Birth Doula Support

What does doula support during labor look like?

Now is the time to talk about your birth! I am available to you from the moment that you hire me, which means that you can call, text or email with any questions that you may have, day or night. I am on call for you as soon as you hire me. I’m not going to leave you high and dry because you went into labor before the “on-call” period. This commitment and flexibility is the trademark of a good doula. You can trust me to be there for you. Let’s meet up so you can see that I really mean it. We will be in touch from the second you think you might be in labor. For the earliest part of labor I will guide you and your partner through the labor-management techniques that we practiced during your prenatal visits via phone or text. As things progress, I will make my way to your home or birthing place to help with pain management as well as keeping you well-fed, rested, and hydrated. I will stay with you until the baby is born and for 1-2 hours afterward. If you plan to breastfeed, I will help with first latches and establishing best practices for bonding in general. Don’t forget about your partner! We will work together to ensure that your partner feels every bit a part of this experience as you do. After all, it is his/her baby too.

Do I really need the postpartum support visit?

YES. YES. YES. Support for new mothers is hugely undervalued in our culture. Some families have close friends and family members who are willing to step up and provide meals, clean the house and hold the baby for a few minutes. I do find, however that this isn’t the case and that general support postpartum is lacking overall. Everything is about the baby, the baby, the baby. Mothers, you deserve to have someone sit across from you and ask how YOU are doing. How are you healing? Have you been sleeping enough? Eating enough? Drinking enough water? We will talk about how you feel your birth went and process through any emotions that feel overwhelming to you. We will talk about the difference between baby blues and postpartum depression. The moral of the story here is that you should feel supported throughout your whole birthing year. If you want a caring and supported person whose sole purpose is to help you achieve an amazing birth experience, then maybe a doula is right for you.