Daytime Postpartum Doula Services

What is a Daytime Postpartum Doula?

A daytime postpartum doula supports your family after your baby arrives. Distinct from a babysitter, a house cleaner, or a nanny, your daytime postpartum doula is a trained professional whose primary focus is on you: your recovery, your confidence as a new parent, and your family's adjustment after welcoming your baby.

Your daytime postpartum doula is primarily an educator, teaching you all the “firsts” of new parenthood. During a daytime shift your postpartum doula helps with newborn care, infant feeding, birth recovery, and the countless questions that come with new parenthood. Your doula is the person who shows up so you can rest, heal, ask every question you've been too afraid to ask, and know that you’re not alone.

What’s included

Each daytime postpartum doula creates their own unique offering. Here are common elements of daytime support you can expect:

Infant feeding support

If you are breastfeeding, pumping, bottle feeding, or combo feeding, your doula supports whatever feeding path you choose.

Birth recovery support

Your doula provides physical and emotional support for postpartum recovery, including guidance on what's normal and when to call your medical provider.

Light household help

While not housekeepers, daytime postpartum doulas help with tidying your space, preparing a snack, and lending a hand to keep the household moving forward.

Parent education

Your postpartum doula is there to answer the flood of questions that comes with a new baby; everything from cord care and wake windows to learning how to interpret your baby’s cries.

Newborn care

Safe sleep, soothing, bathing, diapering, and helping you learn all the new baby firsts with confidence.

Emotional support

Your daytime postpartum doula is a non-judgmental presence during one of the most emotionally complex transitions.

Not sure yet? Book a free 20-minute call with our Family Coordinator

Is a daytime postpartum doula right for you?

You might want a daytime postpartum doula if...

You don't have family nearby or the family you have nearby isn't quite the right kind of help

You're a first-time parent and know you want expert guidance along the way

You're recovering from a difficult birth, a cesarean, or a birth that didn't go as planned

You have older children at home and need support managing everyone's needs at once

You want someone experienced in your corner for those early weeks to help make everything feel a little more manageable

How Our Matching Process Works

Pregnancy comes with a to-do list that never seems to end. Finding a doula shouldn't add stress to it. Our matching process is designed to save you time and give you confidence in hiring your doula.

Find my Postpartum doula

Step 1

Tell us about your family

Fill out our simple inquiry form sharing what you're looking for. Don't have all the answers yet? That's completely okay. You can also book a free call with one of our Family Coordinators to talk through your options.

Step 2

We do the work

We search our collective of 90+ vetted birth and postpartum doulas and hand-select two to three who are the right fit for your family based on your due date, location, preferences, and what matters most to you.

Step 3

Meet your matches

We introduce you to your doula matches and you schedule interviews with them. When you find the right fit, you hire your doula directly. Your doula will get you set up with your contract and invoice for services.

The Baby Caravan difference

What Baby Caravan offers is something different: a matching process built on 13 years of real relationships, intentional vetting, and a collective of doulas we know personally.

Every daytime postpartum doula in our collective has completed a certified doula training, holds professional liability insurance, and is CPR certified. At Baby Caravan you tell us what matters to you and we hand pick our top recommendations for you.

Find my Postpartum doula

I don't know how we would have survived those first six weeks without our postpartum doula. She came three mornings a week and every single time, I felt like I could breathe again. She helped me figure out breastfeeding, answered every question I had, and made me feel like I actually knew what I was doing. She was a lifeline.

– Mia K., Cobble Hill

The Baby Caravan x Go Milk Yourself Partnership

Your support doesn't end at birth

We know feeding is where a lot of new parents hit their first wall and we want you to feel all the support you need. All clients who hire a doula through Baby Caravan get access to lactation care from the start, through our partnership with Go Milk Yourself, an IBCLC-led lactation care practice that we know and love.

Before your baby arrives, you get a free prenatal telehealth visit with a Go Milk Yourself IBCLC, so you start with a plan instead of questions. Before and after, you have a monthly support circle with other families, and lactation visits at home or by video, covered by most insurance plans.

Meet the Go Milk Yourself team

Your questions aswered

Pregnancy comes with a to-do list that never seems to end. Finding a doula shouldn't add stress to it. Our matching process is designed to save you time and give you confidence in hiring your doula.

Not sure yet? Book a free 20-minute call with our Family Coordinator →

What is the difference between a postpartum doula and a baby nurse or newborn care specialist?

The main difference is that a postpartum doula isn’t there to only care for your baby; they are also there to take care of you! Postpartum doulas can hold space for you to process your birth experience, provide meal prep, do light housekeeping, and are just as invested in your transition into parenthood as they are in baby’s transition. To learn more about the difference between postpartum doulas and baby nurses, click here.

Can a postpartum doula help me with lactation?

Postpartum doulas have basic lactation training to help you with feeding. They are trained to help you troubleshoot common issues and also identify issues that may need the care of a more trained eye. If they feel like you might need the support of a lactation consultant, they’ll be able to provide recommendations of who to contact.

How many hours per week do most families use a daytime postpartum doula?

It can vary widely depending on your needs. Some families bring a daytime postpartum doula in two or three times a week for 4 hours each visit. Others use daily support in the early weeks and taper off as they find their footing. We can help you think through what makes sense for your family and your budget.

How long do families typically work with a postpartum doula?

Most families work with their postpartum doula for anywhere from two to twelve weeks. Some extend beyond that, particularly if they have multiples or are navigating ongoing feeding challenges. It truly depends on your family's needs and how your postpartum period unfolds.

Can we start working with a postpartum doula before the baby arrives?

Yes, absolutely and we recommend it. Booking your postpartum doula during pregnancy means you have support lined up before you're deep in the newborn period trying to figure it out. Most families feel relieved just knowing they have the support on board.