What can I expect from a postpartum Doula?

You’ve been waiting for this day for about 9 months: the day you bring home your new baby. You’ve prepared. Nested. Anticipated. The little one is here.

Now what?!?!

You’ve read and been told so many things, but now you can’t remember any of it. Maybe this is your second or third baby, but you still feel just as lost as your first. Is the baby supposed to be crying this much? Are they supposed to be sleeping more? Less? How often am I supposed to feed? And for how long? How many wet diapers am I supposed to be watching for? WHY AM I CRYING SO MUCH? Is it normal for breastfeeding to feel this way? I really need to talk to someone about the birth; I need to process it all with someone who can relate! Should I be pumping? How am I supposed to handle my toddler right now? What are we going to do for dinner? And Seriously! WHY AM I CRYING SO MUCH??

These are all very common postpartum concerns but you don’t want to be focusing on any of it… what you really want to do is just enjoy your new baby with your family.

That’s where the postpartum doula comes in.

A postpartum doula can help you navigate ALL of this with a calm confidence that will put you all at ease and allow you the rest and care you need and deserve. Postpartum doulas will even help you with things you didn’t know you needed: padsicles (special postpartum pads that will help soothe and heal), herbal baths or peri bottles, nourishing and healing foods, and attention to your emotional and mental needs (the hormonal roller coaster is REAL).

My social work background as well as my personal experience as a Mama to 5, means that my postpartum care will take into account the whole family system. And I have wonderful tips to help ease the transition for older siblings.

Here are some specific things that you could expect from my postpartum doula care:

Emotional Support.

Normalization, listening, and referrals to more active support, if needed.

Practical Support.

Baby Laundry, simple tidying and preparing of Mama and baby spaces, going to the grocery store, prepping and/or preparing meals.

Lactation/Feeding Support:

As a lactation counselor, I can help with latch, positioning, pumping plans, troubleshoot, and help with bottle feeding, and make a referral is needed.

Baby Care:

What is normal, how to soothe, diapering, light infant massage, demonstrate baby wearing.

Mama Care:

Normalize emotional experience, physical support with padscicles, peri bottles, herbal baths, help find what is soothing, establish care routine after postpartum care has ended, connect with support system.

Sibling and Family Support:

Help family as a whole to settle in. Special attention paid to siblings and the transition they are experiencing, normalize emotions of partner and family and allow space for their needs/concerns, plan for aftercare and build support system, provide with possible referrals for community building.

Being able to ease a mother’s and family’s transition into welcoming a new member is an honor. It is a time full of vulnerable raw emotions and a postpartum doula can help the family navigate through this time feeling fully comforted, informed, and supported.