In Conversation with Leila Armour

For this edition of the journal we welcome Leila Armour, author of Village for Mama, postpartum doula & nutrition consultant. This interview is full of insight, wisdom and an openness to the morphing and transitions that take place in motherhood. It seemed fitting to explore the essential role postpartum preparation, nourishment and village building play in postpartum given these are key anchor points for Village for Mama, alongside the practical ways we can seek support from our community. Leila also shares a glimpse into what this season currently looks like, raising three children whilst pregnant and running a business, from the ways she is finding space for community and connection to the ebb and flow of rituals.

Can you speak to the inspiration or driver behind Village for Mama? 

Village for Mama was born from my own postpartum experience with my daughter 6 years ago. I was gifted a copy of the first 40 days and loved the whole concept behind a confinement but realised in order to embrace a slow postpartum I needed the people around me to read the book too and be on board. You really can’t postpartum yourself. I was lucky to have a mum close by who read the book too and was willing to be my village. It didn’t take long to realise how essential that support and nourishment was but also how much of a privilege and luxury it was too. I knew it shouldn’t be that way because it is so essential and so a podcast episode with Dr Oscar Serrallach sparked the idea when my daughter was 4 months old and then Village for Mama grew from there. I always say that Motherhood lights a fire in you, it inspires you and leaves you little to no time to execute! It took a village of local mums to bring my vision to life and the book has helped over 3000 mothers gather their own village for a well supported and nourished fourth trimester.

Since the inception of Village for Mama what has been the biggest lesson for you & what’s something you’re most proud of?  

I’m most proud of birthing a business alongside motherhood and how much it has helped other mothers along the way. I think the biggest lesson is that I can’t do it all and be it all. As much as I want to help everyone I have to remember that my family and my own needs come first. Sometimes that means things take longer than I hoped, that other people or businesses beat you to ideas, that I have to say no and sometimes let people down. I think it’s so hard to set boundaries around yourself when you are so passionate and entwined with your business but I just reminded myself that everything is a season and this is my season of small children who need me too.

What was the best thing you did when preparing for your own postpartum and what will you be prioritising as you prepare for your next postpartum 

Gathering a village. Hiring a postpartum doula and having a mother’s blessing to call in my village. It’s those people who you bring along on the journey who will be there to support you in your postpartum. Also being a villager. When I’m not in my own postpartum or in a difficult patch I’m showing up for other mamas in my village. You have to be a villager to have a village and what goes around comes around. We all have varying capacities at different phases of motherhood and so I always show up in the way I can when I can.

What are some practical ways mothers can seek support from their village or community? 

Ask and Give. If you don’t ask, you won’t receive. We need to get better at asking for support when we need it and being specific. It helps us and those around us. When we have capacity we need to be supporting those around us too. Again what goes around comes around. It’s not why we support others but it’s how the village works. We all need to show up when we can. 

What does community look & feel like to you currently? 

We have recently moved from a little beach unit to a house and so it’s been a big beautiful change for all of us. Timely too with our growing family. Putting down roots and finding our feet in a new neighbourhood has been a really beautiful shift and expansion to our community. It’s so nice creating a home around our kids too at this age. 

Where do you turn when seeking connection and what does creating space look like for this in motherhood? 

I’m in a funny space at the moment being pregnant, I barely have the energy to get through the day with the twins let alone be social. My connection time with my husband at the moment is a cup of tea on the couch and watching a show curled up together in silence which is so not like us at all but is perfect. I feel really lucky that my kids have friends with parents I love. Just getting together so our kids can run wild and embracing the chaos in good company is the perfect connection. Again thats the season we are in and that will change soon enough but for now it fills my cup!

What’s a daily ritual or act that’s remained a constant throughout motherhood? 

I really struggled to answer this to be honest. I think we try so hard to be unchanged by motherhood and the only way I have survived is to constantly pivot and evolve. I don’t think I’ve had a daily ritual that I have kept through 6 years of motherhood. Some seasons it’s walking every day, others it’s a hot collagen coffee every morning, and then sometimes it’s simply having a 2 minute hot shower. I think our rituals evolve as we do as mothers and through different seasons and thats life.

A meal that tastes like home? 

Warm apple crumble, it was a Sunday family dinner tradition for so long, it’s my favourite postpartum breakfast and treat and it reminds me of home. 

Three things can we always find in your fridge/pantry?

Miso, Seaweed Sauerkraut and Fresh Herbs.

The first thing you do when you get up & the final thing you do before bed? 

In the morning the first thing I do is try and meet as many of my kids' needs as possible so I can try and enjoy 1 cup of hot coffee in peace while I take a breath. Just a minute of pause to think about what’s ahead helps me so much when it comes to surviving a big day with 3 kids. Final thing before bed is taping my mouth and reading. I’ve done it every night for over 6 years. It’s transformed my sleep and I love reading before bed to switch off.

To explore more of Leila’s incredible work you can explore her work here and follow her on Instagram here

Images captured by Kristy of Slow Moments