What can a Daytime Postpartum Doula Do For YOU?


Entering parenthood is both an exciting and overwhelming time for new parents. As mothers especially we finish off ten months of growing a baby with birthing a baby and then that baby needs constant care. We are exhausted, our bodies are playing catch up, our hormones are out of whack, and we have to learn this new little creature while somehow healing from all the changes our bodies just went through. We are not meant to do this alone. In an ideal world, our families and friends provide us with all the love and support that we need as we adjust into our roles. But the reality is even in the best case scenario; with parents nearby and friends at the ready, we most of the time still aren't getting all of the right support. Many times our loved ones are well-intentioned but may pass judgment we don’t need, offer advice that doesn't serve, or maybe they want to hold the baby when their help would be better appreciated elsewhere. A postpartum doula can help empower new families to set boundaries and clear expectations for their loved ones. While professions like newborn specialists and nannies are primarily focused on baby's needs, a postpartum doula primarily focuses on the needs of the new mother and father. A postpartum doula provides practical, informational, and emotional support. This can look a lot of different ways, depending on the individual needs of the family.


A doula may:

  • help parents advocate for themselves with loved ones and medical providers
  • help new parents build confidence in the choices that they make for their baby
  • set up a meal train or come up with a list of things loved ones can help with
  • hold baby while mother naps or showers
  • assist with bottle feeding (formula or breastmilk), pumping, checks latch
  • make sure mother is properly hydrating and nourishing their bodies after birth
  • light meal prep and organizing/tidying
  • provide information, resources, or external referrals when needed
  • provide emotional support, an ear or shoulder to lean on, and someone to talk to with zero judgment
  • tailor a specific plan to meet your family's individual needs


A doula will not:

  • provide medical advice or intervention
  • act as a lactation consultant
  • clean your home
  • pass judgment

My Journey


I am a mother of two wonderful girls, 10 and 12. They both were and are vastly different babies and human beings and I had very different experiences with each of them. With my first, my husband got very sick about two weeks in. She was a very difficult baby, extremely fussy and finicky about every little thing being just-so. I felt like I had to take it on all by myself and I struggled. I didn’t have a huge network of local support and didn’t reach out to the support I had. I felt trapped in my home and so lonely. Those first few months it was my birth center group that kept me connected to the outside world and made what I was going through feel normal. When she was about six months old I started venturing out to library story times and joined a local mom's group that absolutely saved me. By getting out and connecting with other moms going through the exact same thing, I started to feel normal again, and I started loving being a mother and enjoying my life. I will preach a thousand times over to mothers the importance of getting out there and connecting to other mothers. But looking back, I think I could have gotten there much quicker with someone like a postpartum doula in my corner and I want more than anything to be that for other mothers. I've been a photographer since 2018 and I have documented many expecting mothers and newborns and in the last couple years I have felt drawn to play a more active role in the process, and any time I am able to provide insight, support, or hold a baby for a mother for just a few minutes, I realize that this may just be where I belong.


I am an LBGTQ+ ally and welcome clients from all cultures, races, religions, and belief systems. Formula and breastfeeding friendly.

Services


Daytime Doula Support: $40/hr

  • 4-hour shifts between the hours of 9am and 3pm
  • 1 complimentary in-home visit prior to baby's arrival
  • access to my postpartum resources and referrals
  • minimum of 16 hours of care over two weeks
  • I currently do not offer overnight doula care


Daytime Doula Support and Newborn Photography package:

  • Includes everything listed above
  • 2 hour newborn photography session including 20 digital images
  • $100 off when booking together


Daytime Doula Support, Maternity and Newborn Photography Package

  • Includes everything listed above
  • 1 hour maternity session including 20 digital images
  • $150 off when booking all three services together


$25 daily travel fee required beyond 20 miles one-way from my home in Cedar Park, TX.