What is a postpartum doula?
Imagine having a nanna next door, someone with decades of experience, a calm pair of hands, and nothing but time for you and your baby. That’s what I hope to be for you.
A postpartum doula is like being wrapped in a warm blanket during one of the most tender, exhausting seasons of your life. I come into your home in those first weeks or months with your new baby and take some of the weight off, so you can rest, heal, and fall in love with your baby without feeling like you’re drowning.
Think of me as the experienced, unhurried support that so many of us used to have close by, a mother, a nanna, an aunty who’d simply turn up and get on with things. I work alongside your midwife, LMC, or Plunket nurse, never in place of them, and I leave the medical side to them. My job is to sit with you, listen, share what I know, and help you trust yourself.
What I bring, like a nanna would
- A gentle, unhurried, nurturing presence, no rushing, no clock-watching
- 30+ years of hands-on experience with mothers and babies
- A warm, non-judgemental lap to lean on, emotionally and practically
- A trauma-aware, deeply compassionate approach
How I can wrap around you and your family
- A listening ear for how your birth really went, and how you’re really feeling
- Reassurance and gentle company as you find your feet
- Support for your partner too, this season is theirs as well
- A soft place to land if things feel emotionally heavy, with guidance toward more support if you need it
- Time. A proper bath, an uninterrupted nap, or simply a cup of tea while it’s still hot
And practically, like an extra pair of hands at home
- Light housework: vacuuming, a quick bathroom clean, folding the washing, the dishwasher, wiping the counters
- Home-cooked meals, made with you and baby in mind
- Batch cooking to fill your freezer for the weeks ahead
- Breastfeeding and feeding support, whatever that looks like for you
- Cuddling and settling baby so you can simply rest
- Overnight support, so you can rest and recharge while I take care of baby
- Reliable information and signposting, so you’re never left guessing
- Anything else you need a hand with. We’ll talk it through
I work with you to build a package of visits, supporting you at home any time from birth up to one year. I only take on a small number of families at a time, so you’re never just another booking. You get my full, unhurried attention.
Please note: a parent needs to be home during my working hours. Think of it as me being your extra pair of hands, alongside you, rather than in place of you.
You are not meant to do this alone. Let me be your nanna next door. Michelle x