Today, most mothers do not have the extended family any more (predominantly female), often they feel isolated, after giving birth, they may feel alone even, as midwives seem to be attending less and less in the postnatal period.
Gone are the days of “Call the Midwife” era where the midwife often knew the whole family, had attended all the births of siblings and visited daily for weeks at times. That kind of support is not present in the UK. Some choose to hire a postnatal doula.
New mothers should be nurtured and cherished, afterall they have brought a little human being into the world, however they gave birth ?
http://www.filmsforaction.org/articles/how-cultures-protect-the-new-mother/