SERVICES
Daytime 3-8 hours
Morning, afternoon, or evening shifts.
Reserve a time of day when it feels most overwhelming for you-
Examples: partner leaves for work and older kids have to get ready for school // middle of the day when you need a solid meal and a nap or you feel most isolated // evening when siblings get home from school and homework, dinner, and bed time need attention
All daytime shifts include laundry catch-up, dishes catch-up, meal prep and light cooking, bottle washing/sanitizing, nursery re-stocking and tidying in general, if it's helpful.
Nighttime - Partial
3-5 hours
Any 3-5 hour stretch of the night that feels most challenging.
Examples: baby wakes up at 3 am every single night and so does your 3-year-old // beginning of the night, I keep the baby fed and soothed so you can get a solid stretch right in the beginning // Wee hours of the morning - 2am, 3am, or 4am - where it's so challenging to keep your eyes open and you need urgent sleep relief, but your partner also needs sleep to be able to get up for work.
Depending on the length of the shift, baby, and mom's goals, nighttime shifts include laundry catch-up, dishes catch-up, bottle washing/sanitizing, nursery re-stocking, and tidying in general, if it's helpful. Some nighttime newborn caregivers sleep when baby sleeps, but I choose to stay awake during the entirety of shifts.
Full Night Care
Any stretch of 6, 8, or 10 hours overnight.
These shifts can be entirely customized with full newborn care while parents sleep - mom may only get up to pump and leave the milk and pump parts at the door for me to collect, feed, and store the rest (then sanitize parts and get them ready for the next pumping session). Mom may only have baby in for breastfeeding or bottle feeding, then I burp, diaper, soothe, and put baby back to sleep. I may take over full newborn care for the entire shift - this can be restorative rest for many parents, even booking just one full overnight session within the first couple of weeks!
Depending on baby and mom's goals, nighttime shifts include laundry catch-up, dishes catch-up, bottle washing/sanitizing, nursery re-stocking, and tidying in general, if it's helpful. Some nighttime newborn caregivers sleep when baby sleeps, but I choose to stay awake during the entirety of shifts.
Lactation
Lactation support sessions can be booked independently, but each postpartum newborn shift, day or night comes with a brief, basic lactation consult (if requested) to make sure mom is getting the most out of the very hard work of breastfeeding or pumping for baby. Some moms cannot breastfeed or choose not to breastfeed, and I can also offer support with safely and gradually reducing milk supply to help prevent common complications. If deeper lactation struggles need addressing, dedicated lactation sessions with troubleshooting common or unique challenges are available.
Appointments
Any 2-3 hour stretch where mom needs a second set of hands during an outing. Babies have a lot of appointments in the first couple of weeks and I offer a ride-along to help soothe baby during the car ride and be helpful for mom getting ready beforehand and getting re-settled once home. This is especially helpful for moms with lift restrictions after birth and partners who must return to work.
Frequently asked questions:
Q. what is a certified postpartum Doula?
A. A certified postpartum doula is a trained professional who has attended and completed a postpartum doula certification program. A postpartum doula is seen as a postpartum supporter who is an extension of you and your wishes for the postpartum period. They offer personalized support for mother's recovery, newborn transition to life outside the womb, and the whole family's transition to welcoming home a new baby. Postpartum doulas work, day and night, doing essentially what the particular family needs. Duties include: newborn feeding, burping, diapering, soothing, bottle prep, emotional support for mom, adjustment to feedings, bottle and pump-part washing and sanitizing, sleep support for parents, interacting with and helping siblings adjust to a recovering parent and new baby, dishes, breastfeeding support, light cooking, referrals for other helpful postpartum or medical services, tidying, restocking the nursery, and laundry. The postpartum doula makes daily life easier for the whole family during the postpartum period.
Q. why do I need a postpartum doula or newborn caregiver when i have family in town to help?
A. You may not, however, a postpartum doula + lactation care specialist is trained to be a comprehensive addition to your postpartum care team. They look out for you and protect your birth recovery (both mentally and physically), your other children (if applicable), and the household in which your partner may need to be returning to return to work soon, helping everything go more smoothly. They work closely with you and your other caregivers/visitors, taking some of the pressure off of them so they can take in more time with you and your newest family member!
Also, if you had a complicated pregnancy or birth, it can be more helpful to have someone there who is trained in the medical, postpartum, and lactation fields to offer peace of mind and an extra set of eyes on the recovery and transition for you and/or baby. This is especially true if there are lift restrictions after birth.
Q. How do you handle different family decisions regarding controversial topics like circumcision, formula vs. breastfeeding, use of pacifiers, sleep training, etc?
A. My goals as a postpartum doula are to care for you and your newborn safely. Outside of that, your decisions are yours to make for your new baby and family. I will always do my best to take care of you and your family in a way that wholly respects and aligns with your parenting style, decisions, and preferences. As long as I can care for you and your newborn safely, it is my job to do so as closely as you prefer as possible. That being said, I am quite knowledgeable on certain postpartum and lactation topics and can provide the latest evidence-based information for parents to make informed decisions, but will only do so if prompted.
Q. Some Newborn night caregivers rest when baby rests. do you sleep during a shift?
A. While other newborn night carers may sleep when baby sleeps, I choose not to do this. When I arrive at your home, I consider myself "on the clock." This means I am fully awake and aware at all times during my time in your home and with your family and newborn. I will always come to shifts in professional attire (medical scrubs) and be awake and ready at any minute or hour to help you or your baby.
Q. Why don't you take my insurance?
A. Unfortunately, insurance coverage has not caught up with extensive need for postpartum support yet. Some insurances do have limited reimbursement for postpartum care, but you would need to contact your insurance company to verify coverage on your specific policy.
Q. Why would I need a postpartum doula?
A. Honestly, in my years of experience both as a mom and professional working with new babies and their families, I have never once said or had a mom tell me she had the support she wished she'd had after birth. It isn't because you aren't enough. YOU ARE. You also happen to be human and humans were meant to experience the postpartum period with plenty of help from other women who have walked the path before. This is not about inadequacy. It's about empowerment and support to be able to be the very best mom you can be. Every woman deserves to soften into the earliest weeks of motherhood, to recover and bond with her new baby--not merely survive through the chaos of such a big life change.
TESTIMONIALS
Parents Recommend
Samantha K.
“Alyssa was kind, caring knowledgeable, and did not hesitate to jump in and take on tasks that kept our household and family running.”
Zack H.
"My wife was so nervous when I returned to work, but we hired Alyssa to step in and help and it allowed my wife to relax and feel fully supported while I had to be out of the house."
Maria C.
"Alyssa helped me get the rest I needed to recover while respecting my feeding choices, parenting style, and the way i run my household. I could not be more grateful for her expertise and support!"
Postpartum Doula Service RATES
(Full Overnight Newborn Caregiver or Daytime Mom, Newborn, & Family Support IS CUSTOMIZED IN UNIQUE PACKAGES FOR EACH FAMILY depending on their needS)
Bundle pricing for multiple visits and weekly care are available, as well as weekly payment plans and gift certificates to add to any baby shower registry - you can give mom the gift of Postpartum care for her whole family (please coordinate with parents, since hiring a doula is a very personal choice)