What is a Postpartum Doula and Why I Would Want to Consider Hiring One?
The postpartum period, or the five to six week time-frame after the birth of a baby, is a very special time for families. Traditionally, cultures around the globe honor the transition from birth to parenthood. During this time, adequate rest, nutrition, and healing are encouraged in a nurturing environment. The mom is generally supported by one or more experienced mothers, who may prepare meals, help with housework and gently teach the mother how to care for her postpartum body and the new baby.
Transitions
In our culture, this transition is not typically honored the same way, nor does it acknowledge the challenges new mothers face. As a result, many moms do not have the support system in place when they return home from the hospital. They are largely isolated without anyone to answer their questions, or reassure them of the normal postpartum process. This may only be addressed at their medical appointment weeks after the birth. At a time when new families are supposed to be bonding with the new baby and recovery of the mother, this attention may be diverted by the tasks required to run the household (cleaning, shopping, and cooking). While many fathers may be able to stay home in the initial few days and weeks, they are also sleep deprived and may not have the ability and experience to fully support the mom and baby.
Support Advocates
The postpartum doula is the solution. Postpartum doulas are trained and knowledgeable support advocates, most of them mothers, who lovingly and skillfully provide for the physical, emotional, and informational needs of the new family after birth. The expertise derived from firsthand experience and thorough training in mom and baby care allows the postpartum doula to assist with postpartum comfort measures, basic breastfeeding support, non-judgmental guidance in infant care techniques, information on normal postpartum restoration and infant development, and assisting the whole family through this transition.
Your Needs
The primary focus of the postpartum doula is to ensure the mother’s recovery from childbirth. This includes proper nutrition, hydration and rest. These are the essential components leading to greater success with nursing, bonding, and the overall well-being of mom and baby. The secondary focus is caring for baby. This also supports mom by providing insight and education in caring for the baby. The remainder is everything else that will allow mom’s efficient recovery from childbirth. For example. this may be such things as washing dishes, doing laundry, organizing the baby’s clothing, or watching baby while mom spends some much-needed time with an older sibling.
Your Families Needs
The support that a postpartum doula provides will have a lasting impact on the family. Reports from new families that have been supported by a postpartum doula reflect greater confidence in becoming a new parent, more satisfaction in the breastfeeding experience, increased duration of breastfeeding, and fewer bouts of postpartum depression.
Dolphin Doula is proud to offer postpartum doula services, allowing our clients to receive doula support throughout the entire process of having a baby. In addition, our postpartum doulas are certified childbirth hypnotherapists, bringing the deep relaxation tools used in hypnotherapy to the postpartum woman. These skills can aid new mothers in getting a higher-quality of rest, allowing faster physical recovery and a smoother transition to motherhood. Our doulas have provided postpartum care to many families over the past few years, aiding them in experiencing a more positive transition to parenthood.
Many times new parents do have family and friends that are willing to help by providing meals and coming in for a bit of time during the first couple of weeks postpartum. This is fabulous when it is available, but it can be difficult for even families and friends to be able to provide the level of care a postpartum doula does due to their own life’s constraints, experience, knowledge and/or abilities. During night shifts, our postpartum doulas encouraging breastfeeding during the night while maximizing mother’s sleep by burping, changing, swaddling, and soothing baby back to sleep between feedings.
The amount of time a new parent will need varies, and the flexibility of a Dolphin Doula postpartum doula allows for an infinite variety of support schedules. In general, we have found the first two weeks to be the most intensive; hence, all of our postpartum package reflect two-week periods. A postpartum schedule we are accustomed to may look like this:
| Time Period | Night Care | Day Care | Primary Focus |
| Week 1 | 3 nights, 10:00p.m. to 6:00a.m. | 2 days, 4 hours each | Getting mom and partner adequate rest and nutrition, along with hands-on informational support with baby care. |
| Week 2 | 2 nights, 10:00p.m. to 6:00a.m. | 3 days, 4 hours each | More rest and informational support |
Again, the amount of days and nights are flexible depending on each client’s needs. While our day shifts require a minimum of 3 hours, many clients have utilized more. Postpartum doulas provide vital support to help families get the best possible start with their new baby!
Meet our Postpartum Doulas
Susan Cortez - CCHT, CD
The birth’s of her two children, son Jeremy now 13, and daughter Angela now 15, were incredibly positive, life-changing events, and were the initial inspiration behind Susan’s choice to pursue a career in this field. Susan has been teaching childbirth preparation classes, and attending births as a Birth Doula for over 10 years, and has assisted hundreds of women, couples, and families to have a more empowered and positive birth experience. In the past year, Susan became certified as a Dolphin Doula, and is very excited to add the dolphin skill set. The Dolphin Method, in connection with her extensive knowledge, personal and professional experiences, intuition, and passion, allow her to serve birthing families now even more effectively! Susan is open to and enjoys working with, the diversity of families that the Bay Area offers, interacting with each family in a welcoming and supportive way. Occupying her time aside from her work, Susan is back in school studying to attain her B.A. in Psychology, enjoys daily exercise, reading, painting, dancing, writing, spending time with family and friends, and experiencing all the good life has to offer. |
Cindy Curry - CCHT, CD
Cindy is a mother to three children and continues to nurture and support their growing curiosities. The compassion Cindy shows to each and every woman she comes in contact is self evident. Her ability to listen to the needs of her client and her clients partner is an important part in supporting the couples needs when preparing for the birth and labor. Showing support and compassion for every woman who wishes to experience her birth with the love and support she deserves, is Cindy’s ultimate goal. |
