My Newborn Won’t Fall Asleep At Night And I’m At The End Of My Rope Who Can Help Me Out?

Becoming a new mother has never been an easy task. It can be easier, though, with the help of a doula.

Over 350,000 babies are born every day around the world. Unfortunately, not every new mother has the means or support system to learn how to take care of her child. From dealing with postpartum to providing you assistance with new sleeping habits, it’s all in a day’s work for a doula. Having been created to ease the transition into motherhood, the postpartum doula is your shoulder during these unsteady times. If this is your first time reaching out to one…

…consider reading on. The function of a doula and what they can offer your new life will be explored below.

What Is A Doula?

Let’s start off with the most important question: what is a doula and what do they do? Put simply, the doula is a motherhood support service that first cropped up a few decades ago. Designed as an in-between for mother and hospital, doula services help new mothers (and even experienced mothers) grow acclimated to their new role. This includes day-to-day concerns, like learning how to sleep comfortably or breastfeeding. This can also include postpartum depression, which occurs in 15% of all births.

What Is Postpartum Depression?

An issue you may have to deal with as a new mother is postpartum depression, a mood disorder that is either caused or exacerbated by childbirth. The act of childbirth takes a significant toll on your body, even down to your hormones. Common signs of postpartum depression includes feelings of emptiness, frustration, difficulty bonding, changes in appetite, and insomnia. These issues can affect your ability to take care of your child properly. A doula has the experience required to fill in the gap and ease the pressure.

Why Do Babies Struggle To Fall Asleep?

The most obvious and frustrating part of being a new mother is just getting the rest you need. Either your sleep schedule is off because of postpartum depression or your child is struggling to fall asleep with you. A study on postpartum depression found nearly two-thirds of babies are able to fall asleep through the night by the age of six months. Most babies do not maintain six to eight hours without waking until three months. Postpartum doula will not just address this, but additional issues like separation anxiety.

When Will I Recover From Separation Anxiety?

When you feel nervous upon being separated from your child, even for a short time, you may be experiencing separation anxiety. Your child can also experience this. Once a baby starts to acclimate to a consistent sleep schedule, parents can become agitated when they wake up again and again. This is a normal part of becoming a parent, where both you and your child learn how to adapt to each other’s needs. Doula services are deeply familiar with the cause of separation anxiety and can provide you techniques to cope.

What Other Services Do Doulas Provide?

You need a helping hand on your way to becoming a proud mother. To work with a doula is to make the entire experience a little smoother, for both parent and child. Postpartum doula packages include physical therapy, counseling, breastfeeding techniques, emotional support, and community support. Which one is right for you depends on your experience and the unique issues you’re facing. Doulas also work in fields relating to adoption and geriatric care.

Being a mother isn’t easy. Let a doula help you out and provide you a shoulder to lean on.