What Does a Postpartum Doula Do?
The postpartum period or 4th trimester is a wonderful and exciting time for mother and baby, however this period does not come without its challenges. In many cultures around the world communities come together to ensure that the new mother is able to rest, recover and focus all her attention on caring for her newborn.
Unfortunately this is not common practice in western culture meaning that oftentimes mothers and their partners are left alone to cope with their new roles as parents which can be exhausting, confusing and overwhelming.
As a postpartum doula there are many ways I support parents in this transition to parenthood, here is a list of support techniques and tools that I use:
Birth debrief
Education on postpartum physiology - what to expect in the weeks after birth, tips and trick to help ease recovery such as padsicles
Baby physiology - what is normal
Local support services eg- breastfeeding support services/groups, lactations consultants, mothers groups, pelvic floor health physios, birth trauma specialists
Newborns - what to expect, common newborn traits and behaviours, hunger cues, reflexes,
Importance of sleep, rest and nutrition for mother during postpartum period
Postpartum depletion
Postpartum depression
Help with breastfeeding - what to expect, tips and tricks
Tips and tricks to help ease nipple soreness
Umbilical stump cord care
Help with swaddling
Nappy hygiene
How and when to burp baby
Tips and tricks for soothing baby
How and when to sanitise
Extra set of hands so parents can eat, sleep, shower
Helping parents to feel confident in their ability
Helping parents to trust their instincts
Encouraging parents to ask for help when they need it and also to say no to visitors if they are feeling overwhelmed.
Cook nutritious meals and snacks, especially to complement breastfeeding.
Help with housework and errand running
Above is a list of practical support, however when we think about postpartum care it is also important to think about the role that nurturing the mother plays, this is more than just overall support for the parents but focuses on allowing the woman to heal, rest, relax and encourages her to positively embrace her new role as mother.
Some ways I nurture during the postpartum period include:
Massage,, such as hands, feet, shoulders, head.
Relaxation techniques, such as visualisation and meditation to help her to stay calm and not feel overwhelmed
Run her a bath or a foot soak
Encouraging mother to get fresh air and sunlight
Make her a nice herbal tea
Ensure she has water handy all day long - can infuse with lemon and cucumber
Positive affirmations to reinforce that she is doing a fabulous job even when she may feel like she isn’t
Bake her some lactation cookies or make some nice filling snacks such as protein balls.
Cut and water all her “welcome baby” flowers
Let her know you are there to support her and always happy to chat about anything she may need or wants to talk about.
Cut up some fruit and veg into easy to eat portions.
Offer to take older siblings out to the park to give her some quality and quiet time with new baby
Offer to hold baby or feed baby (if bottle fed)
I’m looking forward to working with you and helping you to get the most out of this new and exciting chapter. Feel free to contact me with any further questions.
X Sasha
