WHat is a postpartum doula?
Today I'm going to put yall on to these two topics:
What is a Postpartum Doula
Ways to work with a Postpartum Doula
Before we tap in, I want to go over what a doula is:
A doula is a trained professional who supports a family's non-medical needs. Doulas help families mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually through their unique milestones. We have gained knowledge and experience through training programs, real-life experiences, continuing education courses, reading books, and much more. When a doula is supporting a family, this will look different for each doula and family. The support may range from household organization to breastfeeding support. It depends on the family's needs and the doulas' experiences/certifications. Aside from the foundational postpartum support, most doulas will offer other skills to their clients such as massage therapy, placenta encapsulation, childcare, etc. If you are interested in working with a doula, do your research and find a doula who you believe can best support you and your family due to their empathy, knowledge, and their energy!
so WHat is a Postpartum doula in particular?
A postpartum doula empowers women and families by advocating, educating, normalizing, and lending a helping hand to families during the postpartum period.
The baseline for postpartum doula care usually entails some or all:
Time for new parents to rest or get work done while the doula watches the baby- As a new parent, grandparent, guardian, etc. It is essential to take time out of the day for your needs. Pouring into your well-being helps you to show up as the best version of yourself for your newborn. Taking space from your newborn is not a bad thing; it is healthy for you to focus on your needs while the baby gets acclimated to their new environment, receiving love/support from your village and self-soothing techniques.
Time dedicated to discussing your birth experience- unpacking your birth story is an essential part of postpartum healing that generally gets overlooked. With your doula, you will discuss the highs and lows of your labor and delivery. There are lots of emotions that come with each labor story. On top of happiness and relief, many families experience trauma, guilt, confusion, and so many other feelings during and after birth. Not taking time to unpack these emotions can sometimes lead to postpartum depression, anxiety, unhealthy blame, etc. Doulas are trained professionals that can notice signs of healthy vs. unhealthy postpartum coping strategies, postpartum anxiety, and many other postpartum mental health concerns. We are here to hold space for you and your loved ones, and if needed, we are here to help you get the specialized support you need.
Connecting you with local resources and giving tips/tricks (mom groups, acupuncturists, lactation consultants, how to swaddle, etc.) - Doulas love answering questions and showing their clients how to best care for themselves and their baby. We also connect families with specialized care. If the support you need is out of our scope of practice, we will help point you in the right direction through referrals, word of mouth, etc.
Supporting mom with breastfeeding and bottle-feeding challenges. Each mom and baby is different. Regardless of how you choose to feed your baby your doula will inform you of your options. The breastfeeding and bottle-feeding journey is filled with trial and error; from learning what a proper latch is to learning which bottle is best for your baby. Informing families of their options and holding space for mom to decide what is best for her and baby is necessary to establishing a manageable postpartum period.
doula supporting mom with breastfeeding: words of affirmation, ensuring moms comfortable while feeding, getting food and drinks for mom.
Advocacy is a huge part of being a doula. Globally many families are suffering due to poor birth and postpartum support. This is due to racial biases, systemic racism within the healthcare system, lack of access to reputable hospitals, financial barriers, etc.
Our voices have power. Being in tune with your body and intuition has power. Doulas advocate for families by informing them of their options, using their voice to ensure the family they are working with feels heard by healthcare professionals and others in their village, and giving families the tools to advocate for themselves and their loved ones. By becoming educated about your health and your postpartum options, you will become more confident when it comes time to making health decisions, speaking up for yourself and your needs, and holding healthcare professionals accountable.
Making medical decisions based on fear usually results in:
giving your power of choice to healthcare professionals or loved ones
making a decision that could be life-threatening or not best for your lifestyle
trying to “make it work“ with a healthcare professional, hospital, clinic, etc. that is not supportive of your postpartum decisions, or they are not meeting your needs. (ex. you are 2 weeks postpartum and are complaining of painful uterine cramping. Instead of checking you the doctors tell you this is normal and to get rest. This could result in postpartum complications that could have been prevented and/or lack of trust between you and your healthcare provider).
Doulas remind moms and families that they are in control of their bodies and postpartum journey. There will inevitably be times during your postpartum journey that won't go according to your plan. These moments require you to stay grounded so you can make an informed decision. In order to make an informed decision you must first know your options. As a postpartum doula we will encourage and inform you of your various postpartum options and we help you learn to trust your body. We hold space for as you make decisions and create a support team you trust. Knowledge is power!
When supporting my postpartum clients, about 50% of what we discuss is my clients learning their options, creating a personalized plan, and learning about various challenges that may or may not occur. I receive questions ranging from "when to start bottle feeding" to being asked, "how should I care for my C-section wound." No question is a dumb question. When informing families of their options I often will provide evidence-based resources for them to look at on their own time so that they can make an informed decision.
Evidence-based data for families allows them to further tap into their fears and concerns. Doing so makes you likely to replace those feelings with confidence and a new perspective. Having faith and a fresh outlook allows you to create an educated personalized action plan for yourself and your loved ones. Doulas can be a filter for your pregnancy and postpartum concerns. It can be easy to find information from unreliable sources online or from loved ones. But without a mental and emotional filter, gathering information from everywhere usually leads to unnecessary stress. Why, may you ask? Because we are all different! Every pregnancy is different, and every baby is different. No two experiences are the same, even if there are many similarities. Sometimes it is ok to get advice from blogs and people in your village. But then there are times you must mute those voices and do what is best for you and your family. The goal during pregnancy and postpartum is to reduce stress as much as possible, so if you are falling into the habit of relying on loved ones or Google to make decisions for you during your pregnancy and postpartum journey or you are becoming overwhelmed by unsolicited advice, you may want to look into a doula!
the postpartum period can feel overwhelming due to lack of sleep, support, knowledge, organization, and so much more! Doulas help families find a new rhythm by holding space, lending a helping hand, and informing you of your options.
So to recap, a large portion of being a doula the during the Postpartum process is to:
Hold space for the postpartum mom and family to vent
Support with breastfeeding and/or bottle-feeding
Provide evidence based data for families to make informed decisions.
Lend a helping hand to families (light household tidying, watch newborn and other siblings while parents rest or work, meal prep, laundry, etc.)
Think of postpartum doulas as personal stylists. We help families find their unique postpartum style!
Ways you can work with a doula:
1. Virtual Support
2. In-Home Postpartum Support
3. Booking a consultation for a specialized need (example: C-section healing tips, meal preparation, breastfeeding support, placenta encapsulation, etc.)
If you are interested in hiring Zero to Nine for yourself or a loved one. Book your free consultation today to learn how we can support your unique needs!