Birth Assistants of Boulder Inc.

303-752-6933

What services do BABI doulas offer?

After deciding to hire a BABI doula, you will be offered up to 2 prenatal visits, be accompanied through labor and birth and for several hours afterwards, and offered 1 postnatal visit in the immediate postpartum period. We will individualize the prenatal/postnatal meetings to meet your needs and to be the most beneficial and useful for your particular situation.

Our scope of services may include:
Providing information about birth choices in a non-judgmental way
Teaching and practicing useful skills for labor and birth
Helping families create flexible and realistic birth plans (if they feel one is needed)
Helping partners and other family members provide support; and also supporting them when necessary
Creating an appropriate and individualized birth environment to enhance progress
Providing emotional and physical support (and helping the partner provide it) for birth
Assistance with initiation of and continued breast feeding
Providing support and experiential suggestions for postpartum emotions and physical recovery
Providing practical information and suggestions for baby care
Community resource information and referrals

Your doula is 'on-call' and available when you need her, via pager or cell phone, beginning 2 weeks prior to your due date. You will be given names and numbers of back-up doulas during your prenatal visits in case of illness or emergency. We take our commitment to clients very seriously! It is a very unusual occurrence for the primary doula to be unable to be at your birth.

Once you and the baby are settled after your birth, we will leave your family to bond in privacy. You are still welcome to call with questions/concerns in those early days and weeks. Your doula will call to check on you in a few days, and will schedule a postnatal visit at that time.

The postnatal visit usually occurs before the end of your baby's first week. Your doula will come to your home and be able to reassure and problem solve issues you may be having around your healing, breastfeeding, emotional adjustment, and sleep. This is also a good opportunity to discuss your birth experience and get questions answered. Some of our doulas provide you a record of your labor, from your doula's perspective. She can provide you with a copy of your 'Birth Story' at no additional charge.

If you are needing more extensive help after the birth, your doula can provide you with referrals to the appropriate resources in your community.