What is a "doula"?

An article from Our Town - The West Cobb Area's Family Lifestyle News Magazine

The word "Doula" is taken from a Greek term, (pronounced DOOOLA) and has come to refer to a woman who helps new mothers in ways that family and friends did years ago.

Many women today are waiting until their careers are in place before having children. Let's face it, babies don't come with instructions; a woman in the workplace handles crises all day long, but when she comes home from the hospital for the first time with that tiny little bundle of joy, PANIC can strike quickly! New families aren't always fortunate enough to have "grandma" near by to lend a helping hand. That's where your doula comes in to save the day. There are two kinds of doulas: childbirth and postpartum. Childbirth doulas specialize in supporting expectant moms through labor and delivery, at their side constantly. A postpartum doula can come into your home after arriving from the hospital and help a new mom with breastfeeding. She can correct the positioning of the baby, and answer questions about newborn care. She can demonstrate to new parents how to properly swaddle their newborn, run errands, look for early jaundice on the baby, make a referral to the pediatrician, prepare a meal for the family and perform basic chores, thus enabling mom to get the much needed rest so she may truly recover from just giving birth. It can realy help cut down on her chances of postpartum depression. Your doula is there to "mother the mother."

Hiring a doula could be the answer for many new mothers. She can put your mind at ease and help you through that huge adjustment period. When dad returns to work, or grandma needs to fly back home, you will feel comfortable being left alone to care for your newborn.

Valerie Ybarra offers postpartum doula & baby nurse services. Connie Correia Fisher and Joanne Coneia have published her advice in "Mothers Know Best". She is CPR certified, a CNA (certified nurse assistant) and PCT (patient care tech). She is also a member of CAPPA (childbirth and postpartum professional association). For further information, you can reach her at 678.431.1373.

An article by Rona Gindin, a contributing editor to Baby Magazine - complete article found in Baby Magazine

Jan Ford, an accomplished lawyer at an investment bank in New York City, felt confident she was ready for motherhood. "I figured, I'm a professional. I can handle crises all day; what was there to worry about?

She soon learned. Her "panic attack" actually began toward the end of her two-day hospital stay when she realized she'd be discharged in less than two hours without any real knowledge of the most basic baby care. "I simply felt overwhelmed by the enormity of it all," she admits. "I couldn't believe I'd be leaving the hospital with this little tiny person who I was supposed to take care of." To add to it all: Jan didn't feel 100% and her husband felt as out of control as she did. "He'd never even changed a diaper before," she says, "and really didn't know how." Recognizing they needed help, Jan called Christine Kealy, the woman who'd taught her childbirth preparation class and director and founder of the New York doula agency In A Family Way. Within hours, Christine was at the Fords' home and had made Jan feel completely comfortable. She had Jan tucked into bed with food and water at her side, helped her overcome breastfeeding difficulties, taught her tricks for minimizing hemorrhoid discomfort, threw in a load of laundry, rocked the baby to sleep, and had a rosemary-scented chicken roasting in the oven. Not only that, in the four hours a day she was at their home during the next couple of weeks, she taught Jan and her husband how to change diapers and bathe the baby, showed up with breakfast in the morning, cooked meals and even froze some for later use and overall just acted as a mentor." I had felt that taking care of the baby would be impossible, and Christine offered a steady hand," Jan recalls. "She was a positive presence in a sea of confusion."

When you meet for the first time, pay attention to your own perceptions. Is she kind, warm and enthusiastic? Could you see yourself spending several hours a day with her? Is she knowledgeable? Does she communicate well? Do you feel comfortable with her?

What is a Doula?
Hiring a doula (pronounced "dooola") is increasing in popularity as women like Jan realize that having a baby is not always as easy as it looks, and that the mother needs to be nurtured. "Eighty-five percent of my clients are between the ages of 35 and 45, and they don't have mothers available to help them adjust," Kealy explains. "Mothers are discharged from hospitals so early now that they can become extremely exhausted," adds Dorothy Harrison, who runs the postpartum doula agency Mother Care of America in the Seattle, Washington area. "A doula can help you know if the baby has jaundice and when you need to call the doctor. They also help deter fatigue, which can help prevent depression."

A nurse is generally hired to take care of the infant's needs. Period. Many will not cook, clean or shop. A doula, by contrast, is there to do whatever the mother needs her to do, whether that means taking care of another child, doing the laundry, running errands, or teaching the new mom how to master baby caretaking tasks. "Christine would tell me that I needed more socks for the baby, then she'd go out and get the socks," Jan Ford recalls. "She took care of me entirely."

If you need a referral for a Labor Doula, please contact Valerie at 678-431-1373.

A baby nurse puts their complete attention and focus on your newborn. She comes to you as an educator, supporter, and helper. Some baby-maternity nurses are on duty 24 hours 5-6 days per week, while others work locally 5-10 hours per day or evening depending on your needs and her availability. Some families choose to hire a baby nurse for day help and one for the night shift. Each family's needs are different. It is often assumed that baby nurses are registered nurses. Generally speaking, they are not.

Most baby nurses are very experienced women with some medical background, ex-midwives, health providers, and might have doula training or experience working as a doula. These women have extensive experience working with new parents and their newborns. They come with the utmost glowing references. She arrives in your home to meet your needs in the first weeks of your newborn's life, to help mom and dad with the everyday care of their baby. She answers many questions the new parents have and in general help them feel comfortable caring for their infant at a time when sleepless nights, exhaustion and emotions are running high, even though this is usually a very happy time for them. Baby/Maternity nurses are infant care specialists and should be infant CPR certified. Be sure to ask that of your baby nurse or doula. Valerie is infant, child, and adult CPR certified.

Each baby nurse/doula sets their own rate based on their expertise, experience, number of Infants (single, twins, triplets) being cared for, and what is required for each family. The average hourly rate runs from $20 - $35+. Night care can range from a low $15 - to the usual $20 + per hour, again depending on what the family's needs are, and the number of babies.

Assuming insurance doesn't kick in, expect to pay from $300 to $700 for a childbirth doula.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Breastfeeding support
• Bottle preparation and cleaning
• Bathing
• Baby's laundry
• Feeding
• Keeping a daily diary or log of baby's feedings, changes, and nap schedules
• Changing crib and table linens
• Restocking infant supplies and diapers
• Emptying diaper pail
• Keeping nursery tidy
• Comfort measures of swaddling and rocking