Postpartum Support is a necessity, not a luxury.

Many cultures around the world have traditional practices for the first month or so postpartum. The newborn parent is often cared for by family and friends and is required to follow certain dietary, rest and other rituals. Our modern society, however, expects us to ‘bounce back’ almost immediately, rather than encouraging us to rest, heal, and seek out postpartum support.

Postpartum, or the fourth trimester, is a time to be nurtured and nourished while you fall in love with your new little human and recover from the strain of pregnancy and birth. Whether you have just welcomed your firstborn, or your fifth, allowing yourself time to adjust to your new baby, new body and new life is imperative, as is being supported and nurtured while you are going through this transition.

Unfortunately, many of us no longer have our family or ‘village’ around us for support during this precious time and that is why a Doula is so important.

As an experienced extra set of hands, my role is to support you to ensure you get the physical and emotional support, and rest that you need to recover well and bond with your baby. As your Postpartum Doula, I will help you adjust and grow into a new phase of your family’s life. I will provide insight and support regarding the physical and psychological aspects of the postpartum period, offer an extra set of hands to help you adjust to a demanding new schedule, and provide hands-on, baby-care and new parent support and training. All of this while also being there to help nourish and care for YOU, so you are better able to care for your new baby.

The Postpartum Nitty Gritty

Postpartum Support may include a combination of:

• Helping with breastfeeding/chestfeeding techniques

• Establishing a routine for you and your baby

• Helping with wrapping & settling your baby

• Assistance reading baby cues

• Mindful meal preparation

• Doing the laundry

• Grocery shopping

• Looking after the baby while you get some rest

• Listening to anything that’s on your mind

• Guided Meditation

• Belly Binding

• Herbal Support products

• Non-judgemental support

Being a mother of two, I know from many years of personal and professional experience that the evening and overnight hours can be quite challenging with a newborn baby (or babies). Especially while recovering from your birth.

In reality, new parents need guidance and sleep. Overnight postpartum support can decrease the negative effects of new parent sleep deprivation, and allow you the time to heal, recover, and rest easy knowing that your family is in trusted hands.

Together, we will come up with a sleeping/feeding arrangement that works for the entire family. This will lead to a more gentle transition period for everyone - and most importantly, more sleep. The presence of a night Doula can provide a nurturing atmosphere in which everyone can gently and confidently integrate into the new family dynamic.

If you’re breastfeeding, you can sleep in whatever arrangement you prefer, and either have baby brought to you for nursing sessions throughout the night, or have baby sleep next to you, with assistance in learning how to navigate this arrangement with diaper changes and feedings. If you choose to bottle-feed, I will assume as much responsibility for nightly infant care and feeding as you prefer. In the case of combination feeding, I will support you by helping you create a plan for alternating feeds. This includes feeding either pumped milk or formula, proper breastmilk storage, and cleaning/sterilization of bottles and pump parts so they are ready for your use.

Additional Responsibilities:

• Guidance through emotional/physical birth recovery and transition

• Newborn feeding, changing and soothing techniques

• Newborn sleep pattern guidance and education

• Silent Reflux/GERD/Colic support

• Postpartum Mood Disorder assessment and referrals

• Lactation support, referrals and education

• Light tidying and laundry

• Community referrals