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Meet Doula & Certified Lactation Educator Counselor: Erica Chidi
Erica began her work in San Francisco, volunteering as a doula within the prison system. As a doula and health educator, she has strengthened women’s ability to care for themselves. Her passion for women’s health drove her to launch LOOM— a platform helping women optimize their sexual and reproductive wellbeing— in 2017 in Los Angeles. Since then, LOOM has expanded into a digital platform with a virtual pregnancy and postpartum program.
Erica is the author of Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth and Early Motherhood.
The best advice I can give is to go slow and make sure you have support arranged ahead of time.
Erica Chidi
Personal notes:
Erica loves pilates and cooking. She went to culinary school in a past life and the kitchen is her cozy place.
Her favorite part of working with clients as a doula is supporting families around breastfeeding. She loves helping them to understand the intensity of breastfeeding and all that it requires— allowing families to gently prepare for their feeding journey.
Funny doula moment:
Erica has plenty of interesting birth stories, but a funny one that sticks out is the dad who brought all his running gear to labor. He wanted to be able to take himself out for runs during the birthing process.
Working with Bobbie baby formula:
I love Bobbie because families deserve high quality formula #fedisbest
I recommend Bobbie baby formula because it actually tastes good— unlike many other formulas on the market.
I’m proud to be a part of the Bobbie team because it’s a women founded business.
Five questions Erica gets asked all the time:
1- What happens to my vagina after birth?
It can be helpful to know that most tearing happens inside of the vagina, not outside in the vulva. Regardless of whether there is tearing or stitches, there is going to be stretching of the skin, so it’s going to feel very tender.
2- How often can I get pregnant in a given month?
Believe it or not, there are only five to six days that you can get pregnant in one month.
3- What is the best way to exercise during pregnancy?
A great option is taking long walks, ideally with a slight incline. You can start at the beginning of your pregnancy and continue right until you’re about to have your baby. In fact, if you’re running past your due date, it can help you go into labor.
4- What should you bring to the hospital?
When you’re packing for the hospital, less is definitely more. You don’t want to bring too many things to the hospital, but make sure you have things that make you feel more comfortable and remind you of being at home, like a favorite pillow. You might want to bring a birth ball, an aromatherapy diffuser, and something to help you stretch, like resistance bands.
5- What should I expect from the post-partum period?
Expect the unexpected. Postpartum adjustment looks different for everyone. It’s essential to learn about the physiological events that are going to take place. LOOM would be a great place to find that information. Erica’s book is another great resource— Nurture: A Modern Guide to Pregnancy, Birth, Early Motherhood and Trusting Yourself and Your Body.
Erica Chidi is a Certified Birth & Postpartum Doula, Certified Lactation Educator Counselor, Author, Co-founder & CEO at LOOM and Bobbie Medical Advisor.