Centuries ago, when a woman gave birth, she had her mother, grandmothers, aunts, sisters and friends to help her. In fact, there are many cultures, even today, in which a new mother does not leave her bed for 40 days. That is certainly not the case here in the US, where new parents are sometimes sent home 24-48 hours after birth (often with sore nipples, exhausted, and hormonal). Many have never seen what breastfeeding looks like, and some have never even held a newborn. Many of them don’t have family nearby, their spouse returns to work right away, and they don’t know how to tell well-meaning friends what would really be helpful. This feeling of being overwhelmed can easily lead to postpartum depression. A doula can help lower risk of postpartum depression by helping you to feel more confident, less overwhelmed, and give you someone to talk with. A doula will also offer time for a much-needed rest and some self care.
As a doula, I spend a lot of time offering assistance with breastfeeding. What felt like a great latch in the hospital is often not so easy to duplicate at home. Being at your home for a stretch of time allows me to observe 1-2 feedings while I’m there, and offer tips on latch and positioning to make things easier on both of you. Between feedings, I may throw in a load of laundry, wash the dishes that have piled up in the sink, and hold baby so that you can get some much needed rest or time for self care. I also sit with you to answer all of your questions about newborn care, and talk through your birth experience if you feel like it. We may put baby in the carrier and go for a walk. I may chop veggies and get dinner ready. We may give baby a bath together. Or, I may entertain an older sibling while you feed the baby (or hold the baby so you can have one on one time with an older sibling). Our time together is 100% based on what you need that day. My aim is never to take over complete control of your infant, but rather to help you to feel more capable and confident as a new parent. It is a joy and a privilege to be able to make a career out of sharing this very special time with families.