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Sample Postpartum Plans

The following sample care plans are derived from the real-life experiences of hundreds of families we have served over the past eight years. These care plans are by no means rigid, nor are they intended to lock you in to a fixed schedule which might end up providing you with either more or less postpartum care than you need. They are offered only as guidelines to give you an idea of both the type and amount of postpartum care other families have needed in order to help you decide on a postpartum care plan that will work best for you.

First day or night home (1 day)
A doula will meet you at your home the day (or day after) you bring the baby back from the hospital or after a home-birth. Care of newborn, breast or bottle feeding support, and organizing the home are the focus for the first few often challenging hours. Start things off peacefully with good support.

Baby Basics (2-4 weeks) A doula will come to the home 2-5 times per week for the first few weeks to support the family and teach the basics of infant feeding and care, soothing skills, interpreting cues, and providing recovery time for new mothers after a non-complicated delivery.

Cesarean birth/difficult delivery recovery (6-8 weeks) This package covers the time it typically takes to recover from a difficult or surgical birth. A majority of our clients fall in this group. Focus is the same as for baby basics, but also meets the needs of families with babies that are experiencing reflux or colic, and may provide assistance for some postpartum mood disorders.

Overnight care (1-7 nights/week for 1-12 weeks) Any postpartum care provided between 9 pm and 9 am is considered overnight care, but most often overnight care is 8 hours – usually from 10pm to 6am. Overnight care can be as little as one night a week as needed for respite or up to 7 nights per week if more coverage is needed (often the case with multiples or high-need infants). Care can be similar to day service, or focused primarily on sleep for the whole family.

Twins or triplets (8-12 weeks) Families with multiples will generally have a team of several doulas providing day and/or overnight care with instruction in managing multiples (i.e. setting up the feedings, establishing an efficient routine, and dealing with any special needs). This package is also flexible to each family's needs as far as hours and frequency.

Extended care (after care is established) Extended care is only offered as a service to existing ABC clients – generally after basic care has ended. A doula will come to home to care for mom, baby, and household. This service can be arranged with flexibility for several months as needed. This service can be used for evenings out, appointments, and other transitional times as you are looking for permanent childcare. We can provide referrals for ongoing childcare needs.

Sleep Support for babies 3 mo and older (adjusted age) A doula will come to the home and provide information on helping baby get to sleep-and stay asleep. We offer a day or evening consult (2-3 hours-flat rate) where we establish a care plan and then follow up through help Hands-on with the baby or phone consults (hourly fee). If your baby is older and your Dr. has recommended you start “crying it out”, please call to arrange some sleep support.