Why Hire a Postpartum Doula?

A postpartum doula is an excellent thing to add to your postpartum team, because you can choose one who offers exactly the sort of services you need. Every situation is unique, which is why you should carefully plan your postpartum period and what you'll want extra help with. For some families, this care can now even be reimbursed by your insurance!

1 in 4 birthing parents, and 1 in 10 supporting parents will develop some sort of Postpartum mood or anxiety disorder, and it's no surprise why. It is hard to take care of yourself when you are suddenly the only thing (or one of the only things) keeping a needy, lovely, little baby alive. There are many factors that effect your personal likelihood of having an issue like this, but there are also ways you can be prepared and help combat the feeligns of stress, exhaustion, isolation, and discomfort. Things like, hiring a postpartum doula who helps you plan ahead and have all the services youll need.

In order to receive my certification as a postpartum doula I had done this 15 minute presentation about postpartum, and the one sentence that all of my proctors related to the most was the fact that: now that baby is out, you are also OUT (Overwhelmed, Underfed, and Tired). I remember feeling like that, and I remember how lucky I felt to have family that came and helped me cook, keep up with my laundry, have a chance to shower without the baby cries making me jump out with my shampoo still in, etc. Unfortunately, not all moms have that support system built in.

You may not feel comfortable asking your support system for help in those ways either, and they may not know to offer it (stay tuned for a post we'll be adding about how to help postpartum parents that you can casually share for them to maybe see...). It may be easier to hire someone who already has a list of things they know others have appreciated and that they are happy to help with.

In my opinion the most important thing your postpartum doula should be offering is a planning session, which will remind you of all the sorts of services you can seek and what amount of money you have to work with for those services. You can start by removing things your family and close friends will be able to cover (maybe some meal prep or babysitting older children or pets), or things you already utilize regularly (such as housecleaners or laundry service). Then you'll consider the things you feel need to be done a very specific way, that you DO NOT want anyone helping with, and then you and your postpartum doula can work out the things left on that list that they are willing to do, how often they will come, and how to submit those bills to insurance for reimbursement.

The second most important thing about a PP doula is that they have training and compassion for supporting new parents, and especially birthing mothers. For me specifically, I've been where you are and I know what it feels like. I will never forget those early days with the baby blues, and I knew that everything was fine and I was loved and protected, but when my husband would kiss me or the baby would fall asleep on my shoulder I would cry, and my older daughter (5) would say "why are you so sad?" and I would tell her that I didn't really feel sad but that my brain was a little confused. We will be there for you to talk to if you are sad, or vent to about the things that are hard, or just so that you know you're not alone, and that it's okay to be feeling any of the things you are feeling.

All in all, a postparum doula is a valuable member of your support team and beyond. You should consider getting one to round out your support team, or if you do not have a support team with the means to help you appropriately and/or when you need it most. The doula you choose should be someone you feel a connection with, who offers the services you feel will be important to you and your family at this intimate (and potentially vulnerable) period of your life.