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A postpartum doula is a support person for the new mother, father and their family after the birth of a baby. A postpartum doula “mothers the mother”, providing support, education, and offering comfort.

The role of the postpartum doula is fluid. An important part of her role is to come alongside the parents and together decide what type of support they will need. Some families need educational support: breastfeeding, infant support, and how to care for the new mother. Others rely more on the nonjudgmental emotional support that the doula has to offer. Still others have more practical needs - like feeding the family and running errands. Most families find that their doula provides all of these things, according to the needs that develop.

During the daytime hours BBS doulas:

• Provide hands-on education on infant and mother care

• Come alongside the parents and help them to get to know the abilities and talents of their new baby

• Create a nurturing, restful atmosphere in which parents may eat, shower and nap

• Shop for groceries and prepare meals

• Play with older children and offer suggestions for how to integrate the new baby into the family

• Spend time with the baby, allowing parents to have quality time with older children, or to just be alone together

• Introduce parenting tips, helping parents to learn skills that will enable them to cope with their new responsibilities

• Screen for hurdles such as breastfeeding challenges or postpartum mood disorders

• Make referrals to any local or informational resources that the parents might need

• Work herself out of a job by helping parents to gather the skills and resources that they will need in the upcoming weeks and months

• Help to organize the nursery and home

• Take care of the baby’s laundry

• Offer a listening, non-judgmental ear

During the overnight hours your doula can:

• Teach parenting tips and strategies that will eventually make her services unnecessary

• Assess and help with breastfeeding

• Diaper and burp baby, so that mom does not need to move around – she can just stay cozy in her bed to feed and snuggle baby

• Bring snacks and beverages to the mother while feeding her baby at night

• Prepare pump supplies or bottles for the next feeding or the next day

• Take the contentedly fed baby to another room and help the baby to go back to sleep, so parents can sleep soundly between feedings.

Review of the medical research shows that “the quality services of a postpartum doula can ease the transition that comes with the addition of a baby to a family, improve parental satisfaction, and reduce the risk of mood disorders” (DONA, 2005).

Postpartum Doula Registration Form