In the past, by the time women came to having their own babies they had already had experience of helping with children of all ages due to living in large extended families. When my first daughter was given to me by the midwife, it was the first time I had even held a baby and although I knew I loved her fiercely I was quite overwhelmed and anxious. When her dad and I arrived home, we put her on the floor in her car seat and once we were alone with her we both burst into tears! Luckily we soon found that in the first few days basically all she needed was warmth, milk and love (ok, I know there's a bit more to it!) but even so, any strange noise or occasional spot had us in a panic.
Once all the relatives and friends have stopped calling as often and the baby's father is back at work, being alone with a newborn can be very daunting, especially for a first time mum. Although the love for a new baby is huge, it can be isolating and overwhelming sometimes and if you have older children as well it's no wonder it becomes too much occasionally.
This is where a doula can be invaluable.
As a postnatal doula, I will be there as often as necessary to listen to worries, offer practical advice, help with breast or bottle feeding problems and do small jobs round the house. If you have older children I can look after them while you have quality time with the baby or I can take the baby out so you can spend some time with its brothers or sisters (or just sleep.) I am there as a sounding board, someone to lean on if needed and someone to share the many highs with.
Most importantly, I will be there to encourage you to do things for yourself, to become the mother you know you can be and give you the confidence to tackle anything that motherhood sends your way.
links
For more information about Scottish Doulas both birth and postnatal, please visit...
www.scottishdoulanetwork.co.uk