Slowly the word doula is becoming a household word. Unfortunately, the understanding of what doula care really is, is still misunderstood. Many assume birth doulas only support unmedicated, out of hospital births; and postpartum doulas only help with breastfeeding difficulties or support moms with postpartum depression. While doulas do support families in those circumstances, we also do so much! Continue reading
I spend a lot of time encouraging parents to enjoy their newborns but recently it dawned on me that I need to really enjoy my children at all of their stages. It can be easy to get so wrapped up in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, sports, homework and housework that we forget to actually spend quality time enjoying our children. Here are a few tips for enjoying your children at all ages. Continue reading
If mom is exclusively breastfeeding it might seem as if baby is attached to mom much of the day, leaving you with limited bonding time. While at first it might seem this way, there are plenty of ways for dad to bond without feeding baby. Continue reading
Pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period are times of adjustment for all. Doulas come alongside dad and other support people to care for mom, but also to care for the entire family unit. A doula does not take the place of partner or dad, his role is unique and important. Occasionally I hear the misconception that doulas are for moms that do not have partner support or that doulas interfere with the partner’s role. There are MANY benefits for having a doula when a partner is unavailable and I’m sure there are some doulas that have interfered, but the role of the doula is not meant to and should not replace the dad’s role. It is so important these misconceptions disappear that many doulas devote entire webpages and articles to addressing dads. Here are a few examples Continue reading