What is postpartum support?
I offer postpartum support to families in the first year by offering education, encouragement and empowerment through practical assistance, emotional support, guidance, companionship, recommendations and referrals. While the needs of each family are different, some examples of postpartum support may include:
- offering education about infant behavior, needs and care
- supporting your emotional and mental well-being in the postpartum year
- offering suggestions for physical healing and recovery after pregnancy and birth
- supporting your infant feeding choices and offering breastfeeding support
- helping you gain confidence in your own parenting style and choices
- encouraging your bond with your baby and your partner
- providing reassurance and perspective to you and your partner
- caring for your baby while you shower, sleep, eat, work, grocery shop, and more
- helping you to feel well rested, nourished, comfortable and confident
- providing evidence-based information and resources on a range of topics, as requested (such as about infant sleep, breastfeeding, babywearing, first foods, etc)
- helping with organizational and planning tasks for your household
- providing sibling care and help easing the transition to a growing family
- helping with meal planning and preparation
- accompanying you on errands and shopping so you do not have to do it alone
My role is to support you in any way you need as you navigate new parenthood by listening to your concerns and helping you to create a plan to reduce stress and increase joy during this time.
Who hires a postpartum doula?
Postpartum doulas support women who are planning for their postpartum period or have already welcomed their baby, who have one baby or multiples, who have their first child or their sixth, who birth at home or a hospital, who return to work or stay home, or who desire additional support for any reason whatsoever.
The Goal of Postpartum Support
There is no one way or right way to parent. Each family is unique. My role is to support you in finding the confidence to trust your own instincts, to encourage you as you develop the parenting style and practices that work best for your family and to help you address your own needs and well-being.
Fees for Postpartum Doula Services
Postpartum support is offered for $25 per hour, with a minimum of 3 hours at a time.
Each family’s needs are unique so please contact me to create a custom package. Together we can determine how best to meet your family’s needs. Schedules are flexible and days and hours can be added as needed. Many people choose one or two mornings per week of postpartum support for the first six or eight weeks after birth, others prefer more concentrated support in a shorter period of time, others choose support throughout the first year.
Samples of postpartum packages include:
- 6 hours of postpartum support (two visits of 3 hours each) $150
- 12 hours of postpartum support (four 3-hour visits or three 4-hour visits) $300
- 24 hours of postpartum support (eight 3-hour visits or six 4-hour visits) $600
- 100 hours of postpartum support (e.g. 25 visits of 4 hours each) $2500
- Overnight postpartum support ($30 per hour, with a minimum of 10 hours)