Your friends, Midwife or Pediatrician may have suggested enlisting the help of a Postpartum Doula or Newborn Care Specialist to help provide support when you welcome your baby home and you’re wondering what can you expect from in-home care? We got you covered!
Postpartum Doulas focus on nurturing the entire family to adjust to the role of parenthood, whether it be their first baby or their 3rd. They will provide a variety of unique offerings that support physical recovery, emotional wellbeing and encouraging maternal confidence.
.01 - Connection
Becoming a parent is a big transition and it can leave you feeling in your own world of diapers, 2am wake up calls and spit up. We focus on you, the parents, to create connection and make sure you are feeling heard and validated as you shift into this season of change. Encouragement is our love language and we make sure to pour it on you during pregnancy and these first months with your little one.
This can look like:
Sitting with you on the sofa to listen to you share your birth story with compassion.
Affirming the hard, rejoicing with the good and normalizing the ups and downs of newborn stage and postpartum recovery. (we’ve seen it all!!)
Head to the coffee shop or park together to get out into the world, with steadfast support by your side.
.02 - Confidence
Between the birth plan, the ring sling, birth classes and breast pumps, the gadgets and all of the advice for pregnancy and postpartum; there’s a lot of information to sort through. As perinatal experts, we’re here to show you the abc’s of birth & baby care so that you feel confident in meeting your newborn’s needs and following your instincts.
This can look like:
Walking you through newborn care techniques, including: baby’s first bath, helping you with baby-wearing wraps, how to master the swaddle and soothe
Helping you discover your unique parenting style, bringing zero judgment and only support for the incredible parent you are.
Demonstrate infant feeding techniques for breastfeeding positions and latch, paced bottle feeding, formula preparation and pumping routines.
Share tips for newborn naps and help you create routines for your little one.
.03 - Rest
Rest is essential for wellness, for healing and for bonding. Our modern society often leaves little margin for the importance of rest. Your body may be physically mending from birth, recovering from a cesarean or adjusting to sudden transition of adoption. Our doulas are passionate about ensuring that your only two jobs postpartum are to stay in bed and cuddle your baby or carve out time to fill your cup - mentally and emotionally!
This can look like:
Taking care of all of the tasks that pile up after the baby including nursery restocking, baby laundry, sanitizing bottles and pump parts, setting up baby gear and light tidying of the home… so you can REST.
Rocking your newborn baby, while you take a hot shower, read a book on the porch, call a friend or walk around the neighborhood.
Setting up an herbal sitz bath for perineal recovery or a belly-bind session for vaginal or cesarean healing.
.04 - Nourishment
There’s nothing like a comforting plate of food and some hot tea to nourish the body. When you have a new baby, you often forget or literally have zero time to take care of yourself. We know the value of nourishment on all levels, especially birth & postpartum.
This can look like:
Making a nourishing lunch upon our arrival to ensure you have hearty food to restore and heal.
Grocery shop and prepare some dinners for the week ahead.
Heat up a pot of tea and encourage you to sip slowly and bond with your baby while we take care of the household tasks.
.05 - Community
We are firm believers that parenthood shouldn’t be an island. We are meant for community on this path as we navigate this new role. Our goal is to ensure you have all the information at your fingertips to find support in your city.
This can look like:
Getting you connected to a postpartum support group in your area to find friends and guidance with others at your side.
Provide referrals for trusted chiropractors, pediatrician, lactation consultant, pelvic floor therapist, etc.
Encourage you to invite a friend over for tea or call your mom, while you have a helping hand there to care for your baby.
Every daytime postpartum doula shift looks a little different and focuses on your unique needs in that moment. Your doula will always check with you to see how they can best support and nurture your family during their time with you. If you’re ready to interview vetted postpartum doulas in Orange County, California — reach out today to receive free doula matches to your inbox!
