The word “doula” comes from ancient Greek and means “a woman who serves.” There are two types of doulas – birth and postpartum. A postpartum doula assists new mothers and families in the postpartum period by coming to the family’s home during the first three months of a baby’s life (the fourth trimester). She provides lactation assistance, sibling integration, meal preparation, light household cleaning, and general education on infant care.

The role of a postpartum doula is to help a woman through her postpartum period and to assist the family. A doula’s focus is not solely on the baby, but on fostering independence for the entire family. The doula is not just available to the mother and the baby, but to the father and older children as well. Treating the family as a unit that is connected and always changing enables doulas to do their job: nurture the family.

The goal of a postpartum doula is to support the parents in their new roles, and allow them time and energy for bonding with their new baby. As they experience success and their knowledge and self-confidence grow, their needs for professional support should diminish.

For more information about postpartum doulas, click here to visit the DONA International website.