Mother Naturally

A postpartum doula assists a family in the days, weeks and months after birth to help everyone adjust and recover.  Postpartum doulas are trained and knowledgeable in breastfeeding support, baby care, postpartum recovery and comfort measures for the mother, and ways for the entire family to adjust and fulfill their new roles and responsibilities.  Postpartum doulas also help with lite housekeeping tasks, errands, caring for older children, meal preparation, and fielding phone calls, visitors and inaccurate advice, for the family.  Families can utilize a postpartum douls to help answer those inevitable questions and concerns that every family with a new baby faces.  The reliable and trustworthy support a postpartum doula offers has been proven to significantly decreases a woman's risk of postpartum depression and improve the overall family adjustment period when a new life is welcomed into the home.
    If you think that you would like to utilize the service of a postpartum doula please contact us to schedule an interview with MacKenzie Monroe, our resident doula.  MacKenzie looks forward to meeting with you and discussing whether she would be a good fit to assist you and your family postpartum.

MacKenzie Monroe is in the process of completing her birth and postpartum training through DONA International.  Her own experience with two amazing doulas during the birth of her son led her to pursue her training so that she could offer other women the same kind of priceless support.  As a doula, MacKenzie strives to offer the most compassionate and knowledgeable  support possible to parents with a new baby.  MacKenzie's job is to support the decisions of the family she is working with while also helping provide them with the most accurate and current information available, so that the parents are able to make the most educated choices for their family.  MacKenzie's experience as a Natural Parenting Coach also allows her to offer such services to her clients, if they so wish.

Hiring a birth or postpartum doula can be a wonderful choice for you and your family during your transition to parenthood or adding additional children to your home. There are some things you should consider when hiring a doula to ensure she is the right doula for you:

- Do you easily get along with this person and do you feel that she would be a calming presence in stressful situations?  Do you and your partner or support person(s) "click" with her?  This is perhaps the most important thing to consider when choosing a doula.  She should be someone who you feel comfortable and at ease with.  The last thing you want is someone who you believe could potentially cause you more stress or tension.

- What kind of training and experience does this doula have?  Keep in mind that certification does not equal experience, and vise versa. 

- How accessible is this person to you for answering questions and phone support?

- What is their philosophy of birth, and postpartum & baby care?  Although a doula's job is to support your decisions, whatever they maybe, every doula has a certain bias and you may be better suited to find someone who holds similar beliefs as you do.

- What other services is your doula able to offer you (for instance- birth and postpartum support, natural parenting coaching, childbirth education, etc...)?

It is important to remember that you may not find the perfect match in your first interview.  Don't be discouraged!  Continue to interview doulas until you find the person you are comfortable with and confidant in- it will make all the difference!