Why You Should Hire a Postpartum Doula
This might not be the wisest advice I've ever offered given that I make my living as a birth doula, but if you're wondering what the BEST investment I ever made on my own parenting journey was...
Postpartum doula. Full stop. No question. Worth her weight in gold. Thanks, Melody! I only wish I had known this was an option before my final baby!
Postpartum doulas provide all kinds of support for families with newborns! Wondering what to expect? Off the top of my head...
Emotional Support: They know what you’re going through, and are there to remind you that you are strong, capable, healing, and growing. They know what to look out for when it comes to postpartum mood disorders (in either parent!) and can help connect you with resources if things are hard.
Expert Guidance: From breastfeeding to newborn care, they have tips and tricks to flatten the learning curve. No one swaddles like a postpartum doula, and they're there to teach you how to work with your own baby's unique temperament and needs.
Household Help: They can care for your newborn to buy you some extra sleep, prepare healthy meals to support your recovery, and sometimes even help with light household chores (can you say BABY LAUNDRY?). They don't need instructions on how to wash your bottles and pump parts...they already know!
Family Adjustment: They make sure your partner and other children are adjusting well to the new addition.
SLEEP: Oooooooo this is a big one. Many postpartum doulas will do overnight shifts, which means they will do everything but bodyfeeding (so all of the changing, burping, soothing back to sleep) so that you can sleep hard between feedings, and your partner can get a full night of sleep and bounce back rested the next night to do their share.
Self Care: They remind you to rest and recover, because you matter too.
Postpartum doula support was the single best investment I ever made in myself, my recovery, my sanity, and my marriage You deserve support too.
Have I convinced you? Great! Just a few wonderful Central Ohio postpartum doulas listed below…