Articles
Useful articles highlighting the benefits of Postpartum Doula care for families
“Why Hire a Postpartum Doula?”
By Emily Flynn for Natural Child Magazine
A brief but excellent summary:
“A doula is also there to help the family care for baby in the way that best meets their individual needs, without injecting personal bias or potentially negative advice. In the instance of things like babywearing, co-sleeping, pacifiers, sleep training, and other topics that often trigger strong opinions, a doula helps guide the parents in making informed decisions and eventually following through with them without judgment. Finding a postpartum doula who is comfortable with the decisions you are making is therefore essential, so make sure to be up-front in your interviews…”
“5 Reasons to hire a birth doula”
SheKnows.com
This article covers these 5 aspects of doula support:
- Continuous emotional and physical support
- Greater birth satisfaction
- Medical benefits
- Informed decisions
- Postpartum support
“The marathon may be over, but the real race has just begun. After the birth of your baby, there are many new challenges during the first few days and weeks as you enter the incredible world of motherhood. Doulas provide a wide spectrum of support for postpartum mothers including breastfeeding assistance, help around the home, cooking healthy meals and assisting moms who are experiencing postpartum depression…”
“Postpartum Doula vs. Newborn Care Specialist (aka Baby Nurse)…whats the difference?”
by Kathrin Auger on mothersmilkyway.com
Here’s a helpful article describing the difference between a Postpartum Doula and a Newborn Care Specialist or “Baby Nurse”.
“The Postpartum Doula typically works with new families for up to the first 12 weeks, also referred to as The Fourth Trimester. Unless there are severe breastfeeding issues, postpartum mood disorders, multiple newborns, or a baby with special needs, a Postpartum Doula typically works only within The Fourth Trimester. Beyond that time period, the Postpartum Doula has likely shifted into more of a Newborn Care Specialist or Newborn Nanny role where she is taking over care of the newborn and siblings rather than “working herself out of a job” by fostering maximum self-determination on the part of the parents…
The responsibilities of a “Baby Nurse”, or Newborn Care Specialist, encompass only the needs of the baby. Her responsibilities are partially similar to that of the Postpartum Doula in that she provides newborn care instruction however, most are not willing to do light housekeeping or light cooking, even if this is what the family needs. The Newborn Care Specialist‘s role is focused on the care of the baby…”