what is a postnatal doula?

The word ‘doula’ comes from the Greek word for ‘female slave’ but has evolved into something more like a ‘knowledgeable supporter during a time of transition’. Doulas are most often spoken about in relation to birth and the postnatal period but they can also play a role at other points in a person’s life.

when can a postnatal doula help?

A postnatal doula is someone who is there in the days and weeks after birth, supporting new mums and families in their home in many different ways. We can also help antenatally to prepare for life once baby arrives. The work is often described as ‘mothering the mother’ - once pregnancy is over there are plenty of people looking out for baby but not so many looking out for new mums and this is where a postnatal doula comes in. Our role is about supporting and walking alongside new mums and new parents, helping them to develop their intuition and confidence to make the best decisions for their family - we may be able to help with providing information or evidence on a particular topic but it is not about the doula having the answers.

how can a postnatal doula help?

During my postnatal doula preparation course we talked about supporting new mums and families in four different ways - physically, practically, emotionally and informationally:

• Being someone who will listen and hear, give mum a chance to download without judgement or jumping in with suggestions. Helping them to feel supported - acknowledging how relentless the early days with a baby can be, offering reassurance, some cheerleading for what an amazing job mum is doing.

• Providing an extra pair of hands around the house, maybe holding baby while mum has a shower or a sleep, preparing some snacks or a meal, fetching supplies when mum settles down to feed, entertaining older children.

• Being able to share information, maybe about different feeding positions or local breastfeeding support services, or the latest evidence around baby sleep. Our role isn’t to tell parents what to do but often we can help think through the different options and signpost to where to find more information, encouraging new parents as they walk through the early days with baby.