From DONA International: What is a Postpartum Doula?

The full position paper is available at:  

http://dona.org/publications/position_paper_postpartum.php

The Postpartum Doula’s Role in Maternity Care
A DONA International Position Paper

The birth of a baby represents a profound and permanent life change for the parents and other family members. After nine months of pregnancy and the stresses of labor and birth, a family is born or enlarged. For new parents the challenges are numerous recovery from birth; total responsibility for a tiny dependent newborn; sleeplessness; emotional adjustment; mastery of infant feeding and care; understanding of and adjustment to the unique personality of their baby; and household organization. Sometimes the physical or emotional health of the new mother or baby is compromised, and the parents need more support at home than they had expected.
Furthermore, many new parents are unaware of what constitutes normal newborn growth and development, and normal postpartum recovery for the mother. Typically, they visit the baby’s doctor and their maternity caregiver infrequently, which sometimes means that they and their babies undergo unnecessary stress and hardship because they do not know when to ask for help.

Role of the Doula
Doulas are trained in postpartum adjustment, newborn characteristics, care, feeding and development, and the promotion of parent-infant bonding. They are experienced in supporting families through their postpartum experience. Coming into the home during the fourth trimester following birth, the doula’s role is to provide education, non-judgmental support and companionship, and to assist with newborn care and family adjustment, meal preparation and light household tasks. Postpartum doulas offer evidence-based information on infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and can make appropriate referrals when necessary.

Doulas and Families
The doula’s goal is to facilitate the transition to parenthood by supplying reliable and factual information, reassurance and hands-on support with children and household organization. By "mothering the mother", the doula enables the new mother to recover from pregnancy and birth and focus her energy on bonding with her new baby. Parents are able to care for their children with the reassurance that non-judgmental support and an extra set of hands are available when they need them. Through this support, the doula is able to help parents and older children integrate the baby into the family in a loving, gentle manner.

 © DONA International 2002, 2006, 2008
Permission granted to freely reproduce in whole or in part with complete attribution.