what does a postpartum doula do?
You might hear the word doula and think of a birth doula, but a postpartum doula helps parents and family adjust during the fourth trimester and beyond. Here are (some) ways a postpartum doula supports clients.
Educational Support: postpartum doulas inform clients with evidence-based information. This can be about topics, such as newborn care, healthy sleep habits, postpartum healing, and baby wearing.
Feeding Support: doulas help support body and bottle feeding. They can refer clients to lactation consultants or support groups if issues arise.
Emotional Support: the journey of pregnancy, labor, and postpartum can be emotional difficult and, at worst, traumatic. A postpartum doula is there to listen and empathize in a non-judgmental way.
Physical Support: the arrival of a newborn is physically taxing and parents need to rest and heal. A doula promotes healing with tools like a sitz bath or heating pads as well as taking care of other things to allow parents the time to rest.
Household Support: a postpartum doula helps with light cleaning, laundry, and meal prep as well as spending time with an older child, so parents can rest and bond with the baby.
Want to learn more about preparing for and thriving during the fourth trimester? Set up a prenatal meeting!
Hi there! I’m Gigi and am a postpartum doula in Orange County + beyond. I have three kiddos (including twins) and a high-school sweetheart-turned-husband. I’ve always been a teacher but realized I was meant to teach parents and help them through the fourth trimester. I love forcing my friends and family to listen to me talk about zero waste, reading YA novels, and watching terrible reality shows.
Want to chat (especially about the Bachelor or cloth diapers or babies?) Connect with me through e-mail or on Instagram!
