You are pregnant and into your ninth month, you are dreaming about how beautiful your newborn baby would be and how you would cherish your happiest moments of life with your newborn baby, how you would hold that little angel in your arms and you start experiencing an overwhelming feeling of extreme felicity and joy. The days keep on passing and then the time comes, you were brave enough to withstand the excruciating pain of labor and delivery. Now you are blessed with a little angel who becomes the epicenter of your hopes, desires, wishes and dreams. Your hard work has finally paid off and now you are ready to enjoy some of the best moments of your life. You head home with the newborn baby by your side, once you are home with the newborn baby a whole different scenario emerges. The little angel who looked so adorable suddenly starts crying and screaming frantically and you have no idea what is going on, the newborn baby refuses to eat or sleep. You have no idea of the infants sleep pattern, at the time when you want the baby to sleep he wakes up and starts screaming and when you try to feed him or play with the newborn baby he suddenly falls asleep and then again wakes up after a few hours.
It is not before first four or five days that you are fully able to understand the gravity and severity of the problem you are facing, and how complex the situation actually is. You start to get sleepless nights, you and your partner stay awake the whole night desperately trying to care for the newborn baby and nurse him but he just keeps on waking up and crying. You have no idea how to wash your newborn baby, what to feed and how to feed? And when he is crying you have no idea why he is crying and what can you do to comfort him. You start asking your friends and relatives for help but no one is qualified enough to offer help or may be some of them are too busy to return your calls. Now this is exactly the kind of situation where you need a postpartum Doula or a baby nurse, your ultimate solution to all your childcare needs and problems!
A postpartum doula is a non medical person whose job is to care for the newborn baby and the new mother. A postpartum doula also provides sleep consultancy and regulates the newborn baby’s sleep pattern. A doula educates the whole family about the child care and helps them integrate the newborn baby to their family. Some of the duties of a postpartum doula are:
- Assistance with breast feeding or feeding the newborn baby with a bottle
- Therapeutic body exercise for rapid postpartum recovery and soothing maternal anxiety for new mother
- Meals prepared for both the mother and newborn baby with ideal postnatal nutrition and fluids, resulting in lactation and relieving constipation
- Useful tips for navigating through insomnia and hectic days from our expert sleep consultant
- Practical consultancy and support for your newborn baby and your wellness in the first days home
- Educating the whole family on newborn baby care
- Helping with chores like bathing, cord care, diapering, soothing techniques, newborn baby development and reading newborn baby’s cues
- Providing newborn baby care while you rest so that your family catches up on sleep
- Providing homemade medication including lactation support to newborn baby and new mother, natural baby butt balm
- Support in processing your birth experience and making closure emotional support throughout your postpartum recovery period
- Help with running errands and managing daily routine
- Light housekeeping
- Doing newborn baby’s laundry
- Providing encouragement and resources on postnatal exercise and yoga
- Education regarding newborn baby care for the whole family
- Increase in confidence level of new parents
- An active and happy early weeks for baby and whole family
- Less health risks for the newborn baby and mother
Apart from hiring a postpartum doula here are some tips that would help you take care of your newborn baby and keep him safe and healthy.
1. Always wash your hands before handling your newborn baby, use a proper medicated soap or use hand sanitizer.
2. Always pay special attention to support your baby’s head and neck
3. Always make sure your baby is securely fastened to the car seat, stroller or carrier
4. Never shake your newborn baby vigorously, not even when playing
5. Always Ask for help, no question is dumb
6. Never make your newborn baby eat when he starts falling asleep
7. Keep checking your baby’s diaper and change it immediately if it needs changing
8. Babies need a lot of cuddling, give your baby proper time and care