Frequently asked questions:

“What are the benefits of Hiring a Postpartum Doula?”

Personalized Care: Postpartum doulas tailor their services to meet the unique needs of each family, ensuring the birthing person feels supported and confident in their new role.

Informed Decision-Making: With the wealth of information available online, it can be hard to know what’s best. A postpartum doula provides evidence-based information to help parents make informed decisions about baby care and postpartum health.

A Smoother Transition: By having a postpartum doula in place, new families can experience a smoother transition into parenthood. The support they provide helps to reduce feelings of stress and anxiety while promoting a positive experience during the postpartum phase.

Encouragement of Self-Care: Postpartum doulas remind birthing people of the importance of self-care, offering gentle encouragement to rest and heal while giving practical tools for managing both the newborn and themselves.

“What is holding space?”

“Holding space is a conscious act of being present, open, allowing, and protective of what another needs in each moment. [...] It’s a broadly used phrase to define the act of “being there” for another. The effects of this practice, however, go much deeper than simply offering support.

Consider the individual words for a moment. To hold means to embrace or encircle someone or something in your grasp. Physically, this might take the form of a hug or the cradling of a hand in yours. But you can also embrace someone non-physically with your intention, attention, and energy. Space refers to the immediate environment you are sharing with another. This, too, may be the physical space of a room, but more frequently refers to the mental and emotional environment you are in with others. Put together, these words embody the principle of surrounding the environment with your awareness in a way that provides comfort and compassion for all.

- Adam Brady, Vedic Educator. https://chopra.com/articles/holding-space-the-art-of-being-present-with-others

“When should i hire a Postpartum Doula?”

It’s ideal to begin considering postpartum doula support during pregnancy, though many families decide to seek help after the baby is born. Most postpartum doulas offer flexible hours, working anywhere from a few hours a day to full days or nights, depending on the needs of the family.

Some key moments when a postpartum doula can be especially beneficial include:

• Immediately after childbirth, when birthing people are physically healing and adjusting to new routines.

• The early weeks postpartum, when the learning curve of parenthood and fatigue can be at its peak.

• After the first few weeks postpartum, when other family and/or community support shifts. Partners back to work, etc.

“How Long Does a Postpartum Doula Stay?”

The length of time a Postpartum Doula stays with a family can vary. Some families may hire a Doula for just a few days to help them adjust in the early weeks, while others may seek support for several months. The flexibility in duration ensures that every family gets the support they need, whether it’s immediate or ongoing assistance. Typically, a Postpartum Doula will have a minimum number of hours per shift, usually around 3-4 hours. If you’d like your Doula to stay longer, they are more than happy to accommodate your needs.

“What is an example of a typical postpartum shift for a doula?”

A typical shift for a postpartum doula is centered around nurturing and supporting the birthing person and their family. This may include assisting with newborn care, providing breastfeeding or feeding support, and offering guidance on sleep and soothing techniques. The doula also helps with light household tasks such as meal prep, laundry, and tidying up, allowing the family to focus on rest and bonding. Emotional support is a key aspect, as the doula creates a calm, reassuring environment to help ease the transition into parenthood. Usually I begin my shift with a family by sitting down with birthing person and partner and talking for a while. Chatting about where they’re at emotionally and physically, what challenges have been coming up for them, any reflections they have about their birth or parenting experiences so far. If they need help with baby care or breastfeeding, I will provide that support. Next, I will tuck my client and their baby into bed for some rest and bonding while I tidy up the house. If my client is feeling like they need some alone time for self-care, I will hang with baby. I love to baby wear and recommend it to all my clients. While hanging with baby, I can focus on restocking supply caddies with breastfeeding and diapering supplies, running a load of laundry, and doing a quick inventory of the refrigerator and pantry. I love to prepare a meal for my client while I’m there for the shift, and I always leave them with prepared food in the fridge. Ultimately, each shift is tailored to meet the unique needs of the family in the moment.