A doula is a non-medical trained professional who provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support to birthing families.

Its origins can be traced to the Greek word “doulē” which means “female servant.”

It was in 1973 that an American medical anthropologist Dana Raphael wrote her book, “The Tender Gift: Breastfeeding,” and coined the term doula familiar to us today.

A birth doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support during pregnancy, at the birth, and the initial hours after the birth.

A postpartum doula provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support in the 4th trimester. This care can start in the first few days or weeks after baby’s arrival.

The 4th trimester, a term coined by Dr. Harvey Karp refers to the 12 weeks (3 months) after baby’s arrival. This is a time for both baby and parent to adapt to their new life.

At full term a baby’s head has grown to the maximum size that can pass through the birth canal. The brain is about 26-29% developed. This means nearly three-quarters of your baby’s brain development takes place outside the womb. Your baby needs a fourth trimester with womb-like comforts to support their transition to their new environment (Brink, Susan).

• The Fourth Trimester by Susan Brink

A postpartum doula can:

• Positively impact the initiation of breast/chestfeeding

  (Acquaye SN, Spatz DL. An Integrative Review: The Role of the Doula in Breastfeeding Initiation and Duration. J Perinat Educ. 2021 Jan 1;30(1):29-47. doi: 10.1891/J-PE-D-20-00037. Epub 2020 Dec 28. PMID: 33488045; PMCID: PMC7819475.)

• Lower the chance of postpartum depression/postpartum anxiety

  ( Falconi AM, Bromfield SG, Tang T, Malloy D, Blanco D, Disciglio RS, Chi RW. Doula care across the maternity care continuum and impact on maternal health: Evaluation of doula programs across three states using propensity score matching. EClinicalMedicine. 2022 Jul 1;50:101531. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2022.101531. PMID: 35812994; PMCID: PMC9257331.)

• Help parents get more sleep

• Give the birthing parent more time for self-care and energy for bonding with their baby

The partners can have a great impact on the postpartum parent. Both parties are going through this transition into parenthood. A postpartum doula can help the partners gain confidence with “nurturing the nurturer.”

We can work together to stay aware of the signs of a postpartum mood disorder. A postpartum doula can guide the partners on how to best care for themselves, the birthing parent, your baby, and decrease the pressure to get it all right. I am there to take some of the household tasks off your hands, guide, and encourage the partners in the 4th trimester. Postpartum support is for the whole family.