The Value of Post Partum Doulas
In a world with so much to offer to help you take care of your baby…..we may all be missing the most important item.
A POSTPARTUM DOULA.
Why do you need a postpartum doula?
Because they are trained to provide you with the most up to date, evidence-based, nonjudgmental care that you need in those first weeks and months after giving birth.
POSTPARTUM DOULA’S ARE FOCUSED ON MOTHER CARE.
Most of us have been showered with love, care, and atention for most of our pregnancy only to be dropped into motherhood without much guidance or support. We spend months focusing on our self-care during pregnancy but fail to ensure that we have that same kind of support post pregnancy. Many of us go from working full-time while pregnant to being home all day, alone, with an infant that we’re not sure how to care for. We do all of this while dealing with huge hormonal changes, emotional changes such as anxiety over the baby’s
care, lack of sleep, physical pain, breastfeeding questions and often isolation.
This is where the value of having a postpartum doula in your corner has huge rewards. A postpartum doula is trained to focus care on the mother and infant. They provide emotional support, physical support in the form of helping to care for your infant so you can focus on healing your body. A doula provides much needed education on topics such as: lactation, pumping, nutritional and sleep requirements for mom, all aspects of infant care, safe sleeping guidelines, proper handling requirements for breast milk and formula, sleep shaping for baby, signs to watch for that may indicate postpartum mood disorders, medical concerns as they relate to both mom and baby and most importantly HOLDING SPACE FOR YOU TO TALK ABOUT ALL THE CHANGES you are experiencing.
Did you know that there are many other professionals who can also help you navigate this time of huge changes? A chiropractor! Chiropractors are experienced in creating an optimal functioning state for you and your baby’s body. Due to all the changes that your body goes through during pregnancy, birth and recovery, chiropractic care is essential for helping your body return to the point of homeostasis. Your baby also experiences so many changes and potential traumas during birth, which can affect their ability to latch well, they may experience torticollis, sleeping difficulties, digestive issues, and/or colic.
Other professionals that a postpartum doula works closely with are lactation consultants, sleep consultants, oral restriction specialists, massage therapists, pelvic floor specialists, mental health counselors, nutritionists, acupuncturists, infant feeding specialists, pediatricians, OB’s, and birth doulas.
As you can see, it really does TAKE A VILLAGE!!
We, as a society, used to live in more tightly formed family units where family and friends helped us to succeed in the postpartum months. Now, many of us live in areas without a lot of support and must rely on trained professionals to help us navigate these huge challenges of new parenthood.
Whether you have experienced postpartum depression or anxiety with a previous child and know you will need extra support, feel unsure about infant care, or know that you will struggle with sleep deprivation, a postpartum doula can help. We provide both daytime and overnight care so that each client can get the help they need when they need it most. No question is too silly or too big for a doula! We are trained in so many ways to meet parents where they are at. Your questions and needs will change as your baby grows and as new challenges present themselves and a postpartum doula can provide you with all the answers.
Your needs as a new parent are endless and so very important. Some days you may need help figuring out how to get your baby to latch, how to set up your breast pump, how to swaddle your baby, how to set up your botle washing and diapering stations, other days you may need a nap or time to take a shower!!! There will be days where you just need time to verbalize and process a difficult birth experience or talk about all the changes to your body. You may need a shoulder to cry on, someone who will support you unconditionally, someone to send you to bed with a cup of tea and hug. Other days, you may need physical support as you figure out how to leave the house for the first time to go to Target or the grocery store.
THE BEST ITEM ON A BABY REGISTRY
With so many choices and multiple brands to choose from, you may be feeling overwhelmed about what to put on your baby registry. There is a huge movement in the United States right now to make adding a postpartum doula to your gift registry a standard item. Our consumerism society bombards us with all the things we “need” to have in our homes to care for a baby. The truth ? You only NEED a few things. A safe place for baby to sleep (crib, bassinet or pack & play), diapers, a couple of swaddles or receiving blankets, a couple of botles, a weeks worth of onesies and a car seat. Some extras that may make your life easier such as wipes, a pacifier, a sound machine and blackout curtains can be helpful. Perhaps the most helpful item is the contract with a postpartum doula. We are there for you to support you in your new role and to help you transition as easliy as possible. Just having a non judgemental person to bounce ideas off of can alleviate so many fears.
There is no need to go it alone or try and power through on your own. A postpartum doula can be a valuable person to support you and help you successfully transition from being pregnant to being a parent. If you’d like more information on what a postpartum doula does and how to find one near you, please reach out to Ann Maynard Payne of Tampa Bay Postpartum Doula Svs at annmaynardx@gmail.com or through her website: tampabaypostpartumdoula.com
