More often than not new parents fall behind in nurturing themselves in ways they previously enjoyed. A nap, a quick phone call or a shower can seem nearly impossible in the early days and weeks at home with a newborn. Along with easing the burden of your daily lives by offering to take care of routine household tasks, you can rely on your doula to help you carve out time during a visit to luxuriate in some time for yourself. You pick what you'd like to do! No need to rush or be on alert with a half-listening ear at these times. You can trust your doula to bring you back into the picture as soon as your baby needs you, but in the meantime you can take care of whatever your heart desires and recharge your batteries, gently easing yourself into life with your newborn family member.
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Visits with your doula always begin with an assessment of your needs and setting up goals for your time together; discussing and fine-tuning your care so that it is unique to you and your baby and to that particular day. A first visit will most likely focus on your birth and your perinatal recovery; your baby's feeding cues and latch or paced bottle feedings. The next may be breast comfort and bathing your baby. A little later on, baby wearing and sleep strategies. At each and every visit with a doula? Time for you to rest, for help with household tasks, for sharing and asking questions. Even if you are not sure what you want during your early visits together, your doula has the experience to guide and offer what seems needed that day. Rest assured.
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reflections of a postpartum doula
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