:20:14,734 --> 00:20:15,770
Oh, man.
473
00:20:16,390 --> 00:20:16,750
There.
474
00:20:16,790 --> 00:20:20,638
Anyway, there's a lot of
little solutions and big solutions.
475
00:20:20,734 --> 00:20:21,370
Right.
476
00:20:22,150 --> 00:20:25,930
But I think what my
documentary is getting at is how
477
00:20:26,310 --> 00:20:31,690
can you be the solution in
your own way, in your own community
478
00:20:32,790 --> 00:20:34,670
and explore that?
479
00:20:34,710 --> 00:20:35,038
I mean.
480
00:20:35,094 --> 00:20:37,982
Well, so the way we're doing
it is we're following this one woman's
481
00:20:38,046 --> 00:20:40,940
journey through preparing for
postpartum, living it out, and then
482
00:20:41,070 --> 00:20:43,856
interviewing her on, you know,
what worked, what didn't.
483
00:20:44,048 --> 00:20:47,984
And I'm doing this with Han,
the author of the first 40 days.
484
00:20:48,152 --> 00:20:49,456
So she obviously.
485
00:20:49,488 --> 00:20:52,576
Han is Chinese American, and
the subject of our film is Chinese
486
00:20:52,608 --> 00:20:52,944
American.
487
00:20:53,032 --> 00:20:56,336
And she really wanted to
practice the ancient Chinese practice
488
00:20:56,368 --> 00:20:58,400
of confinement when she.
489
00:20:58,440 --> 00:21:00,608
With her first child that she
had a few years ago.
490
00:21:00,744 --> 00:21:02,400
But it just.
491
00:21:02,440 --> 00:21:03,296
It didn't work out.
492
00:21:03,368 --> 00:21:06,368
Her family members were not
able to be there for her through
493
00:21:06,424 --> 00:21:07,408
for one reason or another.
494
00:21:07,464 --> 00:21:08,282
And it just.
495
00:21:08,416 --> 00:21:08,966
It was.
496
00:21:09,038 --> 00:21:11,126
It was a disappointing
experience for her.
497
00:21:11,278 --> 00:21:13,942
And so I'm really excited we
get to give this back.
498
00:21:14,046 --> 00:21:18,006
So I actually have a friend
who owns the Village Postnatal Recovery
499
00:21:18,038 --> 00:21:22,038
center In San Francisco, 15
minutes from this woman's home.
500
00:21:22,094 --> 00:21:27,110
Her name's Alice Eisman, and
she just gave birth a few days ago,
501
00:21:27,150 --> 00:21:29,958
and she's checking in on
Monday, and I'm flying to San Francisco
502
00:21:30,054 --> 00:21:30,518
on Tuesday.
503
00:21:30,574 --> 00:21:32,262
We're going to film Wednesday.
504
00:21:32,366 --> 00:21:33,078
And she's.
505
00:21:33,174 --> 00:21:33,670
We.
506
00:21:33,790 --> 00:21:37,254
So Swadolini has sponsored
this and we're sponsoring her Chinese
507
00:21:37,302 --> 00:21:41,256
meals that are going to be
brought to her every day, and her
508
00:21:41,328 --> 00:21:42,504
family can visit.
509
00:21:42,672 --> 00:21:43,848
And I.
510
00:21:43,904 --> 00:21:44,376
I'm just.
511
00:21:44,448 --> 00:21:47,880
I'm so excited to showcase
this because although people might
512
00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:52,184
think, okay, I can't afford a
postpartum doula for like 35 to 65
513
00:21:52,272 --> 00:21:55,220
an hour, in San Francisco,
it's like $65 an hour.
514
00:21:55,840 --> 00:21:58,296
So if you want 24.7care, it's
out of the question.
515
00:21:58,448 --> 00:22:03,464
But at a postnatal recovery
center like the Village, it's $800
516
00:22:03,552 --> 00:22:05,012
a night, and it's 24.
517
00:22:05,107 --> 00:22:07,160
7 postpartum doula care.
518
00:22:07,620 --> 00:22:11,480
So it's, if you need a break
that's available to you.
519
00:22:11,780 --> 00:22:14,572
Um, it's, it's, it's amazing.
520
00:22:14,636 --> 00:22:16,668
And could, could it be systematized?
521
00:22:16,764 --> 00:22:17,116
Sure.
