Testimonials
Christine was so valuable in the birth of our daughter. My partner thought I was nuts for wanting a doula and now he is the one that tells everyone about how great she was and why we needed her. 30 hours of natural labor turned into an emergency c-section and then a huge infection for me. It was Christine that kept us calm, present and accepting during this time. He is her biggest fan. I guess that makes me her second biggest fan.
(more…)Christine was our wonderful postpartum doula. She was such a calming presence after our planned homebirth turned emergency C-section and helped heal my heart. She also provided great support and encouragement through my lactation failure. I can’t imagine how we would have managed the first weeks without her. Our son connected with her right away. She was an enormous help!
Christine was my doula for the birth of my second daughter in March, 2014. My husband and I are so thrilled with her as our doula! There were really no negatives about our experience. She took plenty of time before the birth to discuss birth basics, emotions, physical stuff, plans, hopes, dreams, concerns, fears, etc. During the birth she was a rock of support and gave me so much comfort, both physically and mentally.
(more…)Postpartum Doula Services
Postpartum doula services typically include care during the first 3 months after birth (often called the Fourth trimester). Postpartum doula support can last anywhere from one or two visits to more than three months. 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. They share information about baby care with parents, as well as teach siblings and partners to “mother the mother.” They assist with breastfeeding education. Postpartum doulas also make sure the mother is fed, well hydrated and comfortable. The role of a postpartum doula is to help and nurture the family through the postpartum period. Unlike a baby nurse, a doula’s focus is not solely on the baby, but on fostering independence for the entire family. The 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. Contact me for a free interview to see if I am a good fit for your family!
Contact me for a free interview to see if I am a good fit for your family!
Postpartum Doulas can help
- With Breastfeeding
- Understand babe cues
- Diapering and baby care
- With Siblings
- Light housekeeping assistance
- Meal preparation
- Running Errands
- Resources and referrals
- Non-judgmental family support
- Screening for postpartum mood disorders
- Infant sleep support
- Care for baby when parents want to shower, nap, or spend some special time with older child(ren)
- Hands-on education for infant and mama care
- Baby-wearing assistance
- Caring for mama as she recovers from birth
- Processing the birth experience
- Soothing Baby and education on infant soothing techniques
- A doula recognizes birth as a key life experience that the birthing person will remember all her life.
- A doula understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a person in labor and postpartum
- A doula provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint and assistance in getting the information she needs to make good decisions.
- A doula perceives her role as one who nurtures and protects the family’s memory of the birth experience.
Doulas Benefits to Parents
- Feel more secure and cared for
- More successful in adapting to new family dynamics
- Have greater success with breastfeeding
- Have greater self-confidence
- Have less postpartum depression
- Have lower incidence of abuse
Contact me for a free interview to see if I am a good fit for your family!