The birth of a baby represents a profound and permanent life change for the new parents and other family members. After nine months of pregnancy, the birth process, a family is born or enlarged. For new parents the challenges are numerous: recovery from childbirth, total responsibility for a tiny dependent newborn, sleeplessness, emotional adjustment, mastery of infant feeding and care, understanding of and adjustment to the unique personality of their baby, and not to forget there is still the household organization to be done.

In our society, many new parents find themselves overwhelmed at this transition, and sometimes the physical or mental health of the new mother or baby is compromised, and the parents need more help at home than they had expected.  In times past, new parents could usually depend on their own parents, other family members, or friends to assist them. While these resources are sometimes still available today, that to has changed.  Family members and friends have higher demands unlike they did in past times, which means less available time to the new mom and her family. Sometimes we find that there are great distances between new parents and their loved ones, and some grandparents are still working themselves. Postpartum Doulas can help provide the guidance and support that families traditionally received from their own family, friends or experienced mothers in their community.

With all these challenges, it is clear that the importance of support, advice, and assistance in the weeks and months following birth cannot be overemphasized. The ways in which the woman, baby, partner and siblings make the transition to a new family unit have a long-term impact on their physical and emotional health. The Postpartum Doula fills a large gap in today’s maternity care, and is able to facilitate a smooth and rewarding transition.


How a Postpartum Doula can serve your family

Postpartum Doulas are trained to provide childbearing families with in-home services to new mothers and their babies. Doulas are trained in postpartum adjustment, newborn characteristics, care, feeding, development, and the promotion of parent-infant bonding. They are experienced in supporting families through their postpartum experience. They enable new parents to feel confident in their ability to care for their infants.  They teach new parents to recognize and appreciate their infant’s special abilities. Coming into the home during the fourth trimester following birth, the doula’s role is to provide education, non-judgmental support, and companionship, and to assist with newborn care and family adjustment, meal preparation and light household tasks. Postpartum Doulas offer information on breastfeeding or infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from childbirth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and can make appropriate referrals when necessary.  Unlike a baby nurse or nanny, a doulas focus is not solely on the baby, but on fostering independence for the entire family.  The doula is as available to the father and older children as to the mother and the baby.  Treating the family as a unit that is connected and always changing enables the doula to do her job, nurture the family.

The Benefits of a Postpartum Doula

Research by experts tells us what many have long suspected, that new parents who have support and feel secure and cared for during the postpartum time, are more successful in adapting than those who do not. Studies have shown that cultures in which women are cared for by others for a defined period of days or weeks and are expected only to nurture themselves and their babies during that time, have superior outcomes in postpartum adjustment.  We know that women who experience support from their family members, care providers, counselors and peer groups have greater breastfeeding success, greater self-confidence and less postpartum depression.

By mothering the mother, doulas make sure that the mother feels nurtured and cared for, as well as making sure she is eating well and getting enough sleep.  They will help by creating a safe place for the mother emotionally. The doula will provide a cushioning effect by accepting the mother within each stage that she passes through. They relieve some of the pressure on the new mother by helping her move into her new responsibilities gradually.

Fathers and other family members benefit from the role of a doula as well. Rather than being told to "help out” they receive instruction and role modeling on how to support a woman during the weeks after birth. Research tells us that support for and from the partner can have a significant impact on their own experience as well as the emotional adjustment of the mother.

As new parents together they benefit from education on what to expect from a newborn, baby-soothing skills, feeding, bonding and attachment and coping skills. The doula will teach parents strategies and skills that will improve their ability to bond with their babies. A calm baby who is growing well will help parents to feel more confident in their skills.

The goal of a doula is to nurture the parents into their new roles. As they experience success and their knowledge and self-confidence grow, their need for professional support will diminish