What is a Postpartum Doula?
The word “doula” comes from an ancient Greek word meaning, “a woman who serves.” There are two types of doulas – birth and postpartum. A postpartum doula assists new mothers and families in the postpartum period by coming to the family’s home during the first three months of a baby’s life (the fourth trimester). She provides lactation assistance, sibling integration, and infant care.
The role of a postpartum doula is to help a woman through her postpartum period and assist the family. A doula’s ocus is not solely on the baby, but on fostering independence for the entire family. The doula is not just available to the mother and the baby, but to the father and older children as well. Treating the family as a unit that is connected and always changing enables doulas to do their job.
The goal of a postpartum doula is to support the parents in their new roles, allowing them time and energy to bond with their new baby. As they experience success and their knowledge and self-confidence grows, their needs for professional support should diminish.