Meet May Engelstad | Birth and Postpartum Doula & Healer

We had the good fortune of connecting with May Engelstad and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi May, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting my business truly started more with a feeling and less with thinking to be candid. I became a mom in 2017 and despite having a lot of family close by, my postpartum experience was incredibly challenging. I was starving. I had truly never been hungrier physically, but I also felt a deep hunger emotionally and spiritually. I felt isolated and disconnected, like the world was spinning on despite the fact that everything in my life had turned upside-down. I didn’t know kind of help I needed nor how to ask for it. I had questions about how to take care of a baby and of my healing body but I also was just tired of being alone in a house or feeling like I needed to host family members that offered to come over. I had heard of birth doulas, but the concept of a postpartum doula was new to me. Once I learned that such a thing existed it felt very much like part of the solution. Despite no longer being a freshly postpartum mom myself, I suspected that my experience was far from unique. I went through some basic training and certifying before beginning to put my own unique touches to the services that I offer. Those services specifically address that postpartum “hunger” that I have come to find is so deeply universal and often goes ignored.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have always been drawn to more creative career pursuits. After being employed in a variety of different settings ( from education to event services to even a stint as a professional cowgirl) I began to feel a bit like a square peg in a world of round holes.. nothing quite fit and there was a lot of shame and embarrassment in feeling like I had “failed” to find a career I could stick with. But the truth is, all of the previous jobs that I have held have found a way to serve me in the present space that I work within. I definitely have an educator’s heart and alot of my role has to do with educating families and expectant parents about a number of things from the physiology of birth to how to navigate the early weeks of postpartum. I love that I still get to teach, it’s just not in a classroom.

I get to be creative and innovative in the different ways that I care for the families that I serve. Since there is no governing body that dictates specifically how you are to conduct your work as a doula, there is a lot of freedom in determining what feels most authentic which I love. For example, some postpartum doulas really focus on infant care and household chores which, for some families, may be just the thing they need! I felt like I needed to serve in a slightly more mother-focused way which means I integrate bodywork, birth story processing and specific dietary elements into the food that I prepare so that the mother/birthing parent feels restored. I fell in love with ayurveda as I began to understand the importance of diet and self care practices during the postpartum season so many of the elements that I bring to my services are grounded in Ayurvedic principals.

There have been moments of ease throughout my career in birth and postpartum work but I would not say it’s been easy. The “business side” of having a business is not my favorite and things like updating my website and dealing with book-keeping are never going to be what brings me joy. However, I love the work itself so much that it has helped motivate me into learning best business practices. I think the best thing to do, always, when starting a new pursuit is to reach out to others who are already in the thick of it. Find others in the field that you are hoping to work in, buy them a fancy coffee and ask them about their journey. There will be some who see you as competition, but there will be those who understand that there is always more than enough work to go around and those are your people. The kinds that collaborate and help shape fair expectations as well as serve as a sounding board. I am so tired of this weird independence-obsessed narrative that makes it seem like you have to do everything on your own or it doesn’t count. We need community. We need collaboration. We are able to do our jobs better and extend our reach further when we include others.

I want the world to know that birthwork and supporting new families is a grassroots way to make a positive change in the world. And! Anyone can contribute to the cause… it doesn’t have to come from a professional doula. By making the birthing and postpartum experience something that empowers and elevates a family, they will be operating from a space of abundance instead of depletion. Happier more supported parents, raise happier, more supported children. This work matters and it doesn’t require more than acts of service, kindness and compassion.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I have lived in Denver a majority of my life and it has evolved quite a bit in that time. When I moved here in 1998 ( as an 11 year old) it was still referred to as a “cow-town.” Honestly, I miss some of the “old” Denver… there were more old haunts and things weren’t as polished and curated which I always found endearing. If someone were to come for the weekend, I think I would still absolutely include a trip to Red Rocks, which has and always will be an incredible experience. Even better if we can time it with a concert or a movie on the rocks. I think I would also include a hike up to the Devil’s Head Fire Lookout down in Sedalia. I know it’s not Denver, but it’s one of my favorite hikes. It’s managable for a visitor but ends with a great view and, the much desired, Squirrel Card which I have been collecting since I was a little kid. There is alot of good food and coffee in Denver, so my guess is our weekend would also have quite a few delicious meals at places like Noisette, Vital Root and Stowaway Kitchen. I think treasure hunting at the Thrift and Antique Stores on Broadway is always a good time and a great way to find a memorable souvenir. Stopping by Mutiny Now or Sputnik’s for a old school photobooth session would also be a great way to commemorate the visit!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
Penny Lyons is a fixture in the birth and women’s health world, especially here in Colorado. She has worked tirelessly for years as a doula, a birth educator, a doula instructor and a number of other roles that continue to spotlight the importance of providing support and equity in care for all. It’s a long story, but basically, Penny knew that I would be a birthworker long before I did and she has remained a steadfast voice of wisdom and encouragement from day one. I would like to dedicate this work to her and the incredible groups that she is a part of including Elephant Circle which is an organization dedicated to birth justice.

Website: superbloombirth.com

Instagram: SweetladyMay

Image Credits
Chelsey Pas with Friends and Lovers Photography