I remember when my grandfather took me shopping for my first car and he shared with me a valuable lesson. He had told me that I should put aside a small amount of money each week so when I needed repairs and maintenance on my vehicle, I'd be prepared.
We've all had that visit to service or repair a vehicle and the cost can be overwhelming. It's sometimes more than expected and can leave you borrowing from other areas of your budget however, having a car for most of us is a necessity and value what it means to have transportation.
So what is the point to this story? We often speak to families who are overwhelmed with becoming new parents. The lack of sleep, transitioning into a new and inconsistent routine and sometimes needing extra support with postpartum depression and anxiety.
Many individuals and families are not prepared for the financial cost of this care and though we wish that our services were covered by provincial health, currently this is not the case. Some individuals with health spending accounts are able to get some coverage for doula services however the majority of cases must pay out of pocket.
Having the support of a doula during your postpartum transition/the forth trimester (yes, this is still part of your pregnancy and birth process), can provide support in a variety of ways:
- implementing self care: personal time in & out of the home
- infant care: sleep, feeding, general care
- cesarean support
- routine: adapting with new infant & siblings
- light cleaning
- meal preparation
- support for mental health: safe & supportive conversation, strategies
- in-home massage
- movement & nutrition
- assistance on outings
If an individual was to put aside $20 per week ($40 total with a partner), this would equal approximately $800-$1600 of postpartum care. At minimum, this would provide 6 weeks of care including 2 hours for 2 days each week! Closer to the $40 weekly mark, you would have about 3 and a half months of weekly care, twice each week for 2 hours per visit.
With so much preparation that is put into pregnancy, preparing for baby with budgeting for car seats, strollers, nursery, clothing etc, why do we not put the same emphasis on the transitional care after baby is born? The forth trimester is an important time to have a good foundation for education and support.
It is not always an option to have family and friends available to help after birth and the benefit of a doula's support is the education and knowledge that we provide. There is also the extra care for cesarean support that is often overlooked.
As part of our pregnancy education, budgeting and saving is discussed for postpartum care. You can't put a price on your mental health and the need for support as you transition into the forth trimester as a new parent.
If you can set aside a minimal dollar amount each week, you will ensure that you'll be prepared and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
For those who have baby showers, you can also request gift certificates for doula support! Our postpartum support packages are personalized to every individual. If you're interested in booking or have questions about our services, send us an email, call or text.
We'd love to hear from you.