"The ways in which the woman, baby, partner & siblings make the transition to a new family unit
have a long-term impact on their physical and emotional health. The postpartum doula
fills a large gap in maternity care and is able to facilitate a smooth and rewarding transition".
For pregnant women it's often hard to focus on the fourth trimester before the baby is born. Preoccupied with all the changes in their bodies, anticipating labor & delivery, when we are pregnant we often feel as if postpartum is a territory far off in the distance.
Postpartum Doula
I am a Certified Postpartum doula trained by DONA International and so far I have served around 15 families.
To support your family after the birth with a smooth transition, I am happy to connect with you.
Why is extra support so important?
As a new mom everything is new. You have just ran "that Marathon". You are very likely to feel exhausted.
Your body needs rest! You need to heal, emotionally & physically.
Your hormones (mood) are going from very happy "the pink cloud", to very emotional. They call it "the baby blues". If the delivery of the baby was tough, if it was a preterm birth,, if the baby cries a lot or if the breastfeeding is not going well or what you expected, you would love to have someone around to share your worries and to help you start up and to treat you like a queen what you deserves.
Someone who is not your mother, or mother in law, or friend. Someone who is a professional. Someone who's a calm presence in your home with lots of experience, who makes your life easier and who gives you tons of advice. If it's your first baby you are probably unsure about many things. Someone who gives you trust as well. You can do this!
A postpartum doula could be helpful in many ways. I would like to give you a summary of where she can be helpful:
- Newborn care;
In my postpartum training I learned the basic breastfeeding techniques. So I can help you with the basics. Do you need more support I will refer you to a lactation consultant.
- Maternal care;
- Household management;
So when she leaves your house, you feel much stronger, hopefully is your baby in a better rhythm, you are looking back on a wonderful postpartum week and you are ready to do it on your own!
Actually, she's priceless!
If you are an expat family, you will most likely not have your family around; During that first week I will be your family and I will make sure you can look back on a wonderful week.
During birth and postpartum, I always work with a back-up Doula from my own network.
Baby wearing gives a lot of advantages:
- Promotes secure mother baby attachment
- Baby cries less
- Aids baby's healthy psychical development
- Makes mother more responsive to baby
- Reduces reflux symptoms
- Helps depressed mothers to nurture their babies
- Improves breastfeeding rates
- Soothes baby when distressed
- Encourages wellbeing and relaxation in both mother & baby
- Baby spits-up less
- Lowers risk of otitis media
- Improves baby's digestion
- Eases transition in to world by mimicking womb
- Baby less fussy
- Meets newborn's needs to be close to mother
- Humans are biologically adapted to carry their infants
- Touch & motion physiologically calm baby
- May lessen postpartum depression
- Reduces risk of flat head
- Uses less energy than in-arm carrying
- Synchronizes mother & baby biologically
- Supports physical growth in preterm infants
- May increase mothers' resilience and parental confidence