S- Self Care - Losing yourself in your new role as a parent is a huge possibility here. Your identity shifts and there are so many new things to adjust to. And while we 100% believe that babies matter, we also believe that you matter too. It is our mission that you thrive in parenthood and we encourage you to set time aside for showering, eating, resting, reading, and connecting with friends.
T- Time with your partner - Parenting has been known to put a strain on your relationship and it tends to come as quite a blow to new parents. But nurturing your relationship with your partner is incredibly important during this time! Your doula can take over care of the baby during dinner time so you and your partner can sit down together, eat with both hands and reconnect.
U- Unconditional Support - We’ve heard through the grapevine that there are some doulas that will only support certain types of parenting styles or that will only work with parents who agree to do X, Y, or Z. That’s not how we roll. We trust that you know what is best for your family & your lifestyle and choose to support you in those decisions.
V- Value - There’s nothing more valuable then having someone available to you 24/7 to ease your fears and celebrate all the good things about parenthood. We know that inviting someone into your home long-term and trusting someone to care for you and your baby can be nerve wracking. But we trust that you’ll see the value in the service we provide and that you’ll soon understand just how important the well-rounded and compassionate care of a postpartum doula can be.
W- Whoopsies - No parent is perfect. You’re gonna make mistakes. And chances are you’re going to feel horrible about some of those mistakes. It’s just the nature of parenthood. As we’ve mentioned before, your doula won’t judge you for those inevitable whoopsies, instead she’ll help normalize them and help you reflect and learn from them.
X- X-hale - There will be times where you feel like you can’t breathe. Whether it’s because your baby is latching and you’re tensing up due to discomfort or because you just got your baby down to sleep and the door bell rings… whatever the reason your doula will be there to help. Not only will she remind you to breathe and relax, but she’ll create a sense of calm that will keep you breathing easily day in and day out.
Y- Your Sanity - Do you ever feel like no one out there can relate to what you’re going through? Your doula can! And if she can’t directly relate, she can definitely empathize! Your doula has seen a lot in her time working with new parents. And she can help reassure you in those moments where you may be on the verge of losing your sanity.
Z- ZZZzzzzzz - Were you wondering when we were going to mention sleep?! Well we saved the best for last! Sleep is crucial for recovery from birth. It is also imperative for day-to-day functioning. And there’s a reason that sleep deprivation is a form of torture… because it affects you mentally, emotionally, and physically. Having a doula there for night time gives you the chance to get longer stretches of sleep and if your baby is taking a bottle, you can even get a full nights sleep! Daytime doulas are there to take over for a few hours so you can take a nap too! What could be better than that?!
So there you have it, the ABCs of a Postpartum Doula! Of course, our jobs aren’t limited to these things and we want to stress that every family is different. That is why our care is 100% customized to your needs. If you’re wondering if something is within your Postpartum Doula’s scope of practice, just ask!
Did you have a Postpartum Doula? What was the most valuable aspect of your care with her?