A postpartum doula is a professional who is trained to work with a new mother through the period after birth. The postpartum period is sometimes referred to as the fourth trimester.

 

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A postpartum doula provides physical and emotional support after the birth of your baby. A postpartum doula's responsibilities may change each day depending on the family's needs.

Postpartum doulas offer evidence based information on caring for yourself and your baby during this time. Typical postpartum doula support might include:

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• Helping with newborn care such as diaper changes, naps, feedings, and baths

• Providing breastfeeding knowledge and hands on assistance

• Caring for the baby so parents can take a nap, shower, eat a meal, or spend one on one time with older siblings

• Helping your family learn and become comfortable with baby soothing and bonding methods

• Offering the mother assistance after she recovers from a vaginal or cesarean delivery

• Helping with mom's post-birth comfort measures 

• Offering physical support as mom recovers from a cesarean delivery

• Making meals or snacks for the mother and ensuring she stays hydrated

• Taking care of light household tasks like dishes, tidying up, and laundry

• Providing other resources to services that may be helpful during this time

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Every family can benefit from having a postpartum doula. Some families want a postpartum doula's help during the first few days after coming home with the new baby. Others might hire a doula for several days of the week. Often there is so much focus on the labor and birth process that when the new baby comes home families can feel overwhelmed by the needs of a newborn. A doula can help ease the transition for first-time parents and for those families with other children.

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Per WebMD, research shows that parents who get support during the postpartum period benefit in several ways:

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• They feel more cared for and secure in their new roles

• They adapt more easily to shifting family dynamics

• They have more success when it comes to breastfeeding

• There is a lower risk of postpartum depression

• There are fewer incidents of abuse within the family