Humans are an altricial species, which simply means when we are born we are helpless and require almost constant care. Here are the biological facts about the newborn:

• Newborns need to be fed often and on-demand on high-calorie, low-fat milk which is digested quickly to support the rapid rate of development after birth that requires a lot of energy.
• Newborns are born with well-developed senses and rely on smell, taste, hearing, touch and even sight as a means of survival.
• Newborns are born with an underdeveloped physiological system and have difficulty regulating body temperature, breathing and controlling heart rate.
• Newborns can’t cling to a caregiver, and so rely on being carried to stay close.

In other words, the human infant is totally dependent on their caregiver to keep them close, to provide warmth and protection, to ensure frequent access to maternal milk, and to help regulate aspects of their physiology. Given these facts, it is no wonder new mothers and caregivers of newborns are exhausted. As a postpartum doula, my role is to help relieve some of the burden on the primary caretaker, which was the same goal I assigned for myself as the creator of Nesting Days. As a doula and an inventor, I was also committed to honoring the biological needs of the infant and also to nurturing the new mother. The result is a garment for the new mother that:

• gives her gentle postpartum support; is comfortable and attractive
• safely ‘nests’ her baby in a ergonomically safe position
• allows them to enjoy hours of skin-to-skin contact
• helps to control her baby’s temperature, respiration and heartbeat
• soothes baby’s senses with familiar smells, sounds, and tastes
• provides easy breastfeeding
• and is hands-free

Coming soon! Julie, Your Chief Mother Officer