What is a Postpartum Doula and What Does She Do?

There are two kinds of doulas: Labor Doulas and Postpartum Doulas.
Now I would like to briefly discuss Postpartum Doulas, which serve a vital role.
Postpartum doulas go into the home and help for the first few weeks with breast feeding, newborn care and instruction, mother care, offer resources and give general family and household support.

Benefits

The following are some of the advantages gained by the use of postpartum doulas:

• Increased chance of successful breastfeeding
• Reduced chance of infant dehydration and hospitalization with health complications due to informed care
• Less chance of maternal postpartum depression and shorter duration and easier for mother to cope with it if it occurs
• Less maternal exhaustion, frustration, and apprehension during early weeks.
• Reduction in unnecessary calls to pediatricians
• Dad back to work sooner with less anxiety
• Greater understanding of newborn emotional and physical needs and behavior
• More independent control of baby's care in the face of overbearing relatives and advice givers due to education and early positive experience.
• Earlier bonding due to more confidence
• Paying for a doula gives relatives a way to give constructive help

What Does a Postpartum Doula Do?

Probably first and foremost, they help with breastfeeding. They also nurture the mother so she can better nurture the baby.

In addition they perform other tasks such as cooking, cleaning, giving baby care tips, demonstrating baby baths, swaddling techniques, advice on sleeping issues for mom and baby, go with mom on first car trip to the store alone with baby, special help with postpartum depressed moms, practical help with multiple births, errands, helps mom get through the circumcision ("briss" at home for Jewish boys) setting up the nursery and much more, depending on individual situations.

COMMENT:
Breastfeeding is the single most important thing that a mother can do for the benefit of her child, so anything that can improve the chances of successful breastfeeding should be tried, if at all possible. This would be especially important for the first child, and even more so if there are no experienced friends and relatives around to help out.