What is the Role of the Postpartum Doula?
Clients and their partners usually meet with a postpartum doula prenatally. Your Birth Presence doula will conduct an intake session with you and your partner to discuss your preferences regarding an array of different topics, such as infant feeding, sleeping arrangements, bonding and adjusting to new roles.
Following birth, she will work with you and your family in your home. Common examples of support may include assistance with baby care, basic breastfeeding support, help with household organization, assistance with older siblings, and providing evidence-based information on a variety of different topics. If you require support from other service providers, your doula can refer you to qualified professionals within the community.
Depending on your family's needs, your doula can work with you for up to 3 months postpartum. From the time her visits to your home end until 6 months after birth, support will continue to be available via phone and email.
Following birth, she will work with you and your family in your home. Common examples of support may include assistance with baby care, basic breastfeeding support, help with household organization, assistance with older siblings, and providing evidence-based information on a variety of different topics. If you require support from other service providers, your doula can refer you to qualified professionals within the community.
Depending on your family's needs, your doula can work with you for up to 3 months postpartum. From the time her visits to your home end until 6 months after birth, support will continue to be available via phone and email.
How does Overnight Support work?
If you are breastfeeding, your doula will bring baby to you for feedings. She will attend to baby's other needs between feedings, such as soothing and diaper changes, so that you may sleep. If you are bottle-feeding baby, your doula can take care of feedings.
Overnight support, arranged through Birth Presence, is usually provided to clients with unique or special circumstances. When these circumstances begin to change, support will gradually decrease. Birth Presence will often use a tapering system when working toward the elimination of night support.
Overnight support, arranged through Birth Presence, is usually provided to clients with unique or special circumstances. When these circumstances begin to change, support will gradually decrease. Birth Presence will often use a tapering system when working toward the elimination of night support.
Can I Hire a Doula if I am Adopting a Newborn?
Yes! A doula can provide postpartum support to families adopting a newborn. She will meet with the client and her partner before the baby is born and can provide prenatal and postnatal support that reflects the couple's decision to adopt.
What is Meant by the Postpartum Doula's Scope of Practice?
The doula's scope of practice refers to all of the different types of support services that she is able to provide to clients. The information above outlines various services that are appropriate for a postpartum doula to offer her clients. There are, however, forms of care or assistance that fall outside the doula's training, experience, or purpose. Any task that has clinical implications, or does not support her role, lies outside the postpartum doula's scope of practice and must be attended to by other professionals. Some examples of tasks that the postpartum doula does not perform are below.
The postpartum doula does not...
The postpartum doula does not...
- administer any prescription or over-the-counter medications, including acetaminophen (Tylenol)
- administer supplements, such as vitamins to children or adults
- diagnose or treat medical conditions
- care for or remove caesarean sutures/staples
- exclusively sit with (babysit) older children or infant(s)
- provide extensive or heavy household cleaning
