If you look up a postpartum doula, the internet will tell you that we are a trained professional who specializes in caring for, educating, and supporting families after a baby is born. The truth is, you might not feel like you need to hire someone to help you after your baby comes. After all, you have friends and family who have all offered to share the load. Maybe your parents are even coming from out of town. And if you have questions about your physical recovery or your baby, you’ll call your doctor. You have a plan, so why would you need a postpartum doula? Here at Bell House, we believe a postpartum doula is so much more!
Every family has unique reasons for choosing to hire a postpartum doula, but we have found that there are five main benefits that our clients receive when they choose postpartum doula care.
Don’t have experience with newborns and would like an expert to help you put a plan into place?
Postpartum doulas support the family unit. You can expect your doula to help put a plan in place that works for you, while considering your needs and preferences for parenting. Without judgement or bias, a postpartum doula reaches inside and pulls out of you the parents you wish to be. They model this parenting style and become an extension of who you are.
Ask your postpartum doula questions and get clarification about anything related to your recovery or your baby’s care. Avoid the embarrassment, guilt, or hassle of visiting your doctor for something that turned out to be minor. You’ll feel so much more confident knowing someone compassionate, experienced, and knowledgeable is available to you for all your questions, big or small.
Being home with a new baby can be very lonely, and you want support.
Companionship is important for mental health and, although you may have friends and family visiting, they may not be available to you as much as you need. Further, your friends and family may have difficulty remaining unbiased about your parenting choices.
Your comfort and mental wellness is important to your postpartum doula. Doulas provide an ear to listen, a confidante to confide in, and a true friend to support you through this journey. Your doula also understands that each family does what is best for them, and offers information based on your preferences.
You can ensure your partner, children, and home are looked after while still having your own needs met.
It can be difficult to let things slide around the house as you recover from pregnancy and birth. It may be important to you to have a tidy home and meet your family’s needs. Whether it’s packing lunches, preparing dinners, or throwing in a load of laundry, a postpartum doula is there to help with house tasks so you can get the rest you need. Imagine laying in bed eating a yummy breakfast while your doula helps get the kids or your partner out the door, wipes down the kitchen and starts the dishwasher. Then you talk about how you’re feeling, get some advise on comfort as you heal, and then your doula runs a hot sitz bath for you to soak in while the baby sleeps.
You’d like a walking, talking infant care manual.
If only babies came with manuals, wishes every first time parent.
You may have done a lot of research and read every parenting book you could find, but you still find yourself feeling anxious about what else there is to know. Postpartum doulas are perfect for families who want to have an expert on infant care and feeding at their fingertips. Your doula is going to know all about breastfeeding and proper bottle feeding techniques, as well as the latest in formulas and bottle preparations.
We pride ourselves on knowing the facts, and knowing exactly where to find the most credible information. Your doula isn’t emotionally invested in your decisions like you are, allowing them to give accurate, objective resources to make your own choices.
You need a break
Endless nights of cluster feeding, the dreaded four month sleep regression, or just being plain worn out from trying to keep all the balls in the air—every parent faces burnout at some point. A postpartum doula can come in for one shift or one hundred shifts, day or night, and let you get the break that you’re needing.
If one (or more) of these reasons for hiring a postpartum doula feel right for you, please reach out to us. We’ll help you get the support you need. We want to meet you where you are at and know you will find exactly what you need with Bell House Birth Services.
