What is a postnatal doula? Why would you get one and what do they actually do? How do you find one and what do they cost?
In the early days and weeks of parenthood when everything is new and everyone is Figuring Things Out, you might find yours and your baby’s essential practical and medical needs are being met, but what about everything else? What about yours and your partners’ emotional recovery from the wild ride of birth – however it played out? Who’s making sure you’re well nourished? Who’s helping you with the domestics? Who’s helping you at least have one hot cuppa and a shower without interruption?
Do you have anyone who can offer another pair of arms to rock your baby when you’re absolutely exhausted? Take care of them while you catch up on sleep? Sit with you between midwife visits, help you establish feeding, build your confidence and be a non-judgemental source of evidence-based support and signposting to other professional services you might need.
And what about when the time comes for you to do something alone, something for you – perhaps get out into the world, move your body, reconnect with your partner or older children?
A postnatal doula can help you with all of that, and more.
And it’s not because you can’t handle parenthood on your own, it’s because we weren’t meant to do it on our own. Modern life means people are often living far away from their immediate family, have partners who can only take two weeks’ parental leave, and who are faced with a barrage of information about the do’s and don’ts, the ‘must-haves’ and the ‘ideals’ and whose postnatal healthcare teams are spread too thin.
Postnatal doulas offer professional, compassionate and evidence-based care. We do not give medical advice, undertake examinations or perform any other clinical tasks. We take time to get to know you and your family, and provide support that’s totally tailored to you as you navigate the ride that is postpartum.
Doulas are not new
The concept of community-based, in-home support during the postpartum period isn’t new – it’s been around as long as we have. In many cultures around the world, new mothers are surrounded by experienced women who provide practical support, share wisdom, and ensure the new family is fully nurtured.
However, modern life has dismantled our traditional support systems. We often live far from where we were raised. We’re expected to bounce back quickly, to manage independently, and to find our way through parenthood with minimal support. The feeling of isolation this can create
contributes to higher rates of postnatal depression, relationship stress, and feelings of inadequacy among new parents.
An experienced postnatal doula brings ancient wisdom into the modern era, offering part of the village needed to help raise your child.
What does postnatal doula support actually look like?
Think of your doula as an extra pair of experienced, caring hands who shows up without judgement and with the specific intention of tending to your entire family during the perinatal period.
Practical support
During a visit, your postnatal doula might arrive with a nourishing meal – nutritious, warm, easy on the digestive system and perfect for recovery, perhaps some homemade bread and soup, or an easy pasta bake that can be frozen for when you need it. While you focus on feeding and bonding with your baby, we’re quietly taking care of the things that can end up feeling overwhelming or just too much to take on: changing bed sheets, folding a load of washing, tidying the kitchen, or playing with other children.
Equally, we might be using some of our early sessions to take care of your baby so you can sleep, honouring your need for rest as the most vital part of physical and emotional recovery.
As time goes on and life settles, postpartum doulas can help ease the transition of partners going back to work, providing continuity of support as your midwife visits come to an end. We are also often our clients’ first babysitters!
Emotional and informational support
Beyond the practical tasks, doulas provide a safe space for you to process your birth experience, discuss any feeding challenges, and simply talk through the myriad of emotions that accompany new parenthood. We’re trained to listen without judgment, offer evidence-based information when needed, and remind you that your instincts are valid and important.
Many of us are trained with a trauma-informed approach to care, which means we can hold space and support the tough things that may come up.
Doulas will also help connect you with other services and support networks, whether that’s a lactation consultant for feeding troubles, mental health support, infant sleep support, or local parent groups. We act as a bridge between your family and the wider support systems available in your community. Some doulas offer these types of additional services themselves.
Debunking doula myths
Despite the growing recognition and availability of postnatal doula support in Aotearoa, there are a couple of myths that warrant busting, so people aren’t dissuaded from accessing a service that might be transformative for them.
“You don’t need a doula if you have family nearby”
While family support is invaluable, it can bring its own complexities. Close relatives may not always be available – especially if they live far away, or are working. Grandparents may have an ‘outdated’ view of baby care and could bring strong opinions about your parenting choices, however well-meaning they are.
Family dynamics can also include an emotional context and/or expectations that may add stress rather than relief during a vulnerable time. Postnatal doulas are not family members, and that is often what our clients value most!
“Doulas make partners feel useless”
Experienced doulas will actually enhance partners’ abilities to give their best support. A doula will give them guidance, build their confidence, help answer their own questions, help them process their experiences of the birth process and ensure they are also getting necessary rest.
