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Should I Schedule Days or Nights with My Postpartum Doula? Part 1: The Case for Day Shifts
September 16, 2026 | Kathryn Keener | Newborn Topics, Postpartum Support and Recovery
We often hear from families, during their consultation calls with our doula agency, that they’re uncertain whether day shifts or overnights with a postpartum doula are a better fit for them. Some opt for a combination, such as two or three day shifts per week and three to four overnights per week. But it’s worth learning about some significant differences between a day shift and a night shift, to help you ensure you’re getting the type of support that best meets your family’s needs. In this post we highlight some of the specific benefits of daytime doula support.…
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How Many Overnights Should You Book with a Postpartum Doula or Newborn Care Specialist?
July 25, 2026 | Kathryn Keener | Postpartum Support and Recovery
In a separate blog post I discuss how long to book with a doula (how many weeks or months), but here I will focus on the frequency of the nights, and why that might vary from family to family. Start with your partner's role When families call our agency to talk through hiring a doula, one of the first things we ask about is what kind of support they're anticipating from the people around them — especially a partner, if they have one. It helps to get really clear on: If this isn't your first baby, you probably…
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Planning and Budgeting for Postpartum Doula Support: What to Know Before You Hire
July 9, 2026 | Kathryn Keener | Postpartum Support and Recovery, Pregnancy and Childbirth
In this podcast episode we help parents plan for postpartum support and anticipate costs.
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You Know It’s Time to Hire A Postpartum Doula When… | Part 3: High Needs Scenarios
May 14, 2026 | Kathryn Keener | Newborn Topics, Postpartum Support and Recovery, Pregnancy and Childbirth, Uncategorized
If you are expecting twins, or a c-section, or you're just far from family, hiring a postpartum doula or newborn care specialist is essential to ensure you are supported and prepared.
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You Know It’s Time to Hire A Postpartum Doula When… | Part 2: Roles and Relationships
April 17, 2026 | Kathryn Keener | Newborn Topics, Parenting, Postpartum Support and Recovery, Pregnancy and Childbirth
There’s no getting around the fact that having a baby changes you - and, your relationships. Your relationship with your other children is immediately and tangibly altered. You and your spouse may be navigating changing roles and responsibilities to find a new balance. And, involvement of relatives has the potential to be a true blessing, but also a potential stressor. Did you know that hiring a postpartum doula to both alleviate some of the workload and provide insights for a smoother transition can have a huge impact on these shifts in your identity and relationships? If you’re anxious…
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You Know It’s Time to Hire a Postpartum Doula When… | Part 1: A Smoother Transition
March 27, 2026 | Kathryn Keener | Newborn Topics, Postpartum Support and Recovery
Maybe this isn’t your first baby, and you know you could have used more support the first time around. Or, you’ve just heard from your friends that the best thing they did was to hire a postpartum doula or newborn care specialist to help with the transition to life with a newborn. There’s no doubt that having ample support in the beginning can impact your mental and physical health, your breastfeeding goals if that’s how you’re feeding your baby… even your relationship with your spouse. Finding ways to make this huge transition in your life smoother is one…
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How Many Weeks of Postpartum Doula Support Do You Really Need?
September 23, 2025 | Kathryn Keener | Newborn Topics, Postpartum Support and Recovery
Parents of newborns will often hire a postpartum doula or newborn care specialist to support them with daytime shifts and/or overnight shifts during the first weeks - or months - at home with their newborn. Some will have the provider space out their visits and do 2-3 shifts per week for a few weeks, to supplement existing family support or other services. Others prefer more full-time help, utilizing 5-7 overnights, or 5-7 day shifts, or a combination of the two. But so often, before the baby has arrived, parents-to-be express uncertainty as to how much support, and for…
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Do I Really Need to Hire a Postpartum Doula So Far in Advance?
June 18, 2025 | Kathryn Keener | Newborn Topics, Postpartum Support and Recovery, Pregnancy and Childbirth
Hiring a postpartum doula during your first or second trimester is the best way to ensure you find a perfect fit for your preferences and scheduling needs.
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Employee Benefits for New Parents Now Include Postpartum Doulas
May 8, 2025 | Kathryn Keener | Postpartum Support and Recovery, Pregnancy and Childbirth
More and more, we’re hearing from families who are able to use employee benefits to help pay for their doula services. Many employers started to turn to these programs in an effort to attract and retain employees after the Great Resignation during the Covid-19 pandemic. Some of them cover everything from fertility treatment to midwifery services to lactation consultants. And the fact that so many are now providing reimbursement for postpartum doula services feels like a significant improvement to what so often in our culture is a lack of support for parents after the birth of a baby!…
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The Top Three Reasons for Doula Burnout
March 6, 2024 | Kathryn Keener | Postpartum Support and Recovery
In preparing to speak at the DONA International annual conference last year, I polled an online doula community about what factors either threatened, or ultimately led to, their burnout. Three main areas presented themselves: The income-related reasons had a lot to do with how hard it can be to anticipate income. Postpartum doulas are tasked with finding new assignments every few months, with potential gaps in between, and birth doulas may find the number of births per month varies and can’t always be known very far in advance, for example. There’s also sometimes trepidation about charging “too much,”…
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