Angela

CERTIFIED POSTPARTUM DOULA (CAPPA)

a brief bio

Angela was born and raised in New Jersey but has spent the past 35 years living in Rhode Island, where she has worked with children in some capacity or another. She has three adult children, who she loves dearly. She has worked as a nanny, childcare provider, and school bus driver, and is currently a Reiki practitioner. Angela naturally gravitated toward postpartum doula work and has found her calling in this field. Family is of utmost importance to her, and she cherishes time spent with the people she loves. She found a great deal of satisfaction in her postpartum doula work and feels that providing support to new families is an important role. Angela is a firm believer that every family has its own unique needs, and she's committed to making sure that everyone feels supported in their own way.

Angela has over forty years of experience in infant and childcare, and her passion for supporting families with infants and children is reflected in her work. She provides overnight care and support, so parents can get a good night's sleep while knowing their children are in good hands.

OFFERINGS

• Diapering


• Changing


• Bathing
 (first sponge bath, then regular bath)

• Soothing

• Circumcision & umbilical cord care


• Bottle preparation & storage 

• Bottle feeding (Breastmilk & Formula)


• Communication with breastfeeding parent to schedule feeds and transport baby back and forth to and from (when feeding overnight)

• Wash and sterilize bottles, pump parts, pacifiers, etc.

• Organization & maintenance of nursery

• Baby's laundry (washing, folding, and putting away)

• Create a regular feeding schedule

• Assist in establishing healthy sleep habits

• Keep nursery tidy and stocked

• Maintain a log that tracks the baby's feeding times, ounces, diapers, and anything else parents may need to know.

• Create a smooth transition for the family during the newborn stage (birth-3 months)

• Assist you with any (baseline) feeding issues baby may have, including formula feeding and breastfeeding support or knowing when to recommend pediatrician or IBCLC support for extensive issues. 

• Troubleshoot potential issues of concern with the newborn and offer professional options to resolve them

• Infant CPR (when needed)

• Providing a safe and healthy sleep environment for baby at all times

• Sleep Conditioning by using a gentle approach to help your baby develop sleep habits that lead to sleeping throughout the night

• Parent education and emotional support

WITH EXPERIENCE IN

• Reflux

• Colic

• Premature infant care

• Newborn Sleep Shaping

• Supporting mothers with Perinatal Mood Disorders

• Twins/Multiples

• Reiki

RECENT WORK EXPERIENCE

TB (overnight newborn care of female fraternal twins)

Started with them on day four postpartum so I followed the parent’s instructions for overnight care (gentle sleep shaping, diaper changing bottle feeding, holding them upright to avoid reflux, and swaddling). Since it was the sole desire of the parents to get sleep, I would take over care of the girls between 10pm (after getting a daily report) and 6am. I recorded detailed notes of times and specifics of diaper changes, feedings and sleep times to share with the parents before my departure.Bottle cleaning was done at the end of my shift.

SKS (overnight newborn care of male infant)

Stationed in the living room with this newborn to give the parents more quiet and sleep. I’m between feedings I would sterilize and assemble baby bottles and wash, dry and fold baby laundry. Woke baby every three hours for a diaper change and to bring to mother’s breast and fill his mother’s water bottle, followed by a supplemental bottle before settling baby back down to sleep. I held him upright for a little longer than average since he did have some reflux (about 20-30 minutes). He enjoyed the muslin triangle swaddle best. Minimal pacifier use, only as needed.

TT (overnight care of female newborn)

Assisted momma with breastfeeding latching and positioning, and while baby slept, did laundry and bottle sterilization. The night was spent in the nursery with the baby for the most part, and she was bottle fed pumped breastmilk so that her parents could sleep. Upon observing momma over the course of a few weeks both in the evenings when I arrived and in the mornings before I left, it was clear to me that she was struggling with postpartum depression. After discussing this with her, and learning that she had been unable to take her antidepressant medication while pregnant and nursing, I was able to refer her to outpatient treatment where she could bring baby for the day and get both individual therapy (while hospital staff took care of baby) and also group sessions with other parents and newborns. I’m so grateful to have been able to support and refer this new momma. Today they are thriving.

TP (overnight newborn care of male/female fraternal premature twins)

One twin (female) came home two weeks before her brother who stayed in the NICU a little longer until he was ready to come home. Parents used two Snoos which made it easier to stagger their feeding times when they were finally both home. Their only objective was to get much needed sleep, since they also had a three year old male toddler. They were bottle fed every three hours until they reached optimum weight to allow them to sleep longer stretches. The male newborn had bad reflux and they tried multiple different formulas before settling on Alimentum, which worked the best for the babies. The male newborn was rigid and difficult to feed and it was later discovered long after my assignment was done, that he has CP. I felt blessed to have works with both premies and with an infant who has social needs. I learned so much.

GH (overnight care for male newborn)

This family did not use a swaddle which was something I had not encountered before. I expected this baby to wake himself up with the Morrow Reflex, but he did extremely well in his little sleep sack with his arms free! Momma breastfed in the day and I bottle fed overnight with pumped breast milk. He had a period of nipple confusion but with some patience and a few days of breast to bottle technique, he was feeding quite well with the bottle whilst still breastfeeding during the day. I did bottle washing and baby laundry while he slept.

CERTIFICATIONS/TRAINING

• Postpartum Doula (CAPPA)

• CPR

• Reiki Master Teacher