Postpartum Doula Services

Service Description

For nearly 10 months Mother and Baby are closely monitored and cared for during pregnancy. You've read all the "What to Expect" books, taken the birth prep and breastfeeding classes; you feel as prepared as you can. Then you birth the baby, and in a matter of 1-3 days you realize this new human is going home with you and that you're wholly unprepared as to what's next. "You mean the doctors and nurses aren't going home with me?" "How do I know what the baby needs?" "Who will help me make sure I'm healing ok?" Enter me, your Postpartum Doula! As a first time mom that struggled significantly postpartum with both births, I have been in your shoes. And I want to use my experiences as a new mom to help prevent the spiral into postpartum anxiety or depression, ease the feelings of being lost/hopeless/fearful/anxious, to other moms and families. Our social and healthcare system abandons mothers once baby is born. They are forgotten and unsupported, which is why it's no surprise we have the highest maternal mortality rate of any developed country in the world. And I could have been a statistic of that with both of my births. I hemorrhaged several hours after my first birth while in the hospital, and the second birth I was 3 days postpartum when my emergency arrived. Luckily for me and my background in healthcare, with the second birth, I was at home not feeling quite right after a 3am feed. I took my vitals. My blood pressure was 198/115. NOT GOOD. I called my OB, and she said I need to come in right away. I went in with my husband and 3 day old baby, while my BFF stayed with my 2 yo son. I was admitted right away with postpartum preeclampsia and was on the verge of seizing. What would have happened to me if I didn't know enough to check my vitals, let alone that I even had the means to check my vitals and know they weren't normal?? It scares me to think about that. I don't want you to have that same fear or experience with yourself or your baby once you are home. That is supposed to be a time of healing and bonding. And I would love the opportunity to help support that in any way I can. Some of that can look like: basic breastfeeding/bottle/combo feeding support, vitals check, c-section incision/vaginal tear checks, baby care while you self care (nap, shower, eat...you know, basic human function), home care while you bond with baby (laundry, picking up, meal prep, dog walking), occupy older child(ren) as needed, screening for postpartum mood disorders, etc.