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Time for a Change

Writer's picture: Elizabeth EirwoodElizabeth Eirwood

I recently announced on Instagram that I would be changing my name from Mama Eirwood to Empowering Mama. This has been a long time in the making and I'm so excited to finally make it official. I want to share with you what led to this change, what it means to me, and how I came to this decision.



Why now?

When I began my career over five years ago I started as Elizabeth the Doula. I worked under that name until Romi was born in 2020. At that point, I changed my Instagram handle to Mama Eirwood and quickly adopted it as my business name.


Over the last six months, I have been preparing to make some big changes in my business and have felt that Mama Eirwood isn't the right name to carry forward. The more I expand, the less my business revolves around me. And truthfully, it has never revolved around me. It has always revolved around my clients. I wanted a name that spoke to that client-centered approach and encompassed the core of what I stand for.


Why Empowering Mama?

I had a few prerequisites in mind when thinking of a new name. I wanted something that wasn't too different from Mama Eirwood, something that fits my current logo, and something that told people in an instant what I stood for. This took some reflecting as I dug into what roots me in this profession. I asked myself what is it that I try to do in all aspects of my work-- postpartum, sleep, and lactation. I asked myself what I want each client to be able to take away at the end of our time together. I asked what it is about my approach to this work that differs from other birth workers.


Empowered was the answer. In my postpartum work, I reinforce parents' instincts over and over. In sleep coaching, I make it clear that I am only there to make suggestions and offer guidance-- it's the parents who are in charge. In lactation, I consider my number one job to be letting parents' know that they are capable of feeding their babies. The unifying thread is empowerment.


And to be perfectly honest: when the name Empowering Mama came to me I had chills. That's how I've chosen my kids' names so I hope it works for business names too.


What about inclusivity?

I have wrestled with this question quite a bit as I've considered the name change. Inclusivity is important to me. I want all parents to feel empowered and to feel as though I am here for them. Empowering Parents is already a business or I would have chosen that as my name.


In the end, it came down to the way that Empowering Mama felt like it fit. Because of the different ways the name can be interpreted, I decided I would trust parents to interpret it the way they need. Parents who identify as a mama can interpret the name to mean they're being empowered. Parents who do not identify as a mama can interpret the name to mean I am a mama who is here to empower them. Both are accurate and both mean that at the end of the day, parents are being empowered. That's what I'm here for.


What's next?

I'm excited for what 2023 is going to bring! I have three launches planned and they each come with exciting opportunities for expansion. Stay tuned! It's going to be a big year for Empowering Mama.


Cheers,








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