Postpartum Care Starts With Healing
Above all else my goal is to help you rest, recover and bond with your baby. That may mean doing some or all of the things listed below, but primarily it means making sure you are able to rest (ideally in bed) for a minimum of 15 days. Are fed nourishing foods and beverages throughout the day, can tend to your body’s physical and mental healing and care for your new baby.
My Services Include
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To help you heal I can prepare sitz baths, “padsicles,” teach you belly binding, wound care in the case of cesarean section, nipple/breast care for nursing parents. I can provide general assessment of your healing and observation of any signs of postpartum depression.
Note: I am not a medical provider. I can’t diagnose or treat physical or mental illness. In cases that require more support than my scope allows I will refer you to a qualified professional.
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This can include doing the dishes, laundry, changing sheets and bedding, sweeping and vacuuming, organizing baby stuff, assembling baby gear, meal planning, etc...
Note: I don’t deep clean your house. That includes cleaning appliances, bathrooms, and doing yard work. I am happy to refer you to a great housekeeper if you need more support with upkeep.
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I can make your favorite recipes or nourishing postpartum-specific meals. I particularly enjoy preparing Ayurvedic postpartum meals, if that is something that interests you. Does figuring out what I should cook stress you out? No worries, I can also help you come up with a meal plan!
Note: I am a pescatarian (vegetarian + fish) and don’t feel comfortable cooking meat for safety reasons. I’m happy to use prepared meat (like deli meat for sandwiches).
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To revisit your birth experience several times is a normal part of your integration into parenthood. This can be a much-needed release, whether your birth was what you dreamed it would be, a traumatic experience or something in between. It's important to process this life changing event.
Note: doulas are not therapists, for more serious trauma processing, referrals to a trained professional may be offered.
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I have basic lactation training and can help you with latching and positioning for feeding your baby. I can also help you learn how to use a pump. Be sure to get a prescription from your O.B. or midwife to get a free pump through your insurance before your baby arrives (I can also help with this if you need it). I recommend Spectra pumps!
Note: While I have basic lactation training and experience I do not have the extensive training an IBCLC has. For breastfeeding issues outside of my scope I may refer you to a qualified IBCLC.
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Let’s be honest, the postpartum period can be really boring and lonely. For some new parents it’s hard to socialize like you did before baby, due to your new priorities or difficulty feeling like yourself. Sometimes you just want to make sure you're not alone all day! Being a postpartum doula is often like being a lady in waiting… talk about the royal treatment!
I also have a network of new parents like you and l love connecting people and supporting them through community building.
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As a postpartum client I would love to meet with you before baby arrives to help you prepare for life with a newborn. This is especially great if you have no idea what having a newborn entails. Or if you think your postpartum leave will be a great time for projects. I’m here to give you a reality check!
Topics we cover:
Immediately after birth: Golden Hour, skin to skin, breastfeeding, hospital interventions
Baby 101: diapering, dressing, feeding, sleeping and bathing
Mother care: supplies to have, expectations, postpartum support team building
Baby gear: what do you need, what can wait and what is unnecessary
Relationship: How to prepare your relationship as your family grows
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My postpartum care is centered around caring for the mother. But I am happy to hold your baby for a couple hours while you are napping, showering or taking some time for yourself.
I can also support your parenting by reassuring you that you’re doing things well. I can teach you basic infant care like diapering, bathing, baby wearing, co-sleeping or swaddling and troubleshoot problems like gassiness or fussiness.
If you need more than a couple hours of childcare a day. I offer child centered daytime and overnight infant care separate from my postpartum services. During these shifts I am focused on infant care and development. Chores are reduced to baby laundry and bottles. As I focus on feeding, diapering, napping and playing with your baby.
Note: I don’t babysit older children or take care of pets.
What Past Clients are Saying
“Honestly, Amy almost helped me with everything. Like she prepared meals for us. And everything she cooked I asked for the recipe. She helped me to organize my house, did light cleaning, etc. And she did everything while holding the baby. The best part about her was how she was committed to her work, and she was very professional throughout the time she worked with me. I promise anybody who hires her can totally count on her.
Without your help, my motherhood journey would have become harder without a doubt. I can’t thank you enough for all your help. My newborn, who was 4 days old when you started, loves you. Sometimes as parents, it was hard for us to calm him down, but I and my husband were amazed by seeing how you can calm him down easily AS IF YOU KNOW MAGIC! Ahan and we really appreciate your help. We love you and miss you a lot.”
— Sampurna C.
“Amy is incredible and I don’t know what I would have done without her. She is kind and warm and so fun to talk to. She has so much knowledge and experience and is happy to share any and all of it. I felt safe and cared for, which is truly the biggest gift. It’s priceless. I hope every new momma finds an Amy.”
— Mea V.
“I’m so glad you were recommended to me as a postpartum doula! We were stressed and struggling to adjust to this new little life that had totally blown our world apart. I was still healing from a complicated birth, it was painfully clear that two parents was just not enough adults, and we didn't know what to do or how to care for ourselves and this babe at the same time.
You walked us through this transition with a mixture of direct help, good advice, commiseration, guidance, and connection to larger community. From making (delicious!) food, doing chores, and caring for the baby so I could rest, to helping with sleep setup and nursing challenges, to recommending other professional support and activities, you really helped us into parenthood and through a very challenging time.
Throughout all of it, your values of community, connection, and supporting mothers have shone brightly, and brought new warmth and energy into my life.”
— Blaize D.
“I absolutely loved having Amy participate in my birth and postpartum care! She was attentive and made helpful suggestions throughout the time she was with us.
During the postpartum period Amy helped with meal preparation, guidance on where to gain additional information on breastfeeding, took care of dishes, laundry, pump parts, helped me learn different baby wraps and how to secure the baby in them. She was also very accommodating with my toddler and indoor animals supervising them in outside play in the yard. I also enjoyed getting to discuss the labor and gain more insight to what happened and she even took pictures of the labor and delivery and sent it to me in google photos. This labor, delivery, and postpartum experience was a much better experience then I previously had and much of that is due to Amy's knowledge, care, and attention. I can't say thank you enough.”
— Ashley S.