By: Anna Rodney, Owner & Founder of Chicago Family Doulas

Doulas are gaining in popularity for families all over the country. Families are wanting to be more involved in their births and valuing the support and care that they are receiving from postpartum doulas.

There are many different types of doulas, but the two most known doulas are labor/birth doulas and postpartum doulas.

Labor/birth doulas can be hired at any point in pregnancy and support families through pregnancy, labor, birth and immediate postpartum. Labor/birth doulas provide families by providing them with unbiased information, physical and emotional support. The sole purpose of a birth doula is to help a family navigate their birth, help them make choices and be a strong support.

Postpartum doulas start caring for families after their little ones arrive. The amazing thing about postpartum doulas is that their focus is on the birthing parent, who is at the center of all the care they provide. Postpartum doulas care for mom, baby, family, and the entire household. Postpartum doulas care for families day and night for as long as families need, but typically the first 3 months postpartum.  

There are many reasons that a family may hire a doula and here are the top 10 reasons!

1. To navigate their birth choices
2. To feel empowered in their birth
3. To have one person that is solely focused on their family
4. To stack the deck in their favor to avoid unnecessary interventions
5. To provide support for the partner so they can be a better support
6. To gain a better understanding of their new baby
7. To have greater success with nursing
8. To gain confidence
9. To get rest
10. To enjoy birth and their new baby more

There are so many reasons that a family may love the support of a doula. This is a short list. Doulas make a difference!

To learn more about doula support, as well as other perinatal and postpartum support, come join us at Mom’s Night Out! All birth persons welcomed!

About Anna Rodney: Anna is the Owner & Founder of Chicago Family Doulas and has supported families as a doula since 2009. She is certified as a labor doula, postpartum doula and childbirth educator through CAPPA. She is a CAPPA Certified Lactation Educator, a Certified Newborn Care Specialist, Happiest Baby on the Block and Lamaze instructor. 

As an agency owner, Anna is committed to handpicking the most amazing doulas that the Chicagoland area has to offer. The doulas that work with Chicago Family Doulas are kind, caring, informed, non-judgmental, professional, and 100% dedicated to the families that they have the honor of supporting.

Anna is the mother of 3 incredible and active daughters who have been her inspiration in all that she does in life.