World Doula Week is coming up March 22-28th. Kicking off on World Doula Day, the goal of World Doula Week is to showcase the impact that postpartum doulas have on the physiological, social, emotional, and psychological health of women, newborns, and families in the postpartum period.
Postpartum doulas are non-medical professionals who provide new families with non-judgmental, hands-on support as well as evidence-based information on newborn care, feeding, and a mother’s physical recovery.
Benefits of the presence of doulas in the postpartum period:
Increases breastfeeding initiation and continuation
Can reduce the incidence of postpartum mood disorders
Increases new parents’ confidence in the care of their newborn
Aleca Murphy provides birth/postpartum doula support to families in the Greater Seattle area and is now taking inquiries for November 2022. You can learn more here. www.iamancs.com
Postpartum doulas are the “women of the village helping the women of the village”. This is not a new idea.
Throughout history, women have supported new mothers. In today’s society of scattered friends and families, postpartum doulas fill this vital role of support for the people birthing the next generation.
And families in Seattle, Washington have benefited from working with Aleca Murphy since 2010
“Aleca provided overnight support for our family after we welcomed our 3rd baby into the world. She was an absolute life-saver for us. As a certified newborn care specialist, Aleca was confident and capable of providing everything our daughter needed throughout the night so that we can could get much-needed sleep. Our daughter struggles with reflux and is a real challenge to feed, but Aleca knew exactly how to
handle it and required no instruction from us. She arrived early every night and left the house (and family!) in better condition every morning.” -Katie H, Kirkland, WA
Having a baby is one of life’s biggest transitions and greatest joys. However, many parents find themselves feeling extremely isolated and overwhelmed during the postpartum period after the initial excitement, adrenaline and stream of visitors has subsided.
Hiring a postpartum doula can help reverse those feelings and provide the support that new families need to instead have a maternity leave that is filled with feelings of contentment and empowerment.
In honor of World Doula Week, here are the top 5 benefits of hiring a postpartum doula:
More enjoyable maternity leave – Postpartum doulas help ease the transition for new parents. Having a baby is a major life change. Postpartum doulas are there to calmly support you through the shift and help you focus on enjoying it, rather than muddling through it alone.
Non-judgmental support - a postpartum doula does not come in with a specific parenting style or push a specific way of doing things. A postpartum doula is there to help you come up with your own parenting style. She’ll help you figure out what feels right for your family. Postpartum doulas are also expert listeners who have no baggage of family history with you.
Expert advice –That being said, your postpartum doula can share what works for other families, and other ideas and tips based on her training and experience, IF YOU ASK. It’s so wonderful to have all your questions answered as you go through your day in your own home instead of relying on Google.
An extra set of hands – Your postpartum doula will take care of baby so you can nap or shower. Postpartum doulas will also tackle the dishes, laundry, and light meal preparation so that you can focus on resting, healing, and snuggling your new baby.
Decreased risk of postpartum depression & anxiety – research has shown that new mothers who feel supported tend to report fewer problems with postpartum mental health.