Welcome to Gentle Transitions!

tran·si·tion

/træn’ · zɪ · ʃən, træn’ · sɪ · ʃən/

noun

1. the process or a period of changing from one state or condition to another
2. movement, passage or change from one position, state, stage, subject, concept, etc. to another
3. change

***From the Latin nominative transitio, meaning “go across or over”.

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While it is fairly easy to find a standard definition for the word “transition”, it is a much greater challenge to identify all that term encompasses. Even more diverse is the reaction each of us may have to that word – TRANSITION. Close your eyes and say the word to yourself. What range of feelings is stirred within you?

Perhaps the word transition summons joy, anticipation and wonder…or maybe, it invokes feelings of anxiety, fear and negativity. Most of the time, it probably awakens a mixture of feelings; good and bad, both manageable and overwhelming at the same time. In fact, I would wager a hefty bet that all of us pass through life carrying a complicated blend of emotions in response to the transitions we encounter.

Changes experienced during a woman’s childbearing years can be particularly demanding, eliciting a unique and tangled set of emotions. Spend a grand total of 3 minutes searching online for pregnancy resources and you will see that everybody has an opinion or a personal story to share or what they believe is the absolute interpretation of the latest research. This may result in a just a bit of anxiety for expectant mothers. Add to that unfamiliar terrain, new physical aches or sensations and a whole host of hormones – you can end up with a pretty turbulent transitional ride into motherhood!

Would you believe me if I told you there was a way to help smooth the rough bumps of maternity transitions? Would you be interested in exploring an easier route? Grant me the opportunity to illumine a new path.

Welcome to Gentle Transitions!  It is with great enthusiasm and joy that we introduce ourselves as Champaign-Urbana’s premier birth collective. We are comprised of three fabulous doulas and one phenomenal lactation consultant. Please take a moment to acquaint yourself with our team.

As a team, our goal is to warmly support and guide you in ways that generate pleasant growth and a soft adaptation. We want your current transitions to feel less like a total upheaval and more like a peaceful transformation. We wish for you a calm and gradual “going across” to the next destination, whatever that may be.

For better or worse, there is no stagnating in life. As much as we may dread change or cling to the comfort of the familiar, we cannot stay the same. Allow us to walk the journey of childbearing transitions with you, so that they may truly be gentle ones.