Post Partum Doula Care

Hi C.
I'm a doula in the Gainesville area. There are a bunch of search engines out there for finding doulas, like http://www.findadoula.com/index.htm
Someone has already linked the DONA site (which is the organization I was trained through), and here is the other main doula training organization's doula search engine:
http://www.cappa.net/membership/member-directory.asp

Good luck!
-K.

I only WISH i had one!!
what I would do is contact the local breastfeeding-guru
and ask HER. Or contact your local la leche league...
for example, in miami, the local guru is Faith Ploude at Mercy Hospital. Or, if you're in Broward, contact someone here:
http://www.broward-babywearing.com/blog/blog_current.html

Hi C.,
My name is Marcia G. Glick.Having a postpartum doula can be an incredible benfit to you, baby & your husband. I have been a Postparum Ayurdoula for 4 yrs. now.
There is so much internal & emotional changes going on after birth. The postpartum philosophy is to take care of things for Mom so she can rejuvenate, heal & bond w/her baby. A happy mom makes a happy family.
Here is my website on what I do as a pp.doula & about my training. You will also find some pp suggestions to minimize or avoid the usual pp issues. doulascare.info. My teacher & friends website is more elaborate & contains much more info. It is sacredwindows.com
Please feel free to e-mail any questions you may have.
Happy birthing, Marcia

Hi C.:

try the Doula assoc website for reference. http://www.dona.org/ Good luck

Hi C.,

My sister-in-law used one. She has two (ages 3 and 15 months) and just had #3. She also works full time so what she did was she kept the other two in daycare (her husband dropped off and picked up) and then hired both a post partum doula for a few hours daily as well as a cleaning service, twice per week. She did this for about 4 weeks...

She used Maid Brigades cleaning service (she actually had them come and do a major house cleaning right before #3 was born) and then had them come on Mondays and Thursdays (change sheets, change towels, general cleaning) and also hired MothersCare Doula for a postpartum doula (see the website: http://www.mothersdoula.com/whatisadoula.shtml)

Also, try to enlist some friends if possible to help out. Good luck!

Hi C.,

Where do you live? I am a birth doula in Melbourne and have two good friends who are excellent postpartum doulas who I would highly recommend. They give informational support on newborn care and breastfeeding and will help care for siblings while you get the rest you need. They also cook, clean, do laundry, whatever you need. You absolutely will need help at home after a cesarean and you are very wise to seek this assistance! Let me know if you'd like the referrals.

T. Myers

Hi Dear: best wishes on your new bundle...
I met a lovely woman at the Publix deli counter a month ago (who had her little bundle in the shopping cart) and discovered she is a doula.
Her name is Brittany Rauch, ###-###-#### email: ____@____.com

What are of FL do you live in, my friend is a doula and I have ALWAYS wanted to work as one. I have tons of experience from helping my friends and having had four children of my own. I am also a great new breastfeeding support. I and my friend live in the Orange Park area. Let me know if either of us can help.

Hi C.,

I do not know anything about post-partum doula care but I hope I can offer advice that you may not have considered. Do you go to church? We belong to a wonderful church family who I sincerely think of as my own family. After the birth of my 2nd and 3rd child (we were not church going people when I had my first child), the church we belong to made meals for me and my family for a week every day (and two weeks with my last child). Do you have trusted friends who might be willing to help out? Sometimes just mentioning that you will need help will prompt those who are close to you to help out. Good luck with your next baby.

Hi C.- No I haven't had a doula, but I did have my daughter on a Saturday the weekend before my 2 1/2 yo's school was closed for 10 days. My husband was working two jobs (his and he had taken over my vending business) so I was alone with the two kids for the first week. I had not had a c-sect, and it was difficult as hell. Plus I felt I had absolutely no time with the baby to bond. I would deal with the kids all day, then my husband would come home and I would completely ignore him because as soon as my son went to bed I would cuddle and bond with the baby. Of course, we're still here and stronger than ever as a family, so you can do it if you have to, but I strongly recommend you do find some help if you can. It will be easier and healthier on the family. Good luck.

Hi C., no worries to you. When I had my second, she was born via C-section too and my oldest daughter was three at the time. I'm not sure of any doulas, I had a huge support network from friends and family, who had cooked us two weeks worth of meals and my mother in law stayed with me the second week of recovery. On top of that my newborn had colic and so I invested in a great sling and there she stayed for her first 4 months. I was also amazed at how well my daughter handled it all. She was incredibly helpful getting wipes for me and diapers when I needed them. So just some words of encouragement. Good luck to you!

Sounds like a babysitter See if there is a elder woman at your church that would like to. Us oldies get board and love to smother little ones withlove and attention