Overnight Doula, Is It Too Good to Be True?
As a postpartum doula I offer a myriad of support for new parents. One of my top questions when new parents reach out for my services is “Do you offer overnight support?” The answer is YES! That means that I can help you catch up on some much needed sleep that we all know is so precious during the postpartum healing process.
Overnight doula care is a great option for new parents that are worried about the lack of sleep that they will be getting in the first few months and up to the first few years. I can help you catch up on sleep and give some helpful newborn sleep tips to keep you rested even when I am not there.
But what does a typical night look like with a postpartum doula? Will you really get more rest even when you are exclusively breastfeeding? Can I help with getting your baby on a more consistent sleep schedule? (The answer is yes to both.)
Lets start by going over a quick overview of what a night in the life of an overnight postpartum doula looks like.
A typical night starts between 8-10pm, I arrive around the time that you are getting in bed for the night. We will find a schedule that I most beneficial to you and your family.
I’ll arrive and we will chat about the day, go over some of your questions or concerns. Now is a great time to feed baby, whether you are bottle feeding or breastfeeding, so that baby will be ready for a hopefully long stretch of sleep! Newborn babies do not have a consistent sleep schedule but tend to want to eat every 2 hours or so.
Then I will work on getting baby to sleep and begin the night! When baby wakes and is ready to eat I will bring baby to you to feed if you are breastfeeding. You do not have to leave the comfort of your bed! I can also bring you water, snacks or even a hot cup of tea. It is important to keep you nourished and hydrated, especially when breastfeeding.
If you have decided to bottle feed, or choose to have me bottle feed baby so you can get a longer stretch of sleep then I will feed baby and get them back to sleep.
While your baby sleeps I can tidy up around the house, fold some laundry, wash bottle and pump parts and I can even do some meal preparation during this time. If you like I can even prepare breakfast for you.
When you wake up in the morning you are fully rested, greeted by a clean house and warm breakfast waiting for you. And no, that is not too good to be true!
After the first couple of nights I will get a better idea of your babies natural sleep rhythms, and can identify if there are any problem areas in his or her sleep. At this point I can give you a few pointers for nights when I am not there! My goal is to leave you with the skills for successful sleep throughout your babies first few months. I am also available at any point for questions or concerns about newborn sleep!
Do you think your family could benefit from the overnight support of a postpartum doula? I would love to hear from you!
