Doulas of Iowa City members bring a wide variety of trainings, skills, and experiences to their work with families in Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and surrounding communities. We're excited to highlight our member doulas through this series.

Today, meet Grace Swartzendruber of All Bodies All Births Doula Services.

In our culture the word "postpartum" often leads to confusion, having become synonymous with the diagnosis of postpartum depression.  However, postpartum is a when and not a what.  That is to say, postpartum simply refers to the time after a birthing parent gives birth.

A postpartum doula, then, is a professional who has training and experience supporting families in the days, weeks, and even months after baby's birth.  While different doulas define their postpartum services differently, many (including myself) consider their postpartum doula services applicable to anytime in the first year after baby's birth - as the complications from birth and challenges of parenthood don't stop at a certain number of weeks. A postpartum doula supports you as you heal from birth, gain confidence in your parenting, and meet the ebb and flow of life transitions with a new baby.

As I've written about elsewhere, our current culture seems to turn the postpartum period into a race back to "normal," lauding those who "bounce back" with praise. But, as traditional cultures demonstrate, there exists much value in treating the time after baby with care - nourishing and supporting the birth parent as well as encouraging and supporting the rest of the family.

What services do postpartum doulas offer?
Each doula defines her terms of service a bit differently, so it is worthwhile to meet with and interview several doulas to find the perfect fit for your family's needs, including daytime and/or overnight support.

While the specifics of support may vary, you can expect your postpartum doula to help you meet your needs for rest and tend to baby with confidence.  This may include assistance with meal preparation, light housework, connections to resources, informational support, infant feeding support for breast and/or bottle, babywearing tutorials, and a nonjudgmental, empathetic  ear to listen as you process your birth and this leap into motherhood. 

You doula may also bring additional training into her work including breastfeeding support, infant sleep education, massage, and more.

While you can hire a doula at any point, reaching out to interview prenatally will give you the time to find the perfect fit and guarantee your spot on your doula's calendar. As with a birth doula, a postpartum doula doesn't guarantee a specific postpartum experience, but having the support you need to rest and heal can help you feel more empowered and cared for in the transition into parenthood.

What are the benefits of hiring a postpartum doula?
When you hire a postpartum doula prenatally, you can go into birth confident that you will have the support you need to rest and recover from birth.

If this is your first baby, you'll likely have lots of questions about whether or not baby's eating and sleeping habits are normal.  Having an experienced doula can provide lots of reassurance about biologically normal infant behavior, especially in the 4th trimester when babies have an intense need to stay close to caregivers.

If this is your second or more baby, the whole family - siblings included - will undergo a shift as baby comes home. Your postpartum doula can help you manage your busy household or carve out some special time with older siblings.

If you choose to hire a doula for overnight support, your doula can help you maximize rest while meeting your feeding goals - handling diaper changes and additional soothing needs so you can rest as much as possible.

As with a birth doula, the nonjudgmental support of a postpartum doula - feeling heard and understood - can make all the difference in how you experience the challenges and joys of life postpartum. And, should you need additional support outside a doula's scope of practice to navigate those challenges, your doula will be ready with recommendations to trusted providers so you can get the support you need right away.

 When I tell people I am a postpartum doula in response to the "what do you do?" question that is so common in small talk between two people getting to know each other, most people follow up almost immediately with another question - What does a postpartum doula do?

If you've found way over here to the Doulas of Iowa City blog, I'm guessing you may have a bit more familiarity with the way in which postpartum doulas support families as they transition into parenthood with a new little bundle of joy. Skilled and experienced in the needs of postpartum recovery and newborn babies, postpartum doulas provide a cushion of nonjudgmental support.

If the conversation goes further and I share about day and overnight visits (that include physical, emotional, and informational support as well as partner reinforcement and encouragement as new parents learn to be their own advocates) the most common response is that the person who posed the initial question expresses a wish - a wish that they had received that kind of support in their parenting journey.

For many families, the thought to hire a postpartum doula doesn't cross their minds until they find themselves overwhelmed and exhausted in the early days and weeks postpartum. If that is the case for you, this is certainly the right time to reach out to a postpartum doula! Whether it is holding your baby so you can take a nap, troubleshooting breastfeeding, or joining you for night feedings with words of encouragement, a postpartum doula may be just what you need to take a breath and feel empowered in your journey.

If, however, you are reading this blog before your little one arrives earthside, you are in the perfect position to set yourself up for a more blissful and less stressful postpartum experience. By hiring your postpartum doula prenatally you guarantee your spot on a doula's calendar. For example, I take 1-3 postpartum clients per month in order to make certain I have the availability they need.

Inviting a postpartum doula - or anyone - into your nest after baby's arrival is an intimate thing. Taking the time to interview several doulas prenatally will help you make certain that you and your chosen doula are a perfect fit.  Additionally, each doula may vary in the services she offers or how she structures her packages - thinking through those considerations now will make for less questions later.

And, many doulas offer gift cards or can work with you to include doula support on your registry.  This is an awesome way for friends and family to lift up and support your new little family.

Now that you are considering hiring a postpartum doula, I bet you are wondering how to find one?  Don't worry - I'm here to help with that, too! Coming to one of Doulas of Iowa City Meet the Doula events is a fantastic opportunity to ask questions and chat with a whole group of locals.

Can't make the Meet the Doula event? Reach out to any of our postpartum doulas today and set up a consultation.