522
00:22:17,188 --> 00:22:21,020
Where I, I'm also exploring
the counterpoints to that, because
523
00:22:21,060 --> 00:22:23,692
I thought this was all fine
and dandy, like, how much I would
524
00:22:23,716 --> 00:22:27,900
have loved to go to a retreat
center and just be away from my home
525
00:22:27,940 --> 00:22:29,612
and my responsibilities for a
few days.
526
00:22:29,636 --> 00:22:32,622
That would have been amazing
for me.
527
00:22:32,806 --> 00:22:35,518
It might not be for everyone,
but it's one of the things we're
528
00:22:35,534 --> 00:22:36,366
exploring.
529
00:22:36,558 --> 00:22:39,150
The other thing we're
exploring is postpartum doula support
530
00:22:39,270 --> 00:22:40,250
in home.
531
00:22:40,950 --> 00:22:44,910
And, and then, of course, the
other thing we're curious about is
532
00:22:44,950 --> 00:22:46,926
her, her friend circle support.
533
00:22:46,998 --> 00:22:48,622
So she did have a nesting party.
534
00:22:48,726 --> 00:22:50,686
She did have a signup sheet.
535
00:22:50,798 --> 00:22:53,982
And we're going to be
interviewing her friends, like, how
536
00:22:54,006 --> 00:22:57,202
they want to be there for
their friend in her postpartum period.
537
00:22:57,366 --> 00:23:00,666
So because the, the, the
person we're doing, who's the subject
538
00:23:00,698 --> 00:23:01,450
of this doc.
539
00:23:01,530 --> 00:23:02,138
Alice.
540
00:23:02,234 --> 00:23:03,082
She's a giver.
541
00:23:03,146 --> 00:23:05,306
Like, she's one of those
people who's always giving and giving
542
00:23:05,338 --> 00:23:09,530
and giving to others, but is
really, really hard for her to ask
543
00:23:09,570 --> 00:23:09,978
for help.
544
00:23:10,034 --> 00:23:11,258
I think that's never going away.
545
00:23:11,314 --> 00:23:14,310
Women will always have trouble
asking for help.
546
00:23:14,770 --> 00:23:20,698
But what we can get better at
is giving it and giving, giving it
547
00:23:20,754 --> 00:23:23,140
without asking.
548
00:23:23,330 --> 00:23:24,780
Just showing up.
549
00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:26,640
Just showing up and giving.
550
00:23:26,720 --> 00:23:28,784
I, I, we could get better at that.
551
00:23:28,952 --> 00:23:29,776
Yeah.
552
00:23:29,968 --> 00:23:31,088
Delicious.
553
00:23:31,264 --> 00:23:34,880
I, I love how proactive you are.
554
00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:36,752
It, for lack of a better word.
555
00:23:36,816 --> 00:23:38,096
Well, that's the key word.
556
00:23:38,128 --> 00:23:38,944
I love that word.
557
00:23:38,992 --> 00:23:39,760
Proactive.
558
00:23:39,840 --> 00:23:42,700
Like, I, I don't like seeing a problem.
559
00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:45,120
Oh, my baby's not sleeping.
560
00:23:45,200 --> 00:23:46,832
I'm gonna engineer a swaddle
for him.
561
00:23:46,856 --> 00:23:47,792
And this.
562
00:23:47,896 --> 00:23:51,840
Oh, postpartum support is
absolutely non existent.
563
00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:53,260
Let's change this.
564
00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:54,200
Yes.
565
00:23:54,780 --> 00:23:55,540
Yeah.
566
00:23:55,700 --> 00:24:01,080
I think the most important
thing is that a new mom feels empowered.
567
00:24:02,300 --> 00:24:03,040
Right.
568
00:24:03,420 --> 00:24:07,204
Well, and to have the words,
that's one thing I learned in birth
569
00:24:07,252 --> 00:24:10,404
that I think could also be
paralleled to postpartum.
570
00:24:10,532 --> 00:24:13,460
You know, I, I wanted to birth
naturally, but I didn't have the
571
00:24:13,500 --> 00:24:16,884
words and the tools to
communicate what I needed in the
572
00:24:16,892 --> 00:24:20,494
moment I needed it until I
trained with, retrained my brain
573
00:24:20,542 --> 00:24:22,590
through hypnobirthing, which
life Changing.
