What is a Postpartum Doula?

By Nina Spears

The Baby Chick® & CEO of Baby Chick®

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Nina Spears is the Co-Founder & CEO of Baby Chick, an online go-to resource for all things motherhood and the Founder & CEO of Bassett Baby Planning, the premier doula agency and resource center in Houston, TX for expecting and new mothers. Read More

Now, I know I already discussed what a doula is and how doulas have changed over the years (the modern day doula) in previous posts, but I still feel that a lot of people don’t know or understand what a postpartum doula is. When people hear the word “doula” (if they even know what a doula is — most don’t) they immediately think of a birth doula since that is the most well known type of doula. And sometimes when women hear the word “postpartum” they think it’s the type of depression women experience after having a baby. This is why I wanted to clear things up, answer some common questions, and explain why postpartum doula care is something that I feel every women needs if they want that support and, honestly, why they deserve this care.

What does “postpartum” mean?

Postpartum is the 12-week (3 month) period of time after the birth of your baby when your body is recovering. This time is also referred to as the “fourth trimester.” Just like there is an antepartum/ prenatal period that lasts for 40-weeks, there is also a postpartum/ postnatal period that lasts for 12-weeks.

What is a doula?

The word “doula” — pronounced “doo-la” — is a Greek word meaning “woman servant or caregiver.” More recently, a doula refers to a trained professional who offers emotional, physical, and informational support to a woman and her partner before, during and after childbirth. A doula believes in “mothering the mother.” She enables a woman and her partner to have the most satisfying experience possible from pregnancy into motherhood.

What is a postpartum doula?

A postpartum doula provides evidenced based information on things such as infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, mother–baby bonding, infant soothing, basic newborn care, and more. A postpartum doula is there to help a new family in those first days and weeks after bringing home a new baby. Research shows that moms, dads and babies have an easier time with this transition if a good support team is in place.

What does a postpartum doula do?

What a postpartum doula does changes from day to day, as the needs of the family change. Postpartum doulas do whatever a mother needs to best enjoy and care for her new baby. A large part of their role is education.

Visits usually last 4+ hours and start by debriefing the couple to identify areas that need attention. Every visit usually is centered around a set of priorities. In the early weeks, it’s mostly centered around the mother’s recovery and breastfeeding while the later weeks include outings and taking care of household responsibilities. Here are examples of what a postpartum doula does during her visits:

Providing support for the emotional adjustment to parenthood
Support and assistance with breastfeeding and/or bottle-feeding, including information about pumping
Assistance with latch and positioning while breastfeeding while teaching the partner how to support the breastfeeding mother
Helping you and your partner understand your baby’s cues
Soothing the baby – helping with gassy and colicky baby and offering coping techniques
Demonstration on newborn care, such as diapering, bathing, trimming nails and swaddling
Babywearing
Assisting with the care of older siblings and helping them adjust to the new family member
Providing support with pet adjustment
Light housekeeping such as dishes
Running errands and grocery shopping
Small meal preparation for the mother and family members
Providing resources and referrals within your community
Nonjudgmental support for the mother’s family
Organization of the home and nursery
Baby’s laundry
Screening for postpartum mood disorders
Creating a nurturing and quiet environment for the family
Care for baby when the mother and her partner want to shower, nap, or spend some special time with their other children or with each other
Hands-on education for infant care and mother care
Preparing/cleaning pump supplies or bottles
Offering support in the mother’s physical recovery after childbirth
Helping the mother process the birth experience

What is the difference between a postpartum doula and a baby nurse or nanny?

The role of a postpartum doula is to help a woman through her postpartum period and to nurture the family. Unlike a baby nurse, a doula’s focus is not solely on the baby, but on fostering independence for the entire family by placing a priority on teaching (baby care, breastfeeding support) and assistance around the home. A baby nurse and a nanny comes into the home and solely takes care of the child. Baby nurses and nannies do not work as educators or care for the entire family, they are childcare for your baby.

A doula is as available to the partner and older children as to the mother and the baby. Treating the family as a unit that is connected and always changing enables doulas to do their job: nurture the family.

How long does a postpartum doula spend with a family?

Doula support can last anywhere from one or two visits to many visits each week for more than three months.

What hours can you expect a doula to work?

Some doulas work fulltime, with 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. shifts. Others work four hour shifts during the day or after school shifts until the partner or another family member gets home. Some doulas work evenings from around 6 p.m. until bedtime, 10 p.m., and some work overnight from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. (usually no less than 8-hour shifts for overnight care). Some doulas work every day, some only work one or a few shifts per week. It all depends on the family’s needs.

In every work the beginning is the most important part, especially in dealing with anything young and tender. – Socrates

What is a postpartum doula’s goal?

The goal of a postpartum doula is to nurture the parents into their new roles. As they experience success and their knowledge and self-confidence grow, their needs for professional support should diminish.

How does a doula nurture parents into their roles?

Self-confidence has a tremendous impact on a person’s ability to approach any task, and parenting is no different. Trained and certified doulas are taught to always consider parents’ feelings and always build confidence whenever possible. Doulas accomplish this through praise, acceptance and a non-judgmental approach. In addition, the doula will teach parents strategies and skills that will improve their ability to bond with their babies. A calm baby who is growing well will help parents feel more confident in their skills.

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Do doulas help mothers deal with postpartum depression?

Unlike therapists or psychiatrists, doulas do not treat postpartum depression. However, they will help by creating a safe place for the mother emotionally. The doula will provide a cushioning effect by accepting the mother within each stage that she passes through. They relieve some of the pressure on the new mother by helping her move into her new responsibilities gradually.

By mothering the mother, doulas make sure that the mother feels nurtured and cared for, as well as making sure she is eating well and getting enough sleep. (Having a postpartum doula helps reduce the chances of women experiencing postpartum depression.) In addition, trained and certified postpartum doulas help clients prepare themselves for parenthood, maximizing support and rest. These doulas will help their clients to screen themselves for PPD and will make referrals to appropriate clinicians or support groups as needed.

Do doulas teach a particular parenting approach?

No. Doulas are educated to support a mothers’ parenting approach. She will be able to give you the different options that you can choose from as a parent, but allows you to choose the best method for you and your baby without judgment. Doulas are good listeners and encourage mothers to develop their own philosophies.

How do postpartum doulas work with a mother’s husband/partner?

A doula respects the partner’s role and input, and teaches concrete skills that will help the partner nurture the baby and mother. The doula will share evidence-based information with the partner that shows how his or her role in the early weeks will have a dramatic positive effect on the family.