Each family receives a client folder, stocked with valuable resources, baby charting and parents’ personal information (such as food allergies) for the postpartum doula’s quick reference.

The doula keeps track of goals set and completed on Daily Assignment Sheets (located in the Client Folder). They also record the details and events of the shift—anything discussed, decisions made, medication times and education provided. Of course, feeding times, diaper changes and infant sleep are documented as well. This is especially helpful to the exhausted new parent who can hardly remember their own name, and ensures continuity of care over shift changes.

Providing education is one of the doula’s main roles, and this takes many forms.

Building on the parents’ existing knowledge and plans for parenting, a postpartum doula will look for opportunities to share their own tricks of the trade. Pointing out Baby’s feeding and sleep cues, for example, is a way in which the doula can offer simple information that empowers the new parent and makes life easier. Through role modeling—such as swiftly changing diapers or burping Baby with ease — the doula effortlessly shares all that they have learned over years of training and work in the field.

Successful feeding of the baby is always supported with hands-on assistance, at the parent’s comfort level. Breast, bottle or somewhere in between, doulas offer options and solutions to common roadblocks.

A postpartum doula can help parents process the birth experience. This allows parents to express feelings of both frustration and wonder, to mourn the loss of life pre-baby, to embrace their new identity, to navigate shifts in the romantic relationship and to deal with the overwhelming worry and guilt that often plague new parents.

The emotional and mental support that the doula guarantees goes beyond advocacy and providing a shoulder to cry on—they meet parents where they are.  Anticipating the new parents’ needs — food, water, rest, sunshine — makes the difference in the overall mental health of the entire family. Meal preparation and providing parents the opportunity to rest are a part of almost every daytime shift — two basic needs that keep parents grounded, calm, strong and happy.

Added to the unparalleled education and emotional wellbeing that a postpartum doula provides each and every time they visit a family, they also do light housework! It is expected that a doula will do the dishes in the sink and handle a load or two of laundry while teaching and caring for the new parents. Other helpful tasks may include grocery shopping, emptying the trash, sterilizing the breast pump, removing clutter from the living space and even addressing that stack of neglected baby shower thank you notes.

Parents of multiples find this “extra set of hands” particularly helpful.

With this foundation of support the postpartum doula fosters a strong, nourished and confident parent. When the parents are ready to do it alone, the doula has done her job well!

Postpartum Doula Care

$55/hour

200+ Hours: $52.25/hour

*add $6 for multiples

For shift requests less than 72hrs notice, the hourly rate is $60 for singletons and $66 for multiples.

Daytime Shifts

4 hour minimum, up to 12 hours

Overnight Shifts

(10pm-6am) 8 hour minimum, up to 12 hours

Repeat Clients save 5%

All in-home services must be prepaid