Why should I hire a Postpartum Doula?
The age of information has brought with it many wonderful things. The ability to know anything, instantly, no matter how critical or obscure it may be, is right at our fingertips 24 hours a day. For pregnant women and new mothers, this is very helpful in many ways. In the days of old, women had a network of other women around them their whole lives. This tribe of sorts was where we women would draw support, information, and encouragement, both emotionally and physically. Today, we have families with lives of their own who are spread far and wide with very little time or resources to devote to our support.Watch Full Movie Online Streaming Online and Download
So today we have the internet: the new support system for the modern-day mother. New moms can ask Google anything.
“How long should my baby go between soiled diapers?”
“How can I identify a tongue tie?”
“What is thrush?”
“When should I start solids?”
“What nipple cream is best?”
“What brand of organic formula is best for a month-old?”
“When should I call the doctor if I notice _______?”
It’s brilliant. Unfortunately, however, the age of information has also brought with it the age of opinions. Opinions abound. And with them, confusion abounds.
Where the confusion gets dangerous is when we mistake opinions for information. Opinions on top of opposing opinions and pages and pages and pages of various forums of all kinds discuss the issues that have created what we in the parenting world call the “mommy wars.”
Breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding.
Cloth diapers vs. disposables.
Co-sleeping vs. crib sleeping.
Circumcised vs. intact.
Baby-led weaning vs mother-led weaning.
Name it. It’s an issue somewhere in the abyss of information called the internet. There is information, misinformation, and opinions about said topic everywhere. How is a new mom supposed to have any sense of being supported when around every corner, there is another group of her peers readily available to tell her she’s doing things wrong with every aspect of her parenting? And yet another that is telling her she is doing everything right?
Again, confusion abounds.
Enter the Postpartum doula. This is a woman who is trained specially to work with postpartum mothers and their new babies. She knows what is normal during the postpartum period. She has worked with breastfeeding mothers and formula-feeding ones. She has changed cloth diapers and disposables. She supports your decision to co-sleep or to have a crib. She has seen it all and supports it all. She knows that each family situation is unique and her passion is to help you make the adjustment to life with a wee one as smooth as possible.
Your postpartum doula gets to know YOU and YOUR baby and YOUR family. She takes care of you during the postpartum period to make sure that you and the baby are both getting enough self-care. Upon arriving, she will make sure you are well nourished. She will make sure you are well rested. She takes care of the house (and other children if you have them) while you take care of your new baby. A postpartum doula knows how to swaddle a baby, how to get you set up comfortably to nurse, how to settle a fussy baby, and how to properly sanitize the bottles and pacifiers. She takes care of everything else in your life while you and your baby figure out how to do life together.
Most importantly, your postpartum doula can affirm you as a new mother, despite all of the information and opinions that you are bound to come across. And she knows what she’s talking about because she is trained in this work, and she knows you.
Because Heaven knows there are enough opinions on the internet to water down your confidence.
You’ll get a lot of information and opinions from the internet. Personalized, one-on-one physical and emotional support that is tailored to you, your situation, your choices, and your family. Absolutely not.
Individualized support during the childbearing years is what doulas do. The internet cannot give you that. It’s one of the numerous reasons women benefit greatly from a postpartum doula.