574
00:24:22,670 --> 00:24:25,822
Honestly, if you're not
pregnant, I would still read hypnobirthing.
575
00:24:25,966 --> 00:24:26,670
Wow.
576
00:24:26,830 --> 00:24:29,982
The ideas in that book are
fantastic because it's giving you
577
00:24:30,006 --> 00:24:34,718
the tools you need mentally
and changing your mindset so that
578
00:24:34,774 --> 00:24:37,822
you can have the words to
advocate for yourself.
579
00:24:37,966 --> 00:24:42,638
And when you're postpartum and
you're under a lot of stress, you
580
00:24:42,694 --> 00:24:48,072
don't have the, the tools
ready to feel what you need to feel
581
00:24:48,096 --> 00:24:48,536
in the moment.
582
00:24:48,568 --> 00:24:49,512
You need to feel it.
583
00:24:49,616 --> 00:24:52,584
So postpartum emotional
distress may not hit you till six
584
00:24:52,672 --> 00:24:54,056
months a year down the road.
585
00:24:54,128 --> 00:24:57,720
If you don't prioritize
yourself in the first days and weeks
586
00:24:57,760 --> 00:25:00,472
postpartum, it will hit you
like a ton of bricks.
587
00:25:00,536 --> 00:25:01,400
That happened to me.
588
00:25:01,440 --> 00:25:05,416
So I know really well my first
day back from the hospital, my husband
589
00:25:05,448 --> 00:25:07,000
worked a 22 hour day.
590
00:25:07,120 --> 00:25:08,488
It was manufacturing.
591
00:25:08,584 --> 00:25:11,592
And he came home and I lit him
up and he was like, Liz, I took four
592
00:25:11,616 --> 00:25:14,088
days off for the birth and I
was like two of those days were Saturday
593
00:25:14,144 --> 00:25:15,136
and a Sunday.
594
00:25:15,328 --> 00:25:19,152
Six months in, we go on a
vacation and he leaves me with the
595
00:25:19,176 --> 00:25:21,168
baby two days into the
vacation to go back to work.
596
00:25:21,224 --> 00:25:22,480
Yeah, I'm serious.
597
00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:26,880
And, and then I get back from
the vacation and I tell him, you
598
00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:30,780
quit your job or we have no
more children.
599
00:25:32,280 --> 00:25:36,560
And, and he quit his job and
he actually got a job making it.
600
00:25:36,600 --> 00:25:38,176
He was six months unemployed.
601
00:25:38,288 --> 00:25:42,016
It was tough and I had to get
a real job, a much higher paying
602
00:25:42,048 --> 00:25:42,240
job.
603
00:25:42,280 --> 00:25:44,700
I wasn't really making much
money, so I had to get a job.
604
00:25:45,150 --> 00:25:48,550
He got a job making a third
less than what he was used to.
605
00:25:48,670 --> 00:25:52,390
Which for a man who has his
whole identity wrapped up in that,
606
00:25:52,430 --> 00:25:55,126
it's amazing what my husband
did for his family.
607
00:25:55,278 --> 00:25:59,238
And it all worked out cause he
has quit that job and now we work
608
00:25:59,294 --> 00:25:59,798
together.
609
00:25:59,934 --> 00:26:02,730
So yeah, that's incredible.
610
00:26:03,310 --> 00:26:05,030
It's a very happy story.
611
00:26:05,150 --> 00:26:05,526
But.
612
00:26:05,598 --> 00:26:06,630
And you know what?
613
00:26:06,750 --> 00:26:11,414
I got to experience that
happiness because I had the words
614
00:26:11,462 --> 00:26:14,794
to advocate for myself and my
foot down.
615
00:26:14,882 --> 00:26:19,034
And I see some women that are
just so buried in their postpartum
616
00:26:19,082 --> 00:26:20,762
stress, they don't have those words.
617
00:26:20,906 --> 00:26:21,898
But my postpartum.
618
00:26:21,914 --> 00:26:24,586
Oh my postpartum stress story,
I almost, my son almost got kicked
619
00:26:24,618 --> 00:26:26,874
out of daycare because I blew up.
620
00:26:26,962 --> 00:26:27,802
It was bad.
621
00:26:27,906 --> 00:26:29,114
Not like me, okay?
