What Is a Night Doula? Everything You Want to Know and More!
Simply put, a night doula provides you and your baby with extra support after you get home from the hospital.
A night doula, sometimes called postpartum doula, helps even the most experienced parents care for their new child and provide mom with the time she needs to recover.
Keep reading to learn what a night doula is and why you should hire one today.
Night Doula vs. Birth Doula vs. Midwife
A night doula, birth doula, and midwife serve very different roles. A birth doula helps mothers prepare for labor and delivery. They do this by assisting in drafting a birth plan, teaching breathing techniques, and helping to prepare your partner for labor support.
A midwife can deliver your baby, as well as offer medical advice during active labor. Doulas and midwives typically work together to provide new mamas with the support she needs while giving birth.
A night doula is there to help you and your family after you’ve already brought the baby home.
What Does a Night Doula Do?
Night doulas offer overnight care to help you heal and recover after birth. There are many services they offer, such as:
Changing diapers
Bathing
Soothing babies
Bottle feeding and preparation (breastmilk and formula)
Assist in creating feeding schedules
Tiding nursery
Help establish healthy sleeping habits
Parent education and emotional support
Essentially, a night doula does everything you’d do during the night to care for your baby, plus more! They care for them, just as you would care for them.
Benefits of a Night Doula
It’s been proven that women who have continuous labor support are less likely to have c-sections and use pain medication during labor. Night doulas help you create a schedule when you get home and stick to it. You’ll be able to sleep through the night, knowing your baby is taken care of.
Night doulas also are an excellent resource for answering any and all questions you have. You really don't know what to expect when you get home, especially with your first child. Overnight care specialists will be able to help you navigate your new life and provide the support your whole family needs to take care of your new child.
The best part of having a night doula is the ability to customize you and your baby’s needs. A night doula can wake you up when it’s time to breastfeed, so you don’t miss out on bonding. Then, the night doula takes the baby back to bed so you can fall right back to sleep!
How Long Should I Have My Night Doula?
If you’re planning to use a night doula, it’s best to hire them before you bring the baby home, so care can start the first night. Typically, a night doula can help you for as little as eight weeks, up to twelve.
Ideally, you’ll want to be awake when your night doula comes in, so make sure to schedule them for before you typically go to bed. Then, they stay throughout the night and leave in the morning. Depending on when you get up, you may see them before they leave. You can also make sure they’re there when you wake up to get a recap of the night.
Night doula schedules can also change. If you just want them during the week but will handle weekends alone, that works too! They’re there to help you in any way you see fit.
How to Find the Right Night Doula?
We know how important it is to find the right night doula. This is why we put together a step-by-step guide to help you figure out how to find the right overnight nanny for you.
Another way to find the right overnight care is by scheduling a free consultation with us! We’ve been helping mamas like you get the help they deserve for years, and we want to help you too!
What Does a Typical Night Look Like for a Doula?
The first thing your night doula will do when they get to your home is check in with you. You’ll talk about tasks that need to be done for the night and answer any questions you have.
If you specify that you want to breastfeed during the night, your doula will wake you up at the feeding times. Then, when you’re all done, the night doula will take your baby back and let you get back to sleep. If you pump for overnight feedings or use formula, your night doula will take care of all the night feedings while you sleep.
Once the baby, and you, are taken care of, the night doula will start their other tasks, such as tidying up the nursery or preparing bottles for the next feeding. Then the following day, they’ll leave without you noticing, and you and your baby will be well-rested for the day ahead!
Do Night Doulas Offer Sleep Training?
It really depends on who you hire. At Baby Bloom Newborn Care, we do offer sleep training for infants. This includes a consultation and customized sleep plan so you and your newborn figure out a schedule that works for you.
A sleep consultant can be a night doula; however, not all night doulas are sleep consultations. Be sure to talk with your night nanny specifically to see if they offer this service.
Remember, infants do need to be fed every 1-3 hours, so don’t expect them to sleep through the night until they’re a little older.
Hire Your Night Doula Today!
Now that you know what a night doula does and how they help you, it’s time for you to hire yours today. Remember to speak with your night doula so you both understand everything they’re going to do for you.
If you’re ready to hire your night doula, contact Baby Bloom Newborn Care today! We are passionate about helping mothers navigate motherhood and provide the same loving care to your child as you do.