A Sibling Doula for My Labor? What's That?
Let me paint a picture for you: you’ve gotten the baby clothing out of the attic from your last child, assembled the swing and the necessary essentials for bringing home your newest addition. Everything is set. It’s the middle of the night, and while you’ve been busy, you’ve ignored early labor until the strength of your contractions draw your full attention. You're feeling pretty ready to head in to the hospital or birth center, except for one thing: you can’t get ahold of your sitter, a neighbor who was supposed to watch your little one while you labor. Many times, you’ve had a conversation, but never figured what would happen if you had to leave in the early hours of the morning. While you know your neighbor was eager to help, he/she isn’t hearing their phone or texts. You’re panicking. You don’t really want to take your child with you while you labor, but it seems like you might not have a choice.
The above scenario happens all to frequently for families expecting their second or subsequent children. Especially here in the Maryland and D.C. metropolitan area, families are transient and their support network is usually hours away. While most have plans for having family members reach them during the daylight hours, or friends/family that are prepared to take on an extra kiddo at those times of day, most of the time babies like to make their appearances at inconvenient hours. The stress of trying to labor and figure out arrangements for your child can not only slow down or aggravate your coping with labor pains, but can create a less than ideal situation if you aren’t planning on including your older child in your birth process and end up having to have your birth partner swap duties between watching them and helping you during your birth.
Enter the sibling doula. Similar to a birth doula, the sibling doula is on call 24/7 for your big day. While you might have standby friends/family willing to watch your child, they’re not used to being on call and most likely will miss that frantic messaging. A doula is trained and used to assisting families at less than ideal hours.
Once the sibling doula arrives, they will watch, nurture and adjust your child to being a big sibling, caring for them either alongside you at your birth location, or remaining at home while you travel to your birth. You can labor at ease knowing that your child is being well provided and cared for, whether they’re remaining in bed in the middle of the night or that they’re being entertained during the next day. If you have family that’s planning on arriving in town that you notify once labor begins, the sibling doula can bridge the gap in care between your departure and their arrival.
Prior to your labor day, the sibling doula will come to your home and provide your child with a sibling class to prepare them for becoming a big brother or sister. She will bring a baby doll and materials and go over how to care for their sibling, ways they can be a big helper, and also provide you with tips and tricks for assisting your little one(s) with the transition to being a big sibling. This will also help your child to get to know the sibling doula, so that when she arrives during labor, they’ll understand her role and be prepared for this next adventure in their lives!
If you’re wondering and worrying about the logistics of caring for your children during your labor and birth, consider the unequalled experience and expertise of a sibling doula. We’re equipped to help create a smooth environment for your little ones to adjust, and for you to experience a wonderful labor!
Sibling doula rates are hourly, including a prenatal visit to discuss your wishes and adjust your child. The average family investment is between $300-$500. Contact us today to be paired with the perfect companion for your family during your labor and birth!
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