What does a postpartum doula do? How do I know if I need one?
The question on many parents’ minds is: How bad does it really have to be for us to call in some help? Sure, you can approach those first newborn weeks with that mindset, but we encourage a different approach.
Becoming a new parent for the first time (or the second or third time) is a major transition—no one is ever completely prepared for it. In decades past it was assumed that families would have the support of their parents, neighbors and friends. But today, with relatives spread throughout the country, many new parents are bringing their little ones into the world with very little support after they leave the hospital.
What is the result? Overwhelming exhaustion, slower healing times, frustration, strained marital relations and even postpartum depression. Quite simply, this is what happens when we don’t have the basic support we need.
Where can I Find Help?
A postpartum doula comes to stand in that gap. Ideally she’s there before parents get to a state of desperation. Her job is to support mom and dad so they can be the parents they want to be. That support may come in the form of lactation help, the making of meals, taking care of Baby so Mom can rest, or listening to the birth story and helping Mom to process. When there are questions (and there are always questions), she has answers. But in the end, her job is support mothers exactly when and where they need it.
So the question isn’t really how bad does it have to be, but how good could it be?
A night doula provides a special level of care and any parent who has used one will be ready to tell you why it’s something no new parent should be without. It goes back to that thing we never stop talking about: sleep. If you don’t get it, you derail. It’s that simple. Having a baby doula take the night shift, whether occasionally or for several nights in a row, ensures that Mom and Dad get the sleep they need to function at home and work, and that makes them better for their baby (or babies) and better for each other.
Finding a Postpartum Doula
Our customers don’t bring postpartum doulas into their homes because they feel incompetent, but because they are ready to be fully engaged parents, and they know that means support is in order. Our Certified Postpartum Doulas are ready to answer your questions about our unique set of postpartum services. Give us a call today to find out more!
