What is a Postpartum Doula?
The role of a Postpartum Doula is to “Mother the New Mother”. A Postpartum Doula nurtures the mum and her family during the healing and bonding period. Childbirth is an emotional and sometimes exhausting time. A Postpartum Doula can be a wonderful friend and helper for the new mum and her family. Empowering the new family to feel strong and confident in their parenting abilities is important to a Postpartum Doula.
Services are usually customized to meet the needs of the family, but may include the following:
~Helping the new mum to feel strong and confident in learning to feed and care for her new baby
~Breastfeeding support
~Light housework such as baby’s laundry, light housekeeping and light meal prep
Please contact us for prices and booking.
Postpartum Depression and Anxiety
Most women expect that they will adjust to the arrival of their new baby fairly easily. However, for about 10-28% of mothers, the birth or adoption of a baby may mark a change in their lives which is quite distressing. They may feel a range of emotions from numbness and sadness to irritability, confusion and anxiety. These feelings may be an indication of postpartum depression (PPD).
PPD is often characterized by despondency, emotional instability, tearfulness, feelings of inadequacy and the inability to cope. It may occur shortly after the arrival of a new baby or many months later. For some women, symptoms may begin in pregnancy
PPD is not to be mistaken with the transient “blues” experienced by many women following childbirth. The “blues” usually only last about 3 to 7 days, and go away without treatment. PPD, on the other hand, is more than a depressed mood and it continues for an extended period of time. ~ Pacific Postpartum Society.
If this is happening to you, it is important for you to know that you are not going crazy and that you are not a failure as a mother. A lot of women have felt as you do. For many reasons, women do not generally feel comfortable telling other women about their post partum depression and because of this silence, if it happens to us we feel very alone.
We will talk to you over the phone in confidence. We will give you information about postpartum depression and anxiety and we can offer you a program in Salmon Arm (Mothers For Mothers), which many women have found helpful to them. All free of charge.
The point at which a woman realizes that “things are not quite right”, what motivates her to seek help, and the steps she takes in the process of recovery, all vary from woman to woman. Just know that you are not alone and that we can help.
Support is unconditional. It is listening…
Not judging, not telling your own story.
Support is not offering advice…
It is offering a handkerchief, a touch, a hug…caring.
We are here to help women discover what they are feeling…
Not to make their feelings go away.
We are here to discuss steps with a woman…
Not to take the steps for her.
We are here to help a woman discover her own strength…
Not to rescue her and leave her still vulnerable.
We are here to help a woman discover she can help herself…
Not to take the responsibility for her.
We are here to help a woman learn to choose…
Not to make it unnecessary for her to make difficult choices.
