Frequently Asked Questions
A postpartum doula is a perinatal professional trained specifically in postpartum care and newborn care. A postpartum doula’s mission is to provide support during the post birth stage of the childbearing year. Some postpartum doulas also help new parents prepare ahead of time for the postpartum season. Postpartum doulas are trained to recognize normal postpartum recovery and newborn development. They also have an extensive list of resources and referrals available for you if the fall out of the range of normal. Doulas are tapped into your local birth and parenting communities.
A baby nurse or night nurse is a medical nursing professional usually with an RN certification. Their mission is to bring their medical expertise into the home for families and babies with needs beyond their birthing place. Many baby nurses and night nurses are familiar with NICU and PICU and specialize in helping those families or families who need help with clinical tasks like weights checks and administering medication. A baby nurse or night nurse is perfect for families with special needs or serious post birth complications.
A nanny is a childcare professional trained specifically to supervise and care for children and is hired to do so in the absence of their parents.
A nanny’s mission is to take over child care so that the parents can do other important activities like going to work or date night. A nanny cares for children as young as 6 weeks old all the way up to 18 years old.
Working with a postpartum doula will give you evidence based and real world based education, a huge boost of confidence and the understanding help you need navigate early motherhood successfully.
Here are just a few ways that education, confidence and support benefit you as a new mother:
More confidence
More self-efficacy aka belief in yourself that you can do this
Smoother transition into mother role
More satisfaction with your body and how you are healing
Reach your breastfeeding goals
More understanding of newborn emotional and physical needs and behaviors
Earlier bonding
More independent confidence in new role
Less risk for postpartum depression or perinatal mood disorders
Less exhaustion, frustration and apprehension
Smoother return to work
I suggest booking your postpartum doula as far in advanced as possible. Ideally 12 weeks or even earlier will allow you to maximize all of the support and resources that your postpartum doula has.
The postpartum doula doula search can be daunting. You want to be sure that the postpartum doula you love will be available to support you. This means signing that contact and securing your spot on their calendar as soon as possible.
If you wait and they aren’t available this could leave you scrambling for support or worse going with out the help at all.
Most new parents do’t start looking for a postpartum doula until baby is already born. And at this point they are desperate and may choose anyone who is available instead of being able to take time to find a postpartum doula they really love and work well with.
The Prima Mama Signature package is designed to provide in person doula support during the first 6 to 8 weeks after birth. However, if you choose a start day 2 weeks or more after birth you can will end 6 weeks weeks from that start date. If you really love The Prima Mama experience you can book for another 6 weeks.
Proudly providing pregnancy and postpartum support to new families in Maryland, Washington, DC and Northern Virginia.