Meet Haley Dansby | Postpartum Doula and Mother

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

Hi Haley, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
When I was pregnant with my first child, it felt like the whole world was buzzing with excitement for my pregnancy. I had emails sent to me about the best products for baby and what to expect for each trimester. Friends shared their experiences with me. But, once I had my baby, I almost felt abandoned by the world. I was handed this small human that I didn’t know and expected to know how to care for him. As the weeks went on, the excitement waned, but I still needed help. Motherhood was much harder than anyone had prepared me for. So, when I found out that postpartum doulas step into this intimate and vulnerable time after baby is born, I jumped on the opportunity to be that helping hand that I wished I had had.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Postpartum doulas do the small, background work that often goes unseen. I have always been intuitive and observant, so this has served me well as I find the ways that each family needs me. I can be the shoulder to cry on if a birth didn’t go how the mother wanted. I can be the set of hands to sweep or cook or clean laundry when the family is barely awake enough to make it through the day. I can be the professional that can provide evidence-based help and troubleshoot when problems might arise with breastfeeding. It is not glamourous or loud work, and I love that about it. Finding clients after we moved to this area was difficult. Not many people even know that postpartum doulas exist! So, I am so thankful that I have been able to tap into an incredible network of other doulas in the DFW area that can provide ideas, encouragement, and potential clients. Doulas are incredible people who have a mentality of abundance instead of scarcity. They are willing to work together and help each other because people are always having babies!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I always encourage people to check out the Fort Worth stockyards, especially if they live out of state. The history and culture of it all is so neat to share. For those that enjoy an outdoor scene, I enjoy showing them the Arboretum and the Botanic Garden. Downtown eating provides so much diversity and is delicious no matter what kind of food you choose! I have been going to Sundance Square specifically for years and have yet to try all the restaurants in that area.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I could not have done the trainings I needed to become a doula without the help of my family. My husband and my mother and father stepped in to watch my little kids, prepare meals, and allow me time to meet with clients. They keep me sane as I try to juggle family life with small children and making a business. My good friends have also been essential as I have bounced ideas off of them like the wording of Facebook posts and how to handle the business side of being a postpartum doula. And finally, my kids! They are the inspiration for this line of work and I wouldn’t be who I am today without them!

Instagram: www.instagram.com/haleyd.postpartumdoula

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Haley-Dansby-Postpartum-Doula-Services-105396318084154

Image Credits
Kelly Stark Photography