what is a postpartum doula?
As a postpartum doula I enter every home with the goal of decreasing stress and increasing parent’s confidence. I provide non-medical physical, emotional, and practical support after the birth of your baby. I offer instruction in newborn care and breastfeeding, help with self care recovery techniques for birthing parents, and try to create a nourishing postpartum environment. I can be a sounding board for a parents’ questions, concerns, aches and pains. I get to share new families’ joys, while also listening to and normalizing their hardships. If a challenge is outside of my scope of practice, I work with clients to find the best resources that the larger postpartum community has to offer.
Benefits of hiring a postpartum doula
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Better for your baby.
Increased chance of successful breast/chest /body feeding.
Reduced chance of infant dehydration and hospitalization with health complications due to informed care.
Earlier bonding due to more confidence.
Greater understanding of newborn emotional and physical needs and behavior.
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Better for you.
Less parental exhaustion, frustration, and apprehension during early weeks.
Reduction in unnecessary calls to pediatricians.
Prepare for partner and/or birthing parent to return to work with less anxiety.
Less chance of maternal postpartum depression. Shorter duration and easier for mother to cope with postpartum depression, if it occurs.
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Better for your loved ones.
More independent control of baby’s care in the face of overbearing relatives and advice givers due to education and early positive experiences.
A third party paying for a doula gives friends and relatives a way to give constructive help.
You deserve a doula!
Typical postpartum doula assistance, advice, teaching:
Overnight care to maximize your sleep.
Postpartum recovery and birth parent care.
Newborn care. Such as bathing, cord care, swaddling, soothing, sleep.
Nonjudgmental baby feeding support led by your choices.
Breast/Chest/Body feeding instruction and support. (I am also a Certified Lactation Specialist.)
Get to know your baby’s milestones, abilities, personality.
Recognizing and mitigating postpartum mental health issues.
Help in organizing your team of support around your needs (partners, family, friends, health care providers, etc.)
Patient advocacy: Accompany family to medical appointments. Brainstorm questions for IBCLC, doctors, physical therapists, acupuncturists, etc.
Light household cleaning, laundry, etc.
Sibling care.
Cooking and prep.
Running errands.
Providing information on local parenting resources.
Listening and processing!