Postpartum Support
Ahhh, that new baby smell...the little coos...the itty bitty fingers and toes. It's such a beautiful and wonderful time, right?...RIGHT?!
The 4th trimester can be a beautiful time of bonding as a family. However, whether it's your first child or your fifth, many parents find that the postpartum transition can be full of challenges as it is a time when sleep is elusive, hormones are shifting, and family dynamics are changing. This is not uncommon and you are NOT alone. Some additional postpartum support can go a long way in smoothing out that transition, helping you take care of YOU, and giving you the confidence you need to move forward in this journey of parenthood.
Postpartum doula support can take on a variety of forms from helping with day-to-day tasks so that life doesn't get overwhelming to assistance with newborn care so that parents can focus on self-care and rest. This can occur in as little as 4-hour day/evening shifts to as long as 12-hour overnight shifts.
Overnight Support
Sleep...it's a very precious thing that we often take for granted. We all know how hard it is face the day after a rough night's sleep. We've all heard how tough those newborn nights can be. Well, overnight support just happens to be a specialty of mine!
Imagine being able to focus almost, if not all of your energy solely on sleep and wake up rested to an empty sink, folded laundry, your favorite cup of coffee, and a clean, fed, and (hopefully) still sleeping baby.
With overnight support I make sure you can focus on sleep and take care of everything else. If you're breastfeeding, I'll either bring the baby to you for feedings or take pumped milk and parts from you for storage and cleaning if you wake up to pump.
Overnight support - so you can sleep like a......teenager :)
Other ways a postpartum doula can support you may include:
- 24/7 phone/text/email support for any questions or concerns you might be having
- a safe space to share your feelings and be heard without judgment or bias
- assistance with breast and/or bottle feeding
- assisting in physical recovery from vaginal or surgical birth
- newborn education and support
- assistance in feeding, diapering, bathing, and other newborn care so that parents can have respite (nap, shower, hot meal, tend to older siblings, etc)
- babywearing education and assistance
- light housekeeping such as laundry, dishes, and general tidying up
Bringing Back the Village
It used to be that we were surrounded by our family and our community when our families grew. Unfortunately, much of that "village" feeling is missing in our current age and culture. But you don't have to go it alone...you don't have to be overwhelmed and exhausted. It would be my pleasure to support you .
