"Yeah, it's been so long since we've had to do this. I totally forgot how HARD it is to keep getting up."
"She seems to sleep all the time, but then it seems like she won't sleep when we want her to."
"If there was just someone I could call so at 1am I could go to bed and they would be up with her."
"I go to work and they all think I'm joking about needing coffee. I need that coffee. This isn't college and I can't pull all-nighters like I used to."
I had to stop talking about donuts and join this conversation. It's not like I saw a doula-bat-signal being flashed over the refreshment table but, well, ok. It sorta felt like that...
So I shared that I am a birth and postpartum doula, and just the night before, I was that person for a family with twins. The dad's eyes got huge. "You mean, I really could call you at 1am for help?"
I laughed, Yes! You could!
A postpartum doula can be hired whenever you need the help. I can come during the day to help with schedules, feedings, laundry, siblings, dishes, and grocery shopping. OR, I can come during the night, to help with schedules, feedings, laundry, siblings, dishes, but... probably not grocery shopping. If you have me at night, you probably want to sleep.
Is this you? At night, you get settled, you turn the lights off. Your little one is tucked into her bassinette with eyes closed. You lay your head on the pillow and start to drift.
Whawww!
You jump out of bed and rush over to your baby, ready to pick her up...but she is still sleeping.
You go back to bed, start to drift and hear sucks and creeks in the bed and soft wimpers. Then louder wimpers. You get out of bed, walk to the crib, but baby is still asleep. You go back to bed.
You just can't seem to turn your mind off, or your mind is hypersensitive to each little sound. A few more ups and downs, and then 2.5 hours have gone by and it's time to actually get up, change and feed the baby, and start the whole process over again.
This is the challenge for parents of a new baby. This is where the nights are long and the days get longer. And this is where I can help.
Call the Doula!
Postpartum doula care at night means you have the comfort of knowing that all of your needs and baby's needs are being met. You can have peace of mind in between feedings so you can actually sleep.
The doula is the person who checks on the wimpers and the squaks, and looks in after every little sound and rustle. The doula changes the diapers, rocks the baby to sleep again, and when it's time, will bring baby to you to feed, or warm up the milk that was pumped earlier.
Moms and dads are capable of handling some tremendous balancing acts in life. As a doula I know you all need to be at your best when get up and step out the door. Getting the rest you need means you can be at your best when you need to be.
Doulas aren't just for daytime, and we aren't just for birth.
As your doula, your family may need you to be rested, so if the night time is when need me, I'll be there.
PS - The food recommendations from the housewarming party:
Johnny Casserole, so good. And I got a few more recommendations for desserts - Hoosier Mama Pie Company and Doughnut Vault...drool....
Authored by A Swift Doula