Reasons to Hire a Postpartum Doula
Want to know 3 reasons you should hire a postpartum doula, that have nothing to do with the help she gives you?
First, I'd like to remind you of the practical support she provides. A postpartum doula offers invaluable and often intangible benefits to women during the fourth trimester that stretch far beyond basic household tasks. However, sometimes it is through the most practical help that a new mother’s capacity for healing, bonding, and joy is improved. A postpartum doula frees up a new mother’s hands by taking on cooking, cleaning, and other care tasks during the labour-intensive fourth trimester (and beyond). She treats newborn mothers with postnatal massage, herbal baths, and soaks, creating a nurturing environment for both mother and baby.
While these services are undeniably beneficial, there are some compelling reasons to hire a postpartum doula that have little to do with the direct help she provides. Here are three I' have thought of today:
1. Influencing Culture
When a person plans to propose marriage, they typically save up and purchase a ring. Many of us are walking around with thousands of dollars of stones and metals on our ring fingers, and rarely does anyone question whether this is a valid or luxurious choice. And why? Because it is ingrained in our cultural and social norms—perceived rules that define acceptable and appropriate actions. And what’s this got to do with hiring a postpartum doula? Well, nothing can become a cultural norm unless people are doing it!
Don’t underestimate the power you have by simply prioritising postpartum care for yourself. Your choice will have a ripple effect through your friends, your community, and your workplaces. In a matter of years, women all over the country will be expecting professional postpartum support, and their families will enthusiastically assume the cost. By choosing to hire a postpartum doula, you are contributing to a cultural shift that recognises and values the postpartum period as a crucial time for maternal health and well-being.
2. Reducing the Risks of Postpartum Depression and Anxiety (PPD/A)
With postpartum depression and anxiety rates soaring (one in five, according to PANDA), women must be offered protective structures. Distinct postpartum periods with mandated rest, functional assistance, and social recognition of motherhood have been evidenced to reduce the incidence of PPD/A. Hiring a postpartum doula can provide the support and care needed to create a protective environment, significantly lowering the risk of developing these conditions.
By incorporating a postpartum doula into your postpartum care plan, you are not just receiving help; you are investing in your mental health. The presence of a doula can ensure that you have the emotional and practical support necessary to navigate the challenges of new motherhood, thereby reducing the likelihood of experiencing postpartum depression and anxiety.
3. Pressure on the Public Healthcare
In a few lucky healthcare systems (high fives to Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Finland, and Sweden), daily midwife home visits are included for weeks following birth. These aren’t like the 20-minute visits we receive in Australia to check weight, bleeding, and wound healing. Much like a postpartum doula, midwives in these European countries help with food, breastfeeding, and other children too.
In many parts of the world, paid postpartum care is common practice, even among communities that have strong fourth trimester traditions embedded within families. Check out Yuesaos in China and Sanhujoriwon in Korea as examples.
Other paid supports, such as night nannies, are growing in popularity in the West, and Confinement Hotels (for a pretty penny) are popping up around the world, too (280 of them in Taiwan!!).
The evidence points to the benefits of this type of support, yet without action at the public policy level, birth parents are left to piece together their own postpartum care plans. By hiring a postpartum doula, you are advocating for a higher standard of care that acknowledges the importance of comprehensive postpartum support, similar to the practices seen in other healthcare systems.
Hiring a postpartum doula goes beyond the immediate, practical help she provides. By making this choice, you are contributing to cultural change, improving postpartum mental health, and advocating for improved healthcare standards. In doing so, you are not only benefiting yourself but also paving the way for future generations of mothers to receive the support they deserve during the critical postpartum period.
References
Stern, G., & Kruckman, L. (1983). Multidisciplinary perspectives on postpartum depression: An anthropological critique. Social Science and Medicine, 17, 1027- 1041.
http://www.uppitysciencechick.com/how_other_cultures.pdf