Rather than feeling sidelined, partners often report feeling more confident and capable alongside the support of a compassionate doula, who will never undermine them.
“Doulas are for people who can’t handle parenting on their own”
This myth suggests that seeking support indicates some kind of weakness or inadequacy. In reality, hiring a postnatal doula demonstrates huge self-awareness and wellbeing prioritisation.
The transition to parenthood – whether it’s your first child or fourth – involves significant physical, emotional, and lifestyle adjustments. Professional support doesn’t show a lack of ability; it recognises that families are often missing the community support that humans have relied on for millennia.
“Doulas are only for wealthy families”
While the support of a qualified, experienced postnatal doula involves cost, many doulas understand the financial pressures facing families and will offer flexible payment options. Some provide sliding scale fees or payment plans, and some may be able to offer some kind of ‘matched’ care with the doula matching the hours a client has paid for. Doulas currently completing training, or who are newly qualified will also often offer low-cost care to build up their experience.
The investment in support during this critical period pays dividends in terms of your recovery from birth, your overall family wellbeing, your relationship stability, as well as your long-term mental health.
What’s the evidence for the benefits of postnatal doulas?
There is not as much research into the postnatal doula role as the birth doula role, however the studies that have looked at the impact of postnatal community support are all positive.
For example, the chances of initiating and then sustaining breastfeeding (if that is what the parents want) are increased with access to postnatal community support. Rates of postnatal mood disorders, for example postnatal depression, PTSD and postnatal anxiety, are reduced among women who have dedicated postnatal community support. And parents report increased satisfaction and confidence in their abilities with the support of someone with professional skills in postpartum care.
Some countries have incorporated postnatal care services into state-funded healthcare systems, which indicates the value given to this type of support.
In The Netherlands, an in-home postnatal care service provided by a kraamzorg, or maternity nurse, is funded by the Dutch health insurance system after the birth of all babies. In the US, where doulas are more common than they are in Aotearoa, doula care is covered in some states by medical insurance, as is the case in the UK, where doulas are now also being employed into the maternity care system by some NHS trusts.
One of the many benefits of doula support is flexibility. Some families need intensive help in the first few weeks, when doulas work alongside midwives as an extra layer of support. Other families prefer to spread their doula visits over a longer period. Some might save some visits for when their partner returns to work or when their family support diminishes.
Your doula works with you to create a support plan that matches your family’s needs and circumstances. And that includes being sensitive and respectful to your spiritual and cultural needs and parenting philosophies.
Another benefit of hiring a doula is the continuity of care, one of the most important markers of satisfaction in new parents’ perceptions of their experiences. Unlike the brief encounters you might have at your healthcare appointments, a postnatal doula will be a constant and trusted presence in your postnatal journey. We often insist on one or more antenatal visits and will maintain regular contact during your pregnancy to enable a deep, trusting relationship to grow.
How do you find a doula?
If you’re interested in how a doula could help your family, the best way to find one in Aotearoa is online. As well as Hey Māmā’s growing directory of perinatal service providers, there is also the ‘Find a doula’ function of the Doulas of Aotearoa directory and a good-old Google search. Doulas usually have their own websites and a social media presence, and it’s wise to have a good look at the services they offer, any training they have and find out what their approach to care and support looks like so you can get an idea of whether they’d be a good fit for you.
Most doulas will offer a no-cost initial meeting – either in person or by phone, to offer you the chance to ask questions, and to check you both have a good initial rapport and can imagine working closely together. It’s a good idea to have some questions prepared for this chat, so you can get a gauge on the doula’s style of working and whether their priorities and philosophy of care matches yours. It can feel a bit like a blind date, but most of the time you’ll either feel an instant connection or you won’t. And that’s fine, not every doula will work for every family.
While there are currently no requirements for someone to have received any official training to become a doula in Aotearoa, and it might not be top of your priority list to check their professional profile, be cautious about entering into any agreements or exchanging money with someone offering doula services without any proof of their experience. Lots of doulas will have done training – potentially abroad where training is more common – and will be glad to share not only their qualifications, but also testimonials from previous clients.
The cost of postnatal doula services will also vary depending on their experience and qualifications. It may also depend on how far away they live from you, what kinds of hours and time of day you are looking for support, and whether you need them to offer any kind of ‘on-call’ care – as a birth doula does.
The transition to parenthood is one of life’s most profound journeys. Having skilled, compassionate support along the way shouldn’t feel like a luxury – it should be recognised as honouring the magnitude of change you’re navigating, and the importance of starting this new chapter of your life with confidence, support, and joy.