Do I Need a Postpartum Doula?
Do I need a postpartum doula? While the benefits of a birth doula may seem more obvious, a lot of parents wonder what a postpartum doula does and if hiring one will help, especially when new parents are so enthusiastic about caring for their precious new baby themselves. All families can benefit from the support of a postpartum doula, and there are certain circumstances that you may not be aware of when one will be an absolute game-changer in the early days after giving birth.
Do I need a postpartum doula? It will help if...
Your partner is returning to work
If you live with a partner you will notice the difference that an extra set of hands makes. And you will notice the difference it makes when they return to work! Caring for an infant is a handful, and coordinating that on top of almost anything else can quickly begin to feel impossible, especially when you are getting the hang of things.
A postpartum doula can make your tea, take your baby on a walk while you rest or make an uninterrupted phone call to your sister for moral support, fold the growing pile of laundry, and perhaps most important of all, hold the baby while you go to the bathroom alone.
This extra help goes a long way in allowing you to enjoy your postpartum experience and end the day feeling less frazzled.
You are a first-time parent
There is a LOT to learn about having a new baby in the family, from the basic details of feeding and tuning into what best soothes your baby to managing your self-care. It is a lot to take on, and you don’t have to do it alone.
Postpartum doulas are infant experts. They will help you to keep your sanity while you learn the ropes of parenting, but can also step in and show you different ways of doing things. A huge part of their work is helping parents to become more comfortable and confident in their new roles and they do this through very hands-on support.
You find that breastfeeding poses difficulty
If you are finding breastfeeding challenging you may find that having a postpartum doula can turn things around. A lot of postpartum doulas specialize in lactation support and some are even certified lactation consultants. If this type of support is of interest to you, ask for referrals from parents in your area and you are bound to get some great options.
You had a C-section
Recovering from an abdominal birth presents mobility issues that a doula can help to ease. Extra rest, in bed, will be crucial for up to six weeks, with certain movements impossible or unadvisable. A postpartum doula can help with handing you the baby so you can stay lying down, picking them up from their nap, rocking them so you can get extra sleep in the early days, and even putting the groceries away so you don’t have to do much reaching or bending over.
There are pets or other little ones at home
A new baby is exciting for the entire family! That doesn’t mean, however, that the entire family is easy to care for when they arrive. Many families welcoming a second child have another child who needs care, attention, entertainment, love, time with their parents, and maybe even activities to get to. A postpartum doula can help both with attending to your infant while you focus on your other children and also spending time with the other children for you.
And getting those dog walks in? Some doulas may have experience caring for pets and will be able to jump in and make sure your fur babies get love as well.
You don’t live near your family
A lot of advice for new moms will say to ask family and friends to step in and offer help around the house while recovering from giving birth. How many blog posts or Instagram posts have you seen that say to let a family member fold laundry when they come to visit or hold your baby while you take a shower?? It’s a great concept, but not at all realistic for some of us. If you are new in your area or live away from your family it is easy to feel the void of not having a community to surround you after having a baby. The support of a postpartum doula will go a long way in making up for this absence.
Getting caught up on sleep may help
It is basic but true; sleep deprivation is REAL in the first year after having a baby. And while it is natural and common, it can quickly lead to other health and emotional issues. Sometimes, a nice long nap or a full night of sleep goes a LONG way for overall well-being. If you find yourself asking “do I need a postpartum doula?” you might just want to think about how your lack of sleep is affecting you and let that make the decision for you!