What is a postpartum doula?
A postpartum doula provides evidenced based information on things such as infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, mother–baby bonding, infant soothing, and basic newborn care. A postpartum doula is there to help a new family in those first days and weeks after bringing home a new baby.
Why hire a postpartum doula?
New parenthood can be isolating and overwhelming. It is my aim to help new parents feel supported in caring for your newborn. I do not take over care of your child, but instead give you tools to feel empowered to adjust to this new way of life.
After the birth of my first child 2,500 miles away from my family I realized the importance of having others around to help during this important 4th trimester time period. A new baby brings many changes whether that baby is your first or fifth! A postpartum doula can provide support in many different areas to smooth this transition and help parents feel supported. “Mothering the mother” is a good way to describe postpartum services.
What do I do as a postpartum doula?
* Care for baby so parents may shower, nap, spend time with older child(ren)
*Assist with newborn care -soothing and swaddling techniques, babywearing
*Offer encouragement in learning to read babies cues for eating and sleeping
*Breastfeeding support
*Help with emotional and physical recovery
*Light housekeeping i.e. laundry, dishes, floor sweeping
*Light meal prep
What don’t I do as a postpartum doula?
*Tell you how to parent or judge how you are parenting
*Take the place of a parent or family memeber
*Deep clean your house – though I can give you a referral for a cleaning person if that’s what you need 🙂
How does hiring a postpartum doula work?
Typically, I am available to be present for 4-6 hours of care at a time. I understand that it can be hard to know what you might want once baby comes and encourage open communication so that we can evolve care in a way that makes sense for everyone.
$40/hr – 4-20 hours of postpartum doula services
$35/hr – 20+ hours of postpartum doula services
Most Popular Postpartum Packages
16 hours scheduled over 2 weeks- $640 Helping you have a great start to breastfeeding, the transition to parenting, settling in and learning about how to care for your baby, and helping around the house.
24 hours over 3 weeks- $840 A little more time with your doula helping you to have a great start to breastfeeding, the transition to parenting, settling in and learning about how to care for your baby, and helping around the house.
40 hours over 4 weeks- $1400 Gives you enough time to feel settled in and cared for over the first month or so. Feel supported during the transition to being alone every day when your partner and family returns to work. There is even enough time built in for us to go grocery shopping, you to take naps, care for older siblings etc.