Do I need a postpartum doula?
Last week, I went through the kind of support a birth doula provides to your labor and delivery journey. However, the support doesn’t need to, and shouldn’t stop there. Once you bring your newborn home, you may have just as many questions and need just as much support. Suddenly you are responsible for keeping this small human alive, while also healing yourself from bringing them into the world. The first couple months with a newborn are filled with sleepless days and nights, sore breasts, a hungry stomach, and much more. All of which can get very overwhelming very quickly. Having a postpartum doula on your team can take things off your plate and let you get back to bonding, snuggling and loving that newborn.
Postpartum doulas usually offer day time or overnight help. Some moms and families may need support in the morning to jump start their day, others may need help throughout the night in order to catch up on sleep. In either case, postpartum doulas provide help with the following:
Making sure mom is fed, hydrated, showered and rested
Making sure baby is fed, changed, calm and close to mom
Light housekeeping (dishes, laundry, small meal prepping)
Breastfeeding/pumping/bottle feeding support
Emotional support, birth debriefing
Support for partners or other family members in the home
Education on: baby wearing, diapering, bath time, feeding, sibling integration
Overnight care specialties: caring for newborn during the night, changing, preparing for breastfeeding sessions, bottle feeding, supporting mom and partner getting maximum sleep.
Pretty much anything else you need!
If you have any questions please reach out.
Love,
Morgan
