After Birth Post Partum
We are here to comfort you, care for you and gently nourish the wise woman that you are…..
Our first priority is to insure that the new mother is rested and relaxed, and to assist her with breastfeeding and/or nurturing her baby. We bring lots of love to the new family, and try to lighten the load that new moms and dads inevitably feel. Amazing Births postpartum doulas are experienced and passionate about this special time. Let us help your family get off to a great start.
Typical postpartum services include:
• Breastfeeding support and instruction
• Day and overnight care
• Baby soothing skills
• Assistance with multiples
• Newborn care
• Meal preparation
• Nursery and home management
• Errand running
• Local and national resource information
Plus, unlike a maid or babysitter, the doula is trained to understand what new moms need most, emotionally and physically. She’ll make sure you’ve had a meal, and if not, cook something up for you. She’ll also watch the baby so you can shower or rest for awhile. A postpartum doula is well worth the expense and effort to find.
Postpartum Doula FAQs
The role of the postpartum doula is fluid. An important part of her role is to come alongside the parents and together decide what type of support they will need. Some families need educational support: breastfeeding, infant support, and how to care for the new mother. Others rely more on the non-judgmental emotional support that the DONA International postpartum doula has to offer. Still others have more practical needs like feeding the family and running errands. Most families find that their doula provides all of these things, according to the needs that develop, as well as the ever-important communication between the doula and her clients. That said, prospective parents and their families sometimes wonder – just what will the postpartum doula do when she comes to my home?
A postpartum doula supporting a family during daytime hours might…
Provide hands-on education on infant and mother care
Come alongside the parents and help them to get to know the abilities and talents of their new baby
Create a nurturing, restful atmosphere in which parents may eat, shower and nap
Shop for groceries and prepare meals
Play with older children and offer suggestions for how to integrate the new baby into the family
Spend time with the baby, allowing parents to cuddle and have quality time with older children or just be alone together
Introduce parenting tips, helping parents to learn skills that will enable them to cope with their new responsibilities
Screen for hurdles such as breastfeeding challenges or postpartum mood disorders
Make referrals to any local or informational resources that the parents might need
Work herself out of a job by helping parents to gather the skills and resources that they will need in the upcoming weeks and months
Help to organize the nursery and home
Take care of the baby’s laundry
Offer a listening, non-judgmental ear
A postpartum doula supporting a family during the overnight hours might…
Work herself out of a job by teaching parenting tips and strategies that will eventually make her services unnecessary
Assess and help with breastfeeding
What a postpartum doula does changes from day to day, as the needs of the family change. Postpartum doulas do whatever a mother needs to best enjoy and care for her new baby. A large part of their role is education. They share information about baby care with parents, as well as teach siblings and partners to mother the mother. They assist with breastfeeding education. Postpartum doulas also make sure the mother is fed, well hydrated and comfortable.
Doula support can last anywhere from one or two visits to a few weeks.
Some doulas work fulltime, with 9 to 5 shifts. Others work three to five hour shifts during the day, or after school shifts until Dad gets home. Some doulas work evenings from around 6 pm until bedtime, 9 or 10 pm. , and some work overnight. Some doulas work every day, some work one or more shifts per week.
The role of a postpartum doula is to help a woman through her postpartum period and to nurture the family. Unlike a baby nurse, a doula’s focus is not solely on the baby, but on fostering independence for the entire family. The doula is as available to the father and older children as to the mother and the baby. Treating the family as a unit that is connected and always changing enables doulas to do their job: nurture the family.
The goal of a doula is to nurture the parents into their new roles. As they experience success and their knowledge and self-confidence grow, their needs for professional support should diminish.
Self-confidence has a tremendous impact on a person’s ability to approach any task, and parenting is no different. DONA International doulas are taught to always consider parents’ feelings and always build confidence whenever possible. Doulas accomplish this through praise, acceptance and a non-judgmental approach. In addition, the doula will teach parents strategies and skills that will improve their ability to bond with their babies. A calm baby who is growing well will help parents to feel more confident in their skills.