Girl, you got this
VOGUE India|January 2021
A doula’s dose of positivity, for when clouded thoughts need a ray of sunshine to cut through.
Sneha Mankani
Girl, you got this

You may know Domino Kirke-Badgley as the better half of Penn Badgley, the actor who went from mysterious blogger on Gossip Girl to scary sociopath in You, but her world also includes quite a few thankful parents who credit her with their calm state of mind during childbirth, including actor-comedian Amy Schumer.

Based in New York, Kirke-Badgley is a doula or certified birth worker, an educator, and the co-founder of Carriage House Birth NY/LA. She helps parents-to-be feel safe, learn to trust their instincts, and provides information and support. “Surround yourself with people that believe in you, really listen to you and lift your spirits,” she says. “People that you can call in the middle of the night. People that will support you postpartum—and know when they’ve overstayed their welcome.” This affirms what I’ve come to learn after my recent visits to a childhood friend, a mum-to-be.

“I have two heartbeats,” my friend said to me when I saw her last. She now hates chocolate and cringes at the smell of milk, but a glass of mango juice makes her smile. Her supplement intake has doubled, as have her walks to the bathroom when she feels nauseous. But it can’t conquer the joy she feels watching her seedling somersault during a sonography. “I’m glad we met today,” she told me before I left.

This story is from the January 2021 edition of VOGUE India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the January 2021 edition of VOGUE India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM VOGUE INDIAView All
Breathe In, Breathe Out
VOGUE India

Breathe In, Breathe Out

A powerful tool to help you master your nervous system or another biohacking buzzword? SIMONE DHONDY explores the inhalations and exhalations of breathwork

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2024
Red Pill, Blue Pill
VOGUE India

Red Pill, Blue Pill

India's nutraceutical industry is booming thanks to advanced technology, distrust of the medical system and rising vanity. With multivitamins becoming purer and more effective, NIDHI GUPTA finds out if supplements have become the new serum

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2024
Sign of the times
VOGUE India

Sign of the times

No longer do you need to have an answer to, \"What is the significance of this?\" when people point to your new tattoo. ARMAN KHAN discovers that everything is on the table when you get inked temporarily

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2024
Return to form
VOGUE India

Return to form

Watching the world's most elite athletes deliver the best performances of their careers rekindled SONAKSHI SHARMA's own love for sports

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2024
Dimple, All Day
VOGUE India

Dimple, All Day

YOU MAY HAVE WATCHED HER ON THE BIG SCREEN FOR OVER FIVE DECADES, BUT DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE OF ASSUMING THAT YOU KNOW DIMPLE KAPADIA.

time-read
9 mins  |
November - December 2024
MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL
VOGUE India

MUSIC, TAKE CONTROL

As someone who had always sought safety in numbers, ALIZA FATMA often wondered what her own company would feel like. The answer arrived unexpectedly when she attended her first-ever music festival, one of the largest in the world, all alone

time-read
3 mins  |
November - December 2024
Let it grow
VOGUE India

Let it grow

When we think of hardworking farmers toiling in India's scorching heat, we often think of men, the sweat on their brow, the sinews in their arms. JYOTI KUMARI speaks to four women who are championing the invisible female labour that keeps these fields running

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2024
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
VOGUE India

YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE

When armless archer Sheetal Devi set her sights on the Paralympic Games this year, she knew she had a tough journey ahead of her. Luckily, her mother was with her every step of the way.

time-read
5 mins  |
November - December 2024
Beauty and the feast
VOGUE India

Beauty and the feast

The appeal of Indian weddings has always been in a sprawling spread. For additional bragging rights, Aditi Dugar recommends going beyond designer tablecloths and monogrammed napkins.

time-read
1 min  |
November - December 2024
Sweet serendipity
VOGUE India

Sweet serendipity

From a scavenger hunt-inspired proposal to a Moroccan-themed baraat, Malvika Raj and Armaan Rai's love story prioritised playfulness throughout their blended celebrations.

time-read
4 mins  |
November - December 2024