The word “doula” comes from ancient Greek and means “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, meal preparation, light household cleaning, and general education on infant care. The role of a postpartum doula is to help a woman through her postpartum period and to assist the family. A doula’s focus is not solely on the baby, but on fostering independence for the entire family. The goal of a postpartum doula is to support the parents in their new roles, and allow them time and energy for bonding with their new baby.

SERVICES

• Support visits in your home
• Assistance with breastfeeding and/or pumping
• Light housework – laundry, cooking/meal prep, sterilizing bottles, etc
• Sibling care
• Education on caring for baby – bathing, swaddling, calming, etc
• Problem solving – helping a gassy baby, soothing sore breasts, etc
• A listening ear for moms who need encouragement

FEES

Services are generally purchased as a la carte hours or in packages of 10-30 hours of support. Fees are negotiated directly between the client and her doula.