Birth Is an Event. Becoming a Parent Is the Real Transformation

A conversation with holistic healing practitioner and doula, Lia Grimaudo

There are certain people who make you feel more like yourself simply by being in the room with them.

Lia is one of those people.

As a holistic healing practitioner, doula, and lifelong advocate for connection, her work spans everything from reflexology and Reiki to birth support and postpartum care. But beneath every modality, every certification, and every treatment is one consistent belief:

We are not meant to do this alone.

When we sat down to chat, I expected to talk about healing practices and support during pregnancy and postpartum. Instead, our conversation kept returning to something deeper: the human need for connection, especially during life's biggest transitions.

It Started By Watching the People She Loved

Lia's path into this work began long before she became a parent herself.

In 2019, several women close to her—including her sister, sister-in-law, and best friends—were pregnant at the same time. For the first time, she had a front-row seat to pregnancy, birth, and the realities that followed.

What stood out wasn't just the differences in their experiences.

It was what happened afterward.

"Every single one of them was celebrated throughout pregnancy," she shared. "But the moment the baby arrived, all of that attention shifted. Baby became the focus, and the mother seemed to disappear."

She watched women navigate one of the biggest transitions of their lives without the support they had been promised.

Without the village.

Without the care.

Without the community.

That realization planted a seed that would eventually lead her toward doula work and holistic care.

The Pregnancy That Changed Everything

Not long after beginning her training, Lia became pregnant herself.

What began as a professional interest quickly became personal.

Navigating her own difficult pregnancy and early motherhood deepened her understanding of what families experience behind closed doors. It reinforced something she now sees every day in her work:

Postpartum doesn't begin after birth.

The foundations are often laid long before.

"So much of what postpartum looks like can be traced back to what was happening before pregnancy and during pregnancy," she explained. "Not because anyone has done anything wrong, but because life doesn't suddenly pause when a baby arrives."

This perspective now shapes much of her work with clients.

Rather than waiting until someone is struggling, she believes in creating support systems early, helping families build resilience before they need it.

The Missing Piece Is Connection

When I asked what motivates her work today, her answer came quickly.

Connection.

Not productivity.

Not performance.

Not perfection.

Connection.

"I think it's at the root of everything I do," she said.

In a world where many of us feel increasingly isolated, Lia believes meaningful healing often begins when someone finally feels safe enough to be fully seen.

When people feel supported and accepted, they start connecting dots they couldn't see before. Patterns emerge. Stressors reveal themselves. Stories surface.

Sometimes the root of a challenge isn't what brought someone through the door at all.

And often, it takes time to uncover.

The kind of time many people simply aren't offered in traditional healthcare settings.

Why Touch Matters More Than We Think

One of the most interesting parts of our conversation centered around touch.

Not because touch itself is revolutionary, but because it's becoming increasingly rare.

Many of us work remotely. We connect through screens. We text instead of gathering. We live in constant communication while simultaneously feeling disconnected.

Lia sees the impact of that every day.

Whether through reflexology or Reiki, her sessions create an opportunity for the nervous system to experience something many people have forgotten they need:

Safe human presence.

A chance to stop performing.

A chance to stop holding everything together.

A chance to simply receive.

As she explained it, clients often find themselves sharing things they never expected to talk about—not because they're being asked to, but because safety creates space for honesty.

What Happens During a Session?

While every session looks different, Lia describes the outcome similarly:

People leave feeling more connected to themselves.

Both reflexology and Reiki support nervous system regulation, helping the body move into a parasympathetic state—the rest, digest, and restore mode many of us spend far too little time in.

For exhausted parents, overwhelmed professionals, and people carrying invisible mental loads, that shift alone can feel transformative.

One thing that stood out in our conversation was how often clients arrive expecting relaxation and leave with something much deeper.

Clarity.

Insight.

Perspective.

A renewed sense of self.

Not because someone gave them answers.

Because they finally had the space to hear their own.

What New Parents Need Most

When I asked what has surprised her most about supporting new parents, Lia didn't hesitate.

The pressure.

The expectation that parents should somehow instinctively know what they're doing.

That mothers will naturally know how to birth, feed, soothe, and care for their babies.

That fathers will simply figure out their role.

That everyone will adapt effortlessly.

"We can survive that way," she said. "But that's not how we thrive."

Her belief is simple:

Support should never be considered a luxury.

Community should not be optional.

And preparation shouldn't stop at birth.

While so much attention is placed on labour and delivery, she believes the real work begins afterward.

Because birth is an event.

Parenthood is a transformation.

Looking Ahead…

As her practice continues to evolve, Lia is exploring additional training in fascia release, Spinning Babies®, and eventually naturopathic medicine.

But at the centre of every future certification is the same mission that drew her into this work in the first place:

Helping people feel supported.

Helping people reconnect with themselves.

Helping people remember they were never meant to carry it all alone.

And perhaps that's exactly the reminder modern parents need most.

Connect with Lia

You can find Lia on Instagram at Naturoplan by Lia

Or visit her website to learn more about services and book in a session