11/10/2025
Not all postnatal doulas offer exactly the same service. So here is a list of some of the the possible services a postnatal doula may offer (and all of which I offer):
💜 The opportunity to discuss your birth 💜
This may be because you had a birth that has left you feeling traumatised, bullied, let down or in some other way less than happy about the experience. Doulas offer you the opportunity to talk though your experience with someone who will listen/hold your hand/be a shoulder to cry on, without trotting out the line, “At least you have healthy baby, and that’s all that matters.” They are someone who can signpost you to appropriate sources of more specialised support and/or help you to go about registering a compliant, if you feel either of these options are what you need.
And of course if you had a wonderful birth experience that you feel like you want to shout about from the rooftops, they will be able to share in your joy. You won’t need to curb your enthusiasm for fear of making them feel bad. They know how much someone’s experience of birth can affect them and they will be genuinely happy for you, if yours was positive.
💜 Looking after the baby (or babies) while you rest/take a bath/spend time with your other children 💜
Our job is not the same as that of a nanny, who will be there specifically to look after your baby for you. But we will happily take the baby for a while, so that you can get on with any of life’s other jobs.
💜Taking care of your other children 💜
Once again, although we are not nannies, we are generally happy to take care of older siblings, in order that you can spend time getting to know your new baby without being climbed on!
Most are also happy to take care of both the new baby as well as their older siblings, giving you a chance to have a relaxing child-free bath or take much needed nap.
💜 Support you in learning how to look after your baby 💜
Not everyone knows how to change a nappy or bath a baby before their own arrives. Doulas are generally happy to help you with learning these things.
💜 Feeding information and support 💜
Doulas should offer support, however you feed your baby, whether you exclusively breastfeed, breastfeed in combination with formula feeding, exclusively formula feed, or feed you baby expressed milk (whether your own or donated by someone else). Many doulas have undertaken some training in the area of breastfeeding support. Some are qualified as Breastfeeding Peer Supporters or Breasfeeding Counsellors.
Doulas should know when they can offer information and suggestions, and when a problem is beyond their scope of knowledge. In which case they should know where to get you more specialised help.
I am a trained Breastfeeding Counsellor, am heavily involved in local feeding support groups, and have close links with local International Board Certified Lactation Consultants, whom I can refer you to, should you need more specialised support than I am able to provide.
💜Being a supportive presence, during those first few public breastfeeds 💜
You don’t have to remain at home with your doula. If you feel daunted by the idea of breastfeeding in a public place, a doula will be happy to accompany you to your local shopping centre, café or park. Chances are nothing will untoward will happen, and no-one will say or do anything other than admire your baby and smile at you. But if having your doula with you makes you feel better, then they’ll be happy to oblige. And doubtless they’ll be armed with many witty comebacks, in the highly unlikely event that anyone does offer anything other than positive comments.
💜 Accompanying you to postnatal appointments or baby groups 💜
If you have a midwife, doctor or health visitor appointment, that you’d like your doula to accompany you to, or you just want someone you know to be with you the first time you attend a baby group, then they will most likely be happy to do so. Depending on whether they have a car, and the necessary insurance, they may even be able to drive you there. Whether you feel you need someone to advocate for you regarding a specific issue, want to have a supportive presence or just because you are worried about the logistics of just getting out of the house with a small baby, they can be there for you.
💜Support choosing and using slings 💜
Most doulas should have some basic knowledge of slings, and should know about the TICKS rule of safe babywearing (which everyone should follow when wearing a new baby in a sling). Some may have trained as Babywearing Peer Supporters or Babywearing Consultants, and will therefore be able to offer more specialised support. And if not, they should be able to signpost to local Babywearing Consultants and/or sling libraries.
I am a trained Babywearing Consultant, with a library of almost 100 slings.
💜Doing housework, including cooking 💜
This is an area in which doulas do vary. Some are happy to do pretty much any form of house work and will cook meals for the entire family, if asked. Others feel that it is not part of their role to do household chores.
For me personally, I feel that my job is to provide whatever help is needed in order for you to enjoy the first few weeks with your new baby. If that means me cleaning your kitchen, while you cuddle your baby on the sofa, then that’s what I’ll do. If it means preparing tea for your family, with your baby wrapped against me in a sling, while you take an afternoon nap, or a much needed bath or shower, then that’s what I’ll do.
💜 Looking after pets 💜
Again this is an area where some doulas would draw the line. But I feel that if the dog needs walking, and you feel that walking any distance with your dog, especially one that pulls on its lead, would cause you discomfort, because of a caesarean scar or episiotomy, then I’d consider that part of my job. I am also just as happy to feed pets as I am children!
💜 Doing your shopping 💜
Not all doulas will offer to do your shopping. But as I’ve mentioned already, if that’s what you need me to do in order to enjoy the first few weeks with your new baby, then that’s what I’ll do. No-one has yet asked me to do a full week’s food shopping at the local supermarket, but I have been asked to ‘pick up a packet of maternity pads on my way over’ or to just ‘pop out and grab a loaf of bread', so the toddler can have sandwiches for their lunch.
💜 Provide you with information on local groups and other relevant services 💜
Doulas are usually very well informed about local services, such as breastfeeding support groups, sling libraries and cranial osteopaths, as well as different baby groups.
💜 Nursing bra fitting 💜
This probably isn’t a service that many doulas offer. Although it is likely that they will be able to signpost you to local nursing bra fitting services, if they are any availble in your area.
However, it is a service I do offer. I was trained as a maternity/nursing bra fitter, by the NCT (and later by Royce Lingerie), and volunteered as the Swindon branch’s bra fitter for 3 years. When the NCT stopped offering bra fitting, I started up my own independent nursing bra fitting service, and am happy to include this service as part of my time as your postnatal doula.
For me being your postnatal doula is about whatever you need in order to help make the first few days and weeks of being a new parent as easy and enjoyable as possible. And that means that is different for every family I work for.
