Visits usually include a combination of care for the mother, care for the baby, coaching and practicing baby care with the parents, and meal preparation. I check in on the well-being of the household and help the parent(s) find other resources as needed. I am trained as a perinatal yoga instructor as well, and can further ease the transition for the birthing parent with gentle yoga practice appropriate for their stage of childbearing.
Mother Care
Only with great care and nurturing can the mother complete her transformation and re-emerge with restored energy and confidence. My work is to mother the mother so that she may have complete rest, bond with her newborn(s), and discover her own mothering instincts. I listen to the mother's concerns and questions, and respond with care and resources as appropriate. I pay close attention to her emotional state as well as physical recovery, and encourage her to prioritize her own wellness. I make sure the mother is well fed and hydrated, help make her home an environment in which she can relax, and I help the mother find comfort measures, from rearranging pillows to the occasional neck and shoulder massage.
Baby Care
I assist with baby care while parents get a break to sleep, shower, have a meal together, or tend to other children in the family. I help parents understand their baby’s rapidly changing needs in the first days and weeks, help parents practice feeding, diapering, swaddling, bathing, baby-wearing and strategies to soothe a crying baby (see baby wearing). Parents also learn to recognize their baby's cues, recognize baby’s leaps and milestones, and understand when to seek medical attention.
Most of newborn care is establishing feeding, particularly if the mother is breastfeeding, and trying different sleep arrangements to maximize sleep for the whole family.
Parent Coaching
Parents instinctively know how to care for their babies, and may just need affirmation. Many parenting tasks are only tried for the first time after the baby arrives so there can be uncertainty. With a little guidance and practice, parents will find what works for them and their little ones.
In families with more than one parent or care-giver, I can help parents strategize how to care for their baby together, and support each other to ease their postpartum time. An important aspect of becoming parents is to know where to find resources and how to build a community of support for themselves.
Meal Preparation
At the center of traditional postpartum care is nourishing food that aids in healing and replenishing vital nutrients after birth, strengthens immune function, encourages lactation, is easy to digest, and is aligned with the new mother's energetic needs.
Drawing on knowledge passed down in my cultural background and studies of traditional postpartum practices from Asian cultures, I prepare nourishing meals and snacks to meet the nutritional needs of the mother, particularly if the mother is breastfeeding. I take into account the family's tastes, preferences and dietary needs to create food that the whole family can enjoy.
Get Back To Sleep
I help demystify infant sleep, and support the whole family in resting as much as possible. While newborns sleep the majority of a 24-hour day, they need to feed frequently. Their sleep cycles are different than adult sleep cycles and are not synced with night or day. This can leave parents tired and struggling to cope.
While babies under 3 months cannot and should not be “sleep trained”, I can help parents find strategies to get more sleep to support their well-being, and make postpartum a more enjoyable time.
Starting around 3 months of age, establishing simple routine and good sleep hygiene can reduce or eliminate the need for “training” later.
I provide gentle sleep coaching as a separate service and can work with families to create and implement customized sleep plans for babies 3 - 12 months.