Postpartum Doulas

Doulas are not only supportive during labour, but also during the prenatal and postpartum periods. The role of a postpartum doula may vary depending on your needs as a new parent. Postpartum doulas may provide:

  • in-home care for your new baby while you and your partner rest
  • support in the home with light chores or running errands
  • informational support to address questions and concerns that new parents have
  • assistance with initiation of breastfeeding and providing direction to other professionals when needed

What are some of the reasons you may want to consider hiring a postpartum doula? Every family has different needs, but those who choose to hire additional support may be experiencing:

  • multiple birth or other young children in the home
  • limited extended family support
  • pregnancy involved bed rest
  • complications in labour which require extended recovery
  • exhaustion or lack of sleep
  • postpartum depression or anxiety
  • first time mothers who may be uncertain and need guidance
  • families with multiple health challenges
  • large families
  • complicated health challenges of the new baby
  • a family who may not fit the situations above but would like additional support

Studies have shown that mothers who hire postpartum doulas experience:

  • decrease in risk of developing postpartum depression
  • an increase in breastfeeding success
  • a smoother transition to motherhood
  • improvement of support from other family members

Postpartum doulas are specifically trained to provide care for the new mother and her family in the days and weeks following the birth.  Some postpartum doulas are also birth doulas, but postpartum doula support is generally considered to be a separate field of practice. Similar to the interview you may conduct with a labour doula, you may wish to ask questions of a postpartum doula. You can prepare your own questions, or feel free to click here to view and print our PDF with space for you to write notes.

After you’ve got your questions ready to go, check out our Doula Directory to see who may be available to provide your family with postpartum support.