Mi nombre es…
Alexia Franco Pettersen, and I am una hija, una sobrina, a wife, a mother, a chef, and the founder of Hola Postpartum. With over 14 years of teaching experience and more than 6 years educating and mentoring postpartum doulas, I’ve had the privilege of leading trainings for Everyday Miracles and major hospital systems in the Twin Cities like North Memorial, HCMC, and Park Nicollet.
My mission with Hola Postpartum is to equip doulas in whole-family, evidence-based postpartum care, rooted in ancestral knowledge, lived experience, and powerful healing traditions. As a BIPOC woman, I am especially committed to uplifting other BIPOC doulas, encouraging you to bring your own culture forward in your care.
As a fellow birthworker, first trained as chef and now a prenatal and postpartum nutrition expert, certified birth + postpartum doula, and lactation counselor, I’ve combined all of my roles to create a training that goes far beyond the basics. My passion is to equip the next generation of doulas—like you—to support families through every layer of postpartum recovery with skill, confidence, and heart.
Why ‘Hola Postpartum’?
In January 2012, sitting on the couch with my three-week-old baby in my arms, I felt the weight of missing my family and the traditions I grew up honoring. The American idea of “bouncing back” and pretending as if I hadn’t just grown and birthed a baby didn’t sit right with me. I realized that postpartum recovery could and should be so much more nourishing, intentional, and supportive.
I began bringing my culture back into my recovery, guided by my parents and mis tías. Slow-cooked caldos with bones, vegetables, and dried chiles restored my body. Barley horchata and agua de jamaica supported my milk supply. Sopas, albóndigas, salsas, stuffed peppers, and, of course, tacos nourished me and my baby while honoring generations of wisdom from my motherland.
This experience inspired Hola Postpartum: a space for families to fully embrace and welcome their recovering bodies through intentional, nutrient-rich meals designed for postpartum healing—and for doulas to learn how to guide families with this same culturally grounded, evidence-based approach. Whether you’re a parent seeking support for your recovery or a doula ready to expand your skills, Hola Postpartum is about nurturing the body, honoring traditions, and empowering families to thrive in these transformative early months.
