Frequently Asked Questions

• I  have no idea how much help I’ll need. What do you recommend as a minimum?

  Being that every newborn and mothers healing process is different, it is very hard to predict how much help you will need and for how long. From my experience I like to recommend a minimum of 6 weeks. If you are planning a Caesarean, then it usually will take 4-6 weeks to fully recover. For a vaginal birth, 6 weeks tends to be the minimum amount of time to get into a routine with breastfeeding and sleep (yours and your newborn). Please be aware that usually from week 5-7 your baby will go through a developmental change and might be fussier, irritable, hungry and unpredictable. I recommend having help during this period as well if possible.

• I am planning on breastfeeding. How does  a doula help me during the night when I have to nurse?

  When your newborn is hungry, I will bring your baby to your nursing station (typically your bed, a cozy chair, or the nursery). I will get you settled for a good feed (pillows adjusted, snacks by your bed, water or tea within arms reach) and I am there to answer any questions you may have. If you are feeling happy and confident, I will leave you and your newborn to nurse peacefully and check back a short time later. Once you have completed your feed, I take great care in burping, changing soiled diapers and swaddling your newborn back to sleep. Meanwhile, you will be peacefully asleep until the next feed. You can expect to feed every 2.5 – 3.5 hours during the night for the first month. After a few weeks, I often suggest turning one of the feeding times into a bottle feed (pumped breast milk or formula), if you feel comfortable with giving a bottle. This will allow you to sleep a longer stretch of time without any interruptions, which will increase your healing process with the added benefit of acclimating the baby to bottles.

• It is important to me that my baby is sleeping through the night by the time I have to return to work in 3 months. Is this possible and can you help me?

  Yes. If this is an important goal of yours, it is easy to attain. It takes a commitment on the parents and the doula to work together as a team. I often suggest that you’ll need to hire a night doula for a minimum of 5-7 nights a week as it will take the entire 3 months to accomplish a newborn sleeping 6-8 hour stretches. Communication is very important during this period and day/night journaling is essential. I don’t believe in “crying it out” and feel that it is unnecessary as long as the parents and doula are paying close attention to the newborn’s natural cues and rhythms.

• We have had a family vacation planned and thought we could manage ourselves, however we are now learning that we may need help. Can you travel with us?

  Absolutely! Before I became a Postpartum Doula and Lactation Educator, I was in the travel industry. I worked for a prestigious adventure travel company as well as organized internships for university students internationally. I can assist with your pre-departure travel plans, activities during and recovery after your trip. Most of all, I am there to care for your newborn and allow you enjoy a well deserved holiday! Traveling is a passion of mine and my passport, full of stamps proves it!