Today we’d like to introduce you to Diamond Rashad.
Hi Diamond, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started to become interested in maternal/perinatal health after meeting some amazing new parents in the community. I’m an occupational therapist, and I work with families with young children from 0-3 years. While giving parents suggestions and collaborating on ways to help with early development, I realized that postpartum support was missing.
Georgia has a high maternal mortality rate, and there are racial disparities and a lack of access to prenatal services and screening to perinatal mental health services. Around the same time, my sister became pregnant; and I realized how little I knew about pregnancy and postpartum while working in child development. And that became the spark!
I trained with Postpartum Support International and sought training in birth doula services that would focus on black maternal health. But even then, I wondered if there was more that I could do.
And that became the birth of Emira’s Mamas, a self-care curated box service, with a mission is to protect and uplift the mental wellness of pregnant women of color and new parents, providing greater representation for the birth and postpartum experience.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There have definitely been some challenges! Some internal, and some out of my control. I’ve learned to pivot, be flexible, and stay true to who I am.
One internal struggle was imposter syndrome. Even though I want to empower birthing parents and new mothers, at times I’ve wondered if not having children myself is a barrier for me. But I always remind myself, that I’m here to empower and support parents, and that it takes a village. We can’t do it all alone!
I also had all these bright business ideas right before the start of the pandemic; so dealing with shipping delays, and learning marketing as I go has been a doozy. But I love the creative side that it brings out of me, and working/marketing on social media I’ve been able to meet and collaborate with such amazing people!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Emira’s Mamas, LLC.?
Emira’s Mamas delivers self-care to birthing parents and parents-to-be, with a focus on mental health and representation. Named after my sister, after she gave birth to her son, we help to empower new mamas and parents during their transformation and help them rediscover their version of self-care – and of themselves.
We provide boxes for pregnancy, birth, and postpartum and general packages designed to jumpstart self-care; but I’m most proud of our custom boxes. It has been an absolute honor to provide boxes to NICU families, that are experiencing pregnancy or infant loss, and adoption families. It brings so much warmth to know that people that villages out there near and far, that are looking out for them. I’m so happy we can do our part to bring comfort.
I am so excited that soon we will expand our offerings to provide services as well. I love pediatric occupational therapy as well and can’t wait to combine my love for infant development with maternal/perinatal mental health with classes, support groups, and consultations.
Is there a quality that you most attribute to your success?
Passion is essential. Some days, I definitely go harder than others, but the “why” is always there. From prenatal care to lactation support, to maternity leave, we have a lot of work to do as a country and individually to better support new parents.
And because the passion is there, it has been easier to find like-minded people with the same mission in mind!
Pricing:
- Our prices range from $35- $50 with free shipping included!
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.emirasmamas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/darlingdrdime
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emirasmamas
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/emirasmamas