622
00:26:29,162 --> 00:26:32,010
I blew up at one of their
workers cuz I thought they, they
623
00:26:32,050 --> 00:26:34,874
misplaced or stole a blanket,
which they hadn't.
624
00:26:35,002 --> 00:26:35,386
Okay.
625
00:26:35,418 --> 00:26:38,602
Brad put it in a different
place and, but it was my fault.
626
00:26:38,666 --> 00:26:42,122
And they told me that, Liz, if
you react this way or behave this
627
00:26:42,146 --> 00:26:43,738
way, you can't have your child here.
628
00:26:43,794 --> 00:26:47,686
And they were totally in their
right to say because I acted completely
629
00:26:47,718 --> 00:26:49,446
horribly and I took it to my doctor.
630
00:26:49,478 --> 00:26:51,238
I'm like, look, this is not
like me.
631
00:26:51,374 --> 00:26:52,790
And I don't know what's going on.
632
00:26:52,830 --> 00:26:54,134
I feel like I have no control.
633
00:26:54,222 --> 00:26:56,970
And she put me on 50
milligrams of Zoloft.
634
00:26:57,310 --> 00:26:58,330
Amazing.
635
00:26:59,150 --> 00:27:02,070
And I, I did that for about
eight months and it was great.
636
00:27:02,110 --> 00:27:05,062
I love sharing this story cuz
I really believe 50 milligrams of
637
00:27:05,086 --> 00:27:06,438
Zoloft never hurt anybody.
638
00:27:06,534 --> 00:27:08,486
And for me, I needed that.
639
00:27:08,558 --> 00:27:09,878
I didn't have postpartum depression.
640
00:27:09,894 --> 00:27:11,910
I wasn't thinking of hurting
myself or my kid.
641
00:27:11,990 --> 00:27:16,032
But I had postpartum emotional
distress, which is totally normal.
642
00:27:16,176 --> 00:27:20,016
And I, because of the stress,
like not having my husband available
643
00:27:20,088 --> 00:27:23,264
in the first few weeks and
months, he had no paternity leave
644
00:27:23,392 --> 00:27:27,616
that I, I didn't hit me until
like six months, eight months later,
645
00:27:27,688 --> 00:27:28,460
you know.
646
00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:33,312
Yeah, yeah, I think that's
what happened to me too.
647
00:27:33,416 --> 00:27:37,296
And my husband also did not
have paternity leave.
648
00:27:37,408 --> 00:27:42,432
And I, I needed the words and
I needed the tools to advocate for
649
00:27:42,456 --> 00:27:46,508
myself and I didn't not to
have the words at all.
650
00:27:46,564 --> 00:27:48,444
What eventually did you do it?
651
00:27:48,452 --> 00:27:49,612
Eventually, yes.
652
00:27:49,756 --> 00:27:56,028
So eventually I figured out
what it was that felt so awful and
653
00:27:56,164 --> 00:27:58,652
was able to, to talk with him
about it.
654
00:27:58,836 --> 00:28:03,308
It's still an ongoing
conversation, you know, because it,
655
00:28:03,364 --> 00:28:06,124
because you're right, it's, it
hits you like a ton of bricks and
656
00:28:06,212 --> 00:28:10,492
you know, it's like icky,
sticky, like sticking with me, you
657
00:28:10,516 --> 00:28:12,356
know, their.
658
00:28:12,428 --> 00:28:15,380
Man has no control over it and
he's like, well, what can I do?
659
00:28:15,420 --> 00:28:20,116
And, and that's where, you
know, like, hey, ask me if I'm thirsty
660
00:28:20,148 --> 00:28:22,868
or just bring me a glass of
water every time you come up to check
661
00:28:22,884 --> 00:28:26,960
on me or bring me a snack
every time you come up or to just.
662
00:28:27,580 --> 00:28:30,292
And then if, and if I'm, I get
very snap.
663
00:28:30,356 --> 00:28:31,588
I remember I was very snappy.
664
00:28:31,604 --> 00:28:32,308
It was very bad.
665
00:28:32,364 --> 00:28:33,412
But I've gotten better.
666
00:28:33,516 --> 00:28:37,092
I've gotten better because
when you start thinking about, okay,
667
00:28:37,156 --> 00:28:40,464
I know this time is not going
to be perfect, then you know what
668
00:28:40,472 --> 00:28:41,008
you're going into.
