When Should I Hire My Postpartum Doula?
It’s no secret that finding a spot at the best local daycare or preschool requires booking months in advance. Sometimes it even means putting your name on a wait list. You’ve heard about this before, right?
“Infant care tends to book up fairly fast and several months in advance. In order to find one that meets all your needs, it’s essential to start looking as early as possible. Do not wait until the week before you head back to work.” – Stonewall Day Care Center
Similarly, did you know that postpartum doulas also get booked up weeks and months in advance?
The demand for postpartum doulas has expanded tremendously over the last few years. There is a growing awareness of this resource and the benefits to having in-home support as you settle in with your baby and begin your journey as a new parent.
In addition to the educational, emotional and hands-on support that your doula provides she also specializes in caring for newborns. A postpartum doula is there to make your life easier by attuning to your needs during this major transition. One of the many ways she does this is to give you a break so that you may rest and take care of yourself. Your doula may care for your baby for a few hours or even the whole night. This allows you to wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. Babies require full time care and your postpartum doula becomes a part of your village to make this possible.
So when should you hire a postpartum doula?
We recommend that you book your postpartum doula as far in advance as possible. Truly. It is not uncommon for families to contact us many months before their due date to reserve a postpartum support package.
As soon as you know you’re pregnant is a good time to reach out to us. Or, as soon as you are ready to start interviewing is also a good time. The earlier our calendar is reserved for you, the sooner you can relax knowing you will be well supported.
What about last minute postpartum doula bookings? Yes, we do those too.
We are happy to try to work some magic with the schedule if possible. Occasionally we have a doula that would like to care for an additional family during a slower week. Due to the size of our doula team, we can often accommodate last minute support needs. But, not always. If we do not have any immediate availability we will let you know when our soonest opening might be to support you.
After you reach out to us you will have the opportunity to virtually interview the doula or doulas on our team who are the best fit for you.
All of our doulas are highly-trained, experienced and passionate about what they do. We hand select potential doulas for you to interview based on their availability around your due date, your anticipated support schedule, your location and any other criteria that is important to you. After you have had a chance to interview with the doulas we follow up with you to see how you feel about moving forward.
So, whether you are planning in advance (which we strongly recommend!) or you are in need of support immediately, reach out to hire your postpartum doula. We look forward to having the opportunity to support you and your growing family!
