What does a Postpartum Doula Do?

Advice from Doula, Abigail Morrissey Riordian, RN, BSN, NC-BC

Guest blogger, postpartum doula, and owner of Set on Shine Wellness provides expert insights into how a postpartum doula can support you in the postpartum period.

How you care for yourself during the first 40 days of postpartum will dictate your health for the next forty years. This brief period following childbirth is packed with major adjustments for you and your baby. Ideally, every family would be a part of a community. In this community, the sacredness of the postpartum period would be respected. The community would nourish her and take care of her responsibilities. This would enable the new mom to rest and bond with her baby. The community would be resourced and be filled with elders and families experience in child rearing. If something unexpected came up, the new mother would feel supported and confident in her role as a mother. This is the ideal and would enable every family to receive the care they need in the postpartum period.

When mothers and families were supported in postpartum, the experience would leave the mother feeling like she wanted to birth again. She would feel confident in her mothering and connected to her baby. This ancient wisdom has been forgotten and is often not possible because of the lack of support and community of the modern family. Because the modern family is not always a part of a strong community, families often hire support to help during the first 40 days following birth. A postpartum doula is someone who specifically caters to the needs of the postpartum woman and her family.

What does postpartum support look like?

Depending on the needs of the family and their unique circumstance, a postpartum doula can provide support in a variety of ways. Here are some common examples:

Emotional Support

A postpartum doula is someone that is specifically there to support the new mom. After birth, most of the attention switches from mom to baby. Having someone to check in with you and hold space for you can be very healing.

Practical Support

Having someone take care of the day to day menial tasks can be a huge support. Light house cleaning, laundry, dishes, meal prep, running errands- all these tasks add up and take energy. A postpartum doula can take on some of the practical responsibilities so you can focus on healing.

Referrals

Often things happen we did not expect. Maybe baby is having difficulty latching because of a tongue tie. Or maybe you are experiencing pain in your lower back. A postpartum doula can help you navigate these unforeseen challenges and connect you with resources in your local area. Addressing things quickly and connecting you to the right support is very important. This often eliminates feelings of isolation and overwhelm.

Prepare for your Postpartum Wellness Early

Ideally, you will start preparing for your postpartum before you become pregnant. Build a community you can trust and rely on during your transition from maiden to mother. Having an easy and nourishing postpartum period does not have to cost a lot of money. It requires you to be prepared and build connections. If you are interested in learning more about my postpartum services, connect with me at www.setonshine.com. Here you will find information about how to prepare for postpartum and a list of resources. You might also consider joining our monthly new mom’s group.

Struggling with postpartum adjustment? Call Skylands Wellness today for a free 15 minute phone consultation. To learn more about Postpartum Therapy and how Skylands Wellness can help, click here.