669
00:28:41,064 --> 00:28:44,320
And I didn't get postpartum
emotional distress anywhere near
670
00:28:44,360 --> 00:28:46,944
as bad as the first time
because I had the words for it.
671
00:28:47,032 --> 00:28:48,976
I knew what it was, I knew
what was happening.
672
00:28:49,008 --> 00:28:51,872
I didn't have to go on so
often the subsequent pregnancies
673
00:28:51,936 --> 00:28:56,192
because I knew what to expect
and I knew I'm going to need support
674
00:28:56,296 --> 00:28:57,264
during these hours.
675
00:28:57,352 --> 00:29:03,392
I'm going to need, you know,
easy nutritious foods accessible
676
00:29:03,456 --> 00:29:04,064
at all times.
677
00:29:04,152 --> 00:29:07,906
I made sure he put a mini
fridge by my bed and a microwave
678
00:29:07,938 --> 00:29:10,290
and a tea kettle and, like,
all these things.
679
00:29:10,330 --> 00:29:12,082
I had a little pantry right by our.
680
00:29:12,186 --> 00:29:14,146
I had, like, a second kitchen
in our bedroom.
681
00:29:14,258 --> 00:29:14,994
And that's.
682
00:29:15,042 --> 00:29:15,442
I.
683
00:29:15,546 --> 00:29:15,858
I.
684
00:29:15,914 --> 00:29:16,594
What I needed.
685
00:29:16,642 --> 00:29:17,202
And I.
686
00:29:17,306 --> 00:29:17,906
My.
687
00:29:18,058 --> 00:29:21,394
My fourth postpartum was my
best because I followed a lot of
688
00:29:21,402 --> 00:29:23,090
the practices in the first 40 days.
689
00:29:23,210 --> 00:29:25,842
So the fact I get to work with
the author, Han.
690
00:29:25,906 --> 00:29:26,194
Oh.
691
00:29:26,242 --> 00:29:27,922
On this project, Chip it.
692
00:29:27,946 --> 00:29:28,194
It's.
693
00:29:28,242 --> 00:29:28,962
It's amazing.
694
00:29:29,026 --> 00:29:29,746
And I.
695
00:29:29,898 --> 00:29:33,400
I hope we inspire women all
over the country to.
696
00:29:33,570 --> 00:29:36,732
To invest in their postpartum experience.
697
00:29:36,836 --> 00:29:42,044
I can't wait to share it and
see it and just celebrate it.
698
00:29:42,132 --> 00:29:46,060
And I thank you for doing it.
699
00:29:46,180 --> 00:29:46,972
I mean, it's.
700
00:29:47,036 --> 00:29:47,564
Oh, yeah.
701
00:29:47,612 --> 00:29:48,076
And it's.
702
00:29:48,108 --> 00:29:48,476
It's gonna.
703
00:29:48,508 --> 00:29:49,692
I don't need to make money on this.
704
00:29:49,716 --> 00:29:51,516
I'm not out to make money on
this doc.
705
00:29:51,628 --> 00:29:54,508
It's gonna be launching on
YouTube for free, and it's gonna
706
00:29:54,524 --> 00:29:55,548
be on my website.
707
00:29:55,684 --> 00:29:58,652
And I, you know, I've got,
like, 700,000 followers across all
708
00:29:58,676 --> 00:29:59,804
my social media platforms.
709
00:29:59,852 --> 00:30:03,928
I'm just gonna be pushing it
out social media, hoping other people
710
00:30:03,984 --> 00:30:04,980
share it too.
711
00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:05,880
And.
712
00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:06,904
Yeah, I'm just.
713
00:30:06,992 --> 00:30:08,408
It's that.
714
00:30:08,464 --> 00:30:09,464
That's the way I think it's.
715
00:30:09,512 --> 00:30:10,584
It's meant to be.
716
00:30:10,752 --> 00:30:11,820
Absolutely.
717
00:30:12,320 --> 00:30:14,312
Well, thank you so much.
718
00:30:14,496 --> 00:30:16,712
I'm so glad that we did this.
719
00:30:16,896 --> 00:30:17,544
Yeah.
720
00:30:17,672 --> 00:30:18,552
Likewise.
721
00:30:18,696 --> 00:30:19,720
Have a great day.
722
00:30:19,840 --> 00:30:21,040
Oh, you too.