Welcoming a new baby can be a time of joy and excitement, but it is also a time of profound change and challenges. In addition to that massive physical changes and challenges of pregnancy and birth, there is a whirlwind of emotions. Postpartum doulas improve maternal health by offering unique, trained and qualified support.
As mentioned, the postpartum period is a time of profound change. Parents are recovering from pregnancy and birth, while now being responsible for caring for a fully dependent baby. The hormonal fluctuations, lack of sleep, and physical healing can test even the most prepared and experienced parents.
Doulas offer a variety of vital aspects of support.
Postpartum Doulas Improve Maternal Health With Emotional Support
The postpartum period can be emotionally challenging. It’s characterized by fluctuating hormones, sleep deprivation, and the demands of caring for a newborn.
Postpartum doulas provide a nurturing presence, offering compassionate listening, validation, and encouragement to parents as they navigate the ups and downs of early parenthood. They provide this support with the unique lens of understanding normal postpartum adjustment, the baby blues, and signs of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMADs).
By creating a supportive and nonjudgmental environment, doulas help alleviate feelings of isolation and anxiety, promoting emotional well-being. Should there be any red flags or concerns for PMADs, postpartum doulas are equipped to refer families for care. They are also trained to help support families navigating PMADs with the support of their doctor, midwife, or therapist.
Practical Assistance For Maternal Health
Spending nine months growing a human is enough for anyone to need rest. Couple that with actually giving birth, whether vaginally or surgically, and postpartum rest is a must.
Postpartum doulas emphasize rest by assisting with tasks such as:
- Infant care and soothing
- Diapering
- Light household organization
- Sibling support and care
- Meal and nutrition assistance
More than just providing hands on practical help, they have evidence-based knowledge in breastfeeding support and newborn care techniques. They can assist with feeding and newborn care in a way which doesn’t negatively affect parent child bonding or interfere with breastfeeding.
Postpartum Doulas Provide Education and Advocacy Support
Like birth doulas, postpartum doulas remind parents they have a voice. Whether it is speaking up about concerns with a baby’s pediatrician or reminding a relative they do not need advice, doulas help parents navigate these situations.
Doulas also provide evidence-based information about infant feeding, sleep, and early parenting topics. Unlike well-meaning friends and family, a doula sticks to evidence and not just anecdotal information and personal preferences.
By promoting education and self-advocacy, doulas help parents navigate the healthcare system, and family and friends.
Postpartum Doulas Understand Postpartum Physiology
Part of becoming a certified postpartum doula is learning about pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period. Certified doulas understand the immense physiological changes the body goes through in the perinatal period.
This understanding is vital in helping parents understand the importance of postpartum rest. It is important to understand how to help families facilitate healing. When parents jump back into activities too soon after birth, there is an increased risk in things such as postpartum hemorrhage, infection, PMADs, pelvic floor damage, and more.
This understanding of physiology also helps doulas educate families about the above complications which can still impact even those resting. This education means families know when to reach out to their healthcare providers and how to facilitate healing.
Understanding of physiology also means understanding lactation. Postpartum doula support is linked with higher rates of breastfeeding initiation as well as increased duration of breastfeeding. When parents meet their personal breastfeeding goals, this can improve their overall postpartum experience.
Postpartum Doulas Help Families Build Community
In addition to individualized support, postpartum doulas facilitate connections within communities. Many postpartum doulas encourage parents to attend support groups and refer families to a variety of community resources.
It is not uncommon for postpartum doulas to host new parent workshops and get togethers. They may also host client gatherings, picnics, reunions, etc.
By nurturing a sense of community and mutual support, doulas promote resilience and reduce the risk of postpartum isolation.
Postpartum doulas play a vital role in improving maternal health by providing holistic support, advocacy, and education to families. Not a postpartum doula but ready to make a difference? Get started today!
Author: Aliza Juliette Bancoff
Aliza Juliette Bancoff is a well-known doula and doula trainer who has been providing doula services to families for over a decade. She is the founder of Main Line Doulas, a doula group providing doula support in the great Philadelphia area for the last decade, the International Doula Institute, which provides online doula training and lactation training and certification programs and the International Breastfeeding Institute which provides lactation training and certification. She is the co-founder of United Birth, a company devoted to increasing access to doulas across the country to make the perinatal time safer both physically and emotionally. “Every birthing person deserves access to quality doula support. And we are working to make that a reality across the country. The work we are doing to get doulas to every birthing person will decrease the black infant and maternal mortality rate significantly by 2030.” Says Bancoff. Aliza is known for her compassionate and empowering approach to doula work, and she has been featured in numerous media outlets, including United Nations Maternal Health Report, Parent Magazine, CafeMom, theBump and many more. Aliza's journey into doula work began when she gave birth to her first child and felt a strong calling...