What is a Postpartum Doula?
When you have a new baby (or babies!) things can be overwhelming on many fronts. If it’s your first child, you have questions about everything from diapers to feeding to playgroups. If you’ve already done the newborn thing once or twice, you need help juggling your myriad responsibilities to your growing family and busy home. And no matter how many kids you have, you need some SLEEP!
They help with all aspects of newborn care
A doula can help with ALL of that. We are knowledgeable and experienced with all aspects of newborn care, and if we don’t know something, we know someone who does! We can help with household tasks like those mountains of baby laundry, care for the baby while you shower or nap, entertain and care for older children, and run interference with well-meaning visitors when you just need some space.
They make the transition of a newborn easier
A postpartum doula does pretty much anything you need done to make the transition of a newborn easier. We support the bonding process of all family members to the new baby. We lighten your load so you can focus on your new arrival, and help everything run smoothly. A lot of people are familiar with “baby nurses” (also known as newborn nannies or night nurses) – women who also come to your home to help out when a new baby is born. The biggest difference is that a baby nurse’s primary responsibility is always to care for the baby, usually away from the parents and family.
They support the WHOLE FAMILY
A doula or Newborn Care Specialist supports the WHOLE FAMILY in whatever way is necessary – sometimes this means baby care, especially on an overnight – but it usually means helping with other household tasks to support the bonding process, and educating and assisting the parents. A doula is able to do everything a baby nurse does, and much more!
A baby nurse will also usually come and stay with the family full-time for 2 weeks to a month and take the baby around the clock, while a doula comes in for a shift agreed upon with the family based on their individual needs, and is happy to work flexibly with the family for several months and beyond.
They are credentialed
There is also a big difference in the level of training and credentialing. A postpartum doula or Newborn Care Specialist is usually trained and certified by a respected organization. “Baby nurses” are rarely licensed nurses and rarely professionally trained. There is no intensive certification process for a “baby nurse”. Many are not up to date on current safety recommendations and best practices for newborns, either.
Hire a postpartum doula with Happy Family After
Want to see how Happy Family After can help YOU be the best parent you can be, positively submerged in skillful support? Contact us today.