Get the support you deserve

Human babies are born completely helpless. All primates are born requiring a period of close attachment to their parents, and our big heads and long lives mean that this period is especially pronounced in us! Evolutionarily, our species adapted to this by spreading the care across wide social networks. New parents historically had a period of rest (usually between 30 and 40 days) to recover from birth and bond with their baby, with all the daily chores of life done for them by a loving network of helpers. But now we live in nuclear families, in isolated homes, and suddenly two people (or even one person alone!) are expected to do the work of that entire village. No wonder new parents are so exhausted!

The benefits of a doula don't stop at birth. Parents supported by a postpartum doula have been shown in studies to have improved parent-infant interactions in the "golden hours" after birth, increased maternal responsiveness, improved maternal wellbeing and mental health, increased confidence, self esteem, and engagement in parenting, higher infant care competence and safety, and higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding at 4 and 6 weeks postpartum! (You can check out all those studies here).

A postnatal doula makes all this possible by recreating some of that historical support we've lost in our modern society.

This can be as part of a birth package of support, but I can work with you in the postpartum even if I haven't been your doula before!

If I have also been your labour and birth doula, my postnatal work begins before your baby arrives. As part of your birth preparation we will discuss the postpartum in detail and make a plan that works for you and your family and ensures you get the rest and enjoyment you deserve. We can discuss infant feeding and if breastfeeding is your goal we can create a lactation plan to support that. I'll encourage you to really imagine and explore what life with a newborn might be like so that you come into your postpartum experience mentally and emotionally prepared and with real, practical strategies in place to handle the challenges that will inevitable arise.

In the weeks after your baby's arrival, I can provide postpartum care in a variety of ways. I can help out with some of the daily tasks in your life- doing the dishes, cooking you a nourishing and delicious meal, or holding your baby while you take a nap - so that you can rest, recover, and focus on bonding. You have all been through a tremendous experience and you deserve to put your feet up for a bit! I can also help you find ways to ask for true support from your family and community. Flowers are beautiful, but a cake or a soup is more nourishing!

During this time, we will also debrief your birth experience over a cup of tea. Many parents find that birth was a more emotionally intense experience (whether joyous or challenging) than they expected, and feel a deep need to talk about and process it. Whether I was present for your birth or not, we can fully explore your memories, thoughts, and feelings about your experience. If I was present, sometimes I can help to fill in gaps or answer questions you might have - you'd be surprised what a blur things can become with all those hormones! If you've come out of your experience with any trauma, I can use the Three Step Rewind technique to help you lovingly release it. And if you had the labour of your dreams, nothing will make me happier than smiling along with you as you relive it! I always do this once with clients, but many people find that their thoughts and feelings about their birth change over time, so the option is there to revisit and debrief again weeks, months, or even years later.

As a postnatal doula I obviously won't be with you forever. A helping hand in the early days is crucial, but my end goal is for you to step into your new role as a confident, empowered parent. So we'll find practical and emotional strategies that work for you in coping with the daily challenges of life with a small baby. This might look like learning how to baby wear for hands free snuggles, talking through the ins and outs of baby sleep and safe cosleeping, or setting up snack stations around the house for breastfeeding when you're going solo. It might even just look like me pointing out and really verbalising all the amazing things you're already doing instinctively!

Whatever your unique situation, my goal is for you to leave the fourth trimester happy and confident in the knowledge that you are capable and exactly the parent your baby needs!