What is a "doula"?
An article from Our Town - The West Cobb Area's Family
Lifestyle News Magazine
The word "Doula" is taken from a Greek term,
(pronounced DOOOLA) and has come to refer to a woman who helps new
mothers in ways that family and friends did years ago.
Many women today are waiting until their careers are
in place before having children. Let's face it, babies don't come with
instructions; a woman in the workplace handles crises all day long, but
when she comes home from the hospital for the first time with that
tiny little bundle of joy, PANIC can strike quickly! New families
aren't always fortunate enough to have "grandma" near by to lend a
helping hand. That's where your doula comes in to save the day. There
are two kinds of doulas: childbirth and postpartum. Childbirth doulas
specialize in supporting expectant moms through labor and delivery, at
their side constantly. A postpartum doula can come into your home after
arriving from the hospital and help a new mom with breastfeeding. She
can correct the positioning of the baby, and answer questions about
newborn care. She can demonstrate to new parents how to properly
swaddle their newborn, run errands, look for early jaundice on the
baby, make a referral to the pediatrician, prepare a meal for the family
and perform basic chores, thus enabling mom to get the much needed
rest so she may truly recover from just giving birth. It can realy help
cut down on her chances of postpartum depression. Your doula is there
to "mother the mother."
Hiring a doula could be the answer for many new
mothers. She can put your mind at ease and help you through that huge
adjustment period. When dad returns to work, or grandma needs to fly
back home, you will feel comfortable being left alone to care for your
newborn.
Valerie Ybarra offers postpartum doula & baby
nurse services. Connie Correia Fisher and Joanne Coneia have published
her advice in "Mothers Know Best". She is CPR certified, a CNA
(certified nurse assistant) and PCT (patient care tech). She is also a
member of CAPPA (childbirth and postpartum professional association).
For further information, you can reach her at 678.431.1373.
An article by Rona Gindin, a contributing editor to
Baby Magazine - complete article found in Baby Magazine
Jan Ford, an accomplished lawyer at an investment
bank in New York City, felt confident she was ready for motherhood. "I
figured, I'm a professional. I can handle crises all day; what was
there to worry about?
She soon learned. Her "panic attack" actually began
toward the end of her two-day hospital stay when she realized she'd be
discharged in less than two hours without any real knowledge of the most
basic baby care. "I simply felt overwhelmed by the enormity of it
all," she admits. "I couldn't believe I'd be leaving the hospital with
this little tiny person who I was supposed to take care of." To add to
it all: Jan didn't feel 100% and her husband felt as out of control as
she did. "He'd never even changed a diaper before," she says, "and
really didn't know how." Recognizing they needed help, Jan called
Christine Kealy, the woman who'd taught her childbirth preparation
class and director and founder of the New York doula agency In A
Family Way. Within hours, Christine was at the Fords' home and had made
Jan feel completely comfortable. She had Jan tucked into bed with food
and water at her side, helped her overcome breastfeeding difficulties,
taught her tricks for minimizing hemorrhoid discomfort, threw in a load
of laundry, rocked the baby to sleep, and had a rosemary-scented
chicken roasting in the oven. Not only that, in the four hours a day
she was at their home during the next couple of weeks, she taught Jan
and her husband how to change diapers and bathe the baby, showed up
with breakfast in the morning, cooked meals and even froze some for
later use and overall just acted as a mentor." I had felt that taking
care of the baby would be impossible, and Christine offered a steady
hand," Jan recalls. "She was a positive presence in a sea of
confusion."
When you meet for the first time, pay attention to
your own perceptions. Is she kind, warm and enthusiastic? Could you see
yourself spending several hours a day with her? Is she knowledgeable?
Does she communicate well? Do you feel comfortable with her?
What is a Doula?
Hiring a doula (pronounced "dooola") is increasing in
popularity as women like Jan realize that having a baby is not always
as easy as it looks, and that the mother needs to be nurtured.
"Eighty-five percent of my clients are between the ages of 35 and 45,
and they don't have mothers available to help them adjust," Kealy
explains. "Mothers are discharged from hospitals so early now that they
can become extremely exhausted," adds Dorothy Harrison, who runs the
postpartum doula agency Mother Care of America in the Seattle,
Washington area. "A doula can help you know if the baby has jaundice
and when you need to call the doctor. They also help deter fatigue,
which can help prevent depression."
A nurse is generally hired to take care of the
infant's needs. Period. Many will not cook, clean or shop. A doula, by
contrast, is there to do whatever the mother needs her to do, whether
that means taking care of another child, doing the laundry, running
errands, or teaching the new mom how to master baby caretaking tasks.
"Christine would tell me that I needed more socks for the baby, then
she'd go out and get the socks," Jan Ford recalls. "She took care of me
entirely."
If you need a referral for a Labor Doula, please
contact Valerie at 678-431-1373.
A baby nurse puts their complete attention and focus
on your newborn. She comes to you as an educator, supporter, and
helper. Some baby-maternity nurses are on duty 24 hours 5-6 days per
week, while others work locally 5-10 hours per day or evening depending
on your needs and her availability. Some families choose to hire a
baby nurse for day help and one for the night shift. Each family's
needs are different. It is often assumed that baby nurses are
registered nurses. Generally speaking, they are not.
Most baby nurses are very experienced women with some
medical background, ex-midwives, health providers, and might have
doula training or experience working as a doula. These women have
extensive experience working with new parents and their newborns. They
come with the utmost glowing references. She arrives in your home to
meet your needs in the first weeks of your newborn's life, to help mom
and dad with the everyday care of their baby. She answers many
questions the new parents have and in general help them feel
comfortable caring for their infant at a time when sleepless nights,
exhaustion and emotions are running high, even though this is usually a
very happy time for them. Baby/Maternity nurses are infant care
specialists and should be infant CPR certified. Be sure to ask that of
your baby nurse or doula. Valerie is infant, child, and adult CPR
certified.
| What do
Doulas/Baby Nurses Charge? |
|
Each baby nurse/doula sets their own rate based on
their expertise, experience, number of Infants (single, twins,
triplets) being cared for, and what is required for each family. The
average hourly rate runs from $20 - $35+. Night care can range from a
low $15 - to the usual $20 + per hour, again depending on what the
family's needs are, and the number of babies.
Assuming insurance doesn't kick in, expect to pay
from $300 to $700 for a childbirth doula.
Duties and Responsibilities:
- Breastfeeding support
- Bottle preparation and cleaning
- Bathing
- Baby's laundry
- Feeding
- Keeping a daily diary or log of baby's feedings,
changes, and nap schedules
- Changing crib and table linens
- Restocking infant supplies and diapers
- Emptying diaper pail
- Keeping nursery tidy
- Comfort measures of swaddling and rocking
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