Doulas for Adoption and Surrogacy

Doulas for Adoption and Surrogacy

Doulas provide support to parents throughout pregnancy and the postpartum period. However, what if you didn’t become a parent by getting pregnant? Can a doula support families that are growing through surrogacy or adoption?

Definitely!

There is more than one way to become a parent. And we support parents. Our goal is to meet each family who joins the Shore Grace Family Wellness community where they are. We offer unbiased and judgment-free care for ALL families. You do not need to be giving birth to choose the support of a doula.

 

Birth doula support for adoption or surrogacy

 

If you are not giving birth to your child, but you are going to be involved in the pregnancy (surrogacy or open adoption), the support of a birth doula will be beneficial. You’ll have someone to reach out to throughout the pregnancy who can be a listening ear, a source of encouragement, a provider of information, someone to answer your questions and help you prepare for the day your baby is born. Whether you need to get something about your experience off your chest, or you need clarification about information you overheard during an ultrasound, we’re here for you!

If your baby is being born locally (Eastern Shore, MD) you are planning to attend the birth of your baby or be at the hospital when your baby is born, your birth doula can be there with you to provide face-to-face support. Your doula’s presence in the birth room is dependent on hospital policy and the preferences of the birthing person, but you can have a birth doula in the waiting area and available to you the entire time. The non-birthing parents we have worked with say that during the birth their doula:

• Was a calming companion when waiting for the baby to be born
• Enhanced communication between medical professionals, birthing person, expectant parents and other support people
• Helped them to understand the process of birth
• Assisted with decision making
• Reassured them when the birth process was frightening or confusing
• Encouraged them to get involved in the birth process at a level that was comfortable for them
• Helped to obtain resources and reliable scientific information
• Handled tasks and duties and implemented plans made in advance

 

Postpartum doula care for families growing by adoption or surrogacy

 

Bringing home your baby is kind of a big deal.

Okay, it’s a really big deal.

Even if you have had a lot of experience with babies and young children, it can be scary and overwhelming to know that you will be fully responsible for this new person. Many first time parents worry that they won’t be able to soothe their baby, will forget how to change a diaper or will have trouble juggling so many new responsibilities at once. And then there’s the massive loss of sleep everyone warns you about.

With postpartum doula support, you can forget those fears. You’ll have an experienced expert by your side, 24 hours a day if you choose.

Want to learn the tricks of the trade when it comes to soothing your baby and getting them to sleep? Need help recognizing their cues? Postpartum doulas do that! Forget how to change a diaper or want someone to show you the most efficient way to get it done? Ask your postpartum doula. Need someone to care for your new baby throughout the night so you can get some sleep? You guessed it: postpartum doulas do that. I mean, postpartum doulas are basically the fairy godmothers of new parenthood.

The best part about postpartum doula support is that the care you receive is unique to you and your family. A large part of the training and education Shore Grace Family Wellness doulas receive focuses on recognizing the needs of parents and knowing how to support them. Postpartum doulas may:

• Provide emotional support
• Help to identify the signs of postpartum moods disorders (yes, parents through adoption and surrogacy may experience depression, anxiety and other disorders related to becoming a parent)
• Handle household duties like baby laundry, meal preparation, light housekeeping, tidying up, taking the dog for a walk, etc.
• Care for your older children
• Teach you to recognize your baby’s cries and cues so that you can better identify what your baby needs
• Demonstrate methods and tricks to make parenting an infant easier
• Care for your baby while you rest, shower, eat, sleep, spend time with your other children, take a break, catch up on work, etc.
• Assist with induced lactation, pumping, infant formula preparation, and other infant feeding related tasks
• Provide reliable scientific resources and information
• Implement routines and schedules
• Offer referrals to other professionals, as needed

Postpartum doula care is customizable for you and your family, but most parents say their absolute favorite part of having a postpartum doula is that they can sleep through the night, knowing their baby is cared for the way they instructed.

Contact Shore Grace Family Wellness to schedule a complimentary consultation and learn more about how postpartum doula care can be customized to meet your family’s unique needs.

Private and customized classes for parents through adoption and surrogacy

 

On the Eastern Shore, it can be difficult to find classes for new parents that accommodate families who are adopting or having a baby via surrogacy. We offer private classes and can customize any of our educational offerings to meet your goals. Contact us for more information on private infant care workshops, breastfeeding classes, and more.

When it really comes down to it, Shore Grace Family Wellness wants new parents on the Eastern Shore of Maryland to know that they have options for support. We’re prepared to care for you no matter how you decide to grow your family.