postnatal doula support
The arrival of a new baby is an exciting time, but it can also be very overwhelming. New parents often have questions and are trying to navigate life with a new baby while their bodies are also recovering from birth. Is it normal for my body to feel like this? Is feeding supposed to be so complicated? How do I soothe my baby and help them sleep? Trying to decide what feels right for you can be very confusing if you are hearing conflicting opinions from everyone around you.
A postpartum doula supports your family as you navigate these questions and various opinions with nonjudgmental, evidence-based information and hands-on support that suits your parenting style. My mission is to help take some of the stress out of early parenting!
AS A POSTPARTUM DOULA, I ASSIST WITH:
Feeding: I have experience assisting families with breastfeeding, bottle-feeding, and combination feeding. I will support you with whichever choice feels right for you.
Sleeping: I help new parents create healthy sleep habits which are developmentally appropriate for their baby. I am available for both overnight care and daytime hours so parents are not battling with sleep deprivation during those early days.
Physical and Emotional Care: I specialise in newborn care and help with all of the most common questions new parents may have. I also prioritise your postnatal recovery, both physical and emotional, so you can rest and maintain self-care after baby arrives.
Sibling Adjustment: Parents may often worry about how older children will adjust when a new baby is introduced to their family. This is very normal and a postpartum doula can help with this transition by ensuring siblings feel involved, loved and looked after.
Meal Prep and Planning: New mums often put their own nutritional needs to the side following birth. I am more than happy to prepare snacks, meals, stop into the shop or assist with larger meal planning.
Household Tasks: I am ready to maintain household tasks including laundry, dishes, and basic cleaning so you can bond with your baby and enjoy all of those new baby snuggles!
Referrals: I have created great connections with service providers and resources within our community which I can refer you to if and when needed.
WEDDING SUPPORT
Whether it’s your big day or you’re attending the wedding of a loved one, having expert support so you can enjoy the day and night has never been easier! My postnatal doula support extends to these special occasions. Having baby close so you can involve them in the fesitivities but also enjoy some adult-only time creates the best of both worlds!
This service includes my travel to the wedding venue so you can check in with baby whenever you like and is 100% supportive of breastfeeding and all feeding choices. When you connect with me, we go over how you envision your day and what makes your little one unique.
“We had Michelle mind our 6 week old baby on our wedding weekend and she was fantastic. I had originally requested another business’s service but felt uncomfortable going ahead with them as Oisin was so small.
Michelle had me at ease from the first contact. She arrange a Zoom meeting so we could get to know each other, at that stage I was still pregnant. She requested a little update on how Oisin was once he was born. This put my mind at rest that she genuinely cared, and would give Oisin the individual attention that I wanted for him.
Her caring for Oisin allowed me to enjoy my wedding knowing he was in safe hands. He came back to me a very happy baby still in his little routine. I would recommend to any bride with a baby to pick Michelle. She was worth every cent! So glad we had her there!
Thank you very much Michelle!”
— Yvonne, September 2022 Bride
