Ask the Doula

What is a doula like?  What picture or words come to mind when you hear the word?  Someone old, young, a midwife, a hippie, super mom? A doula is any person who provides support to women in their time of birth and postpartum.  This role can be served by women and men, young and old, those who have experienced birth, and those who haven't. These people have a heart for women, birth, and their families. So what words would describe your doula?  I have been blessed by clients, fellow doulas, and friends with the following words. 

Warning! Cluster Feeding Ahead! Congratulations!   Your baby is here and you have made it home from the hospital.   Breastfeeding is being established, the latch is improving and after the first night home you think just maybe you have this figured out.   And then baby starts feeding more frequently, sometimes every 30 minutes or less.   What is happening?   Is baby not getting enough?   Is your milk supply decreasing?   Should you supplement?   It can be very discouraging for a tired and often emotional mom and self-doubt starts to creep in. Take a deep breath.   You have entered the realm of cluster feeding .   Breastfeeding is based upon the supply and demand system.   The more a baby eats, the more the mother's milk supply is increased.   By day 4 and 5, breast milk has transitioned into mature milk. During this time baby’s stomach is growing from the size if a walnut to the size of an egg.   In preparati...