Postpartum Doula Serving Charlotte NC and surrounding areas
Why Even Get A Postpartum Doula ?
Early in my doula career, a fellow doula asked me to support one of her postpartum doula clients a few days/shifts for her. This mother’s partner was a truck driver with lots of road hours, she had another teenage child in the home and she had delivered via cesarean. The postpartum doula training covered in my first doula training made me confident that I could cover these shifts for a few days to help them out. I called the new mom ahead of my arrival to discuss what type of support she was looking for. Since this was her second baby and she had the help of a teenager, her only real focus was support through breastfeeding because she’d a hard time with nursing the first time and wanted the support.
It seemed that this mother wouldn’t need much help so I wondered how my time with her could be most useful. I could tell that she was so used to “taking care of things” herself and that it was a little difficult for her to be taken care of initially. To my surprise and excitement, I was able to support this family in more ways than anticipated and by the time my shifts were done, there was no doubt about it… postpartum doula support had improved her postpartum recovery experience. The part that tickled me the most was that this baby nursed like a professional and the areas that helped this mom recover most were ones neither of us would have guessed. It was beautiful to watch her blossom into a new version of herself.
There’s wisdom in tradition
For centuries, throughout many different countries and cultures, the postpartum period is honored through practiced traditions. In 51 studies done in over 20 different countries, one common factor in postpartum practices emerged. They all offered organized support for the mother. These included things like set times for mom to rest, specific foods to help mom heal, hygiene practices, breastfeeding, and other infant related care. These practices allow the mother to journey through the fourth trimester, the few months following the birth, well supported. In many places with this type of postpartum support, problems with postpartum mental and physical health are much less prevalent.
Viumbe’s postpartum doulas focus on the support and healing of the mom and help her through her transition into motherhood (or multi-motherhood 😀 ). Our doulas are there to provide care, support, knowledge, and to create the space for healing to happen. Whether you need tips on how to bathe, clothe, or diaper your newborn, need time to yourself to take a shower or a nap, or anything in between your doula is there to assist! Postpartum doulas offer support through education, compassion, a listening ear, physical assistance, household support, and healing traditions. They are there to address the physical, emotional, and educational needs of the whole family and are a priceless resource for your family.
If you’d like to discuss getting the customized postpartum support you, need contact us here for more details.