Meet Adela Mora | Traditional Birthworker

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

Hi Adela, every day, we about how much execution matters, but we think ideas matter as well. How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I am a birth & postpartum doula, and provide support to families through pregnancy, labor, and the postpartum period. I was heavily drawn to this work by my own experience in pregnancy, but moreso my postpartum experience. I struggled a lot with the transition to motherhood, and when I finally came out of my postpartum depression I really wanted to help other new parents and families. I mostly support postpartum families through placenta encapsulation, and postpartum meal prep. Our first 40 days or cuarentenas are sacred times, and I saw the need to be reminded of that. The need to provide families, in particular the birthing parent, with warm, healing, traditional foods. After the birth of my daughter via emergency c-section, I was so incredibly grateful for every meal that was dropped off to us because it took one worry off of our plate, and gave me the chance to really rest, recover, and heal. I knew that I wanted to provide that same support to other families.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is named “Soy Capaz”, which translates to “I am capable”. I loved the idea of having this affirmation serve as a reminder to my clients, and myself. I am a traditional birthworker; I support pregnant people, and their families through pregnancy, labor, and the immediate postpartum period. I provide education, resources, a listening ear, and really anything this person or family needs through this sacred time. I also encapsulate placentas, and provide postpartum meal prep to families. I think the thing I am most proud of in my business are my postpartum meals. It’s always been my belief that food, and the meal experience can challenge and/or change us. Food is essential to our lives, yes, but really food is more than that. It creates memories, and associations for us; it’s love on a plate, the warm hug that we need when we are vulnerable and need to be grounded. I base my meals in traditional postpartum teachings, and traditional healing foods. Something that sets my practice apart is that I provide family style meals, meaning your entire family unit is taken into account when the menu is selected, and when meals are prepared. Typically we focus on the birthing parent, as we should, but I think it’s important to also remember that a whole new family unit is born with the birth of a baby. Everyone has a new role to shift into, and sometimes we need to care for the whole family unit in addition to caring for the birthing parent. I fully believe that if we can support a family unit, the birther will in turn have a better support system around them.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I would suggest that we go to the LA Arboretum, or maybe a hike, and though I am not a huge sports person if the Dodgers were playing I’d probably suggest we go to game. I’d suggest we go the the Farmer’s Market and get soft serve, simple because I love soft serve or Home in Loz Feliz because they have the best Crab Benedict, or the San Pedro Fish Market for the trays of shrimp I grew up eating with family, or Paseo San Miguel in South Central for my favorite Pupusas. We would definitely need stretchy pants!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’d like to give a shoutout to my kids, they truly brought me to this work. Without them I would never know what a doula was, and I wouldn’t have gone down this path. They made me a mom, but they also lead my down the rabbit hole of homebirth, and traditional birthwork and I’ve never left it. It started out as a curiosity, and it grew into a passion. My work and practice continue to evolve because of them, and the experiences I share with them. I also want to give a shout to two fellow birthworkers, who continuously inspire me and remind that I am capable when this work gets hard. They are Marisol Garcia of Together in Birth, and Raeanne Madison of Postpartum Healing Lodge. My practice would not be what it is today without. Thank you!

Website: https://www.soycapazymas.com/

Instagram: @soycapaz.y.mas

Image Credits
Karissa Raya