The Value of a Doula and Postnatal Care

This post is sponsored by our friends at Green Bay Doulas.

I’ll never forget the look on a new mother’s face when I walked into her home just days after she gave birth. Her baby was nestled in her arms, her eyes were heavy from lack of sleep, and her voice carried that quiet mix of love and exhaustion only a new parent knows. She whispered, “I thought I was supposed to feel nothing but joy. Why am I so overwhelmed?”

That’s the moment a doula steps in.

Most people picture doulas in the delivery room — rubbing a mother’s back, holding her hand, whispering encouragement. And yes, we do that. But the truth is, birth is only the starting line. Once the baby is born, the marathon of recovery, adjustment, and sleepless nights begins.

This is where the real value of a doula shines.

Those first weeks at home are sometimes called the “fourth trimester.” Parents are learning how to feed their baby, heal their own bodies, balance family responsibilities, and process a life-changing experience — all while running on empty.

I’ve seen mothers doubt themselves after struggling with breastfeeding. I’ve seen partners feel helpless when they don’t know how to soothe the baby. I’ve seen families cry from both gratitude and sheer exhaustion when someone finally says, “Rest. I’ll take care of this for you.”

That’s what postpartum doulas do. We’re not there to take over — we’re there to hold families up while they find their footing.

When families are supported, everything shifts. Parents recover faster. Breastfeeding feels less intimidating. The risk of postpartum depression and anxiety drops. The baby grows up in an environment where love isn’t shadowed by stress.

I’ve watched parents move from uncertainty to confidence, simply because they had someone to walk beside them — folding laundry, answering late-night questions, listening without judgment, and reminding them that they are not alone.

In our culture, so much attention is given to preparing for birth, and so little to the days that follow. Yet it’s in those messy, tender weeks that families most need a village. Postnatal care is not about perfection. It’s about presence.

At Green Bay Doulas, we’ve been that steady presence for families for a decade. We believe no parent should feel they have to “figure it out” alone. Doula support — especially in the postpartum period — is not a luxury. It’s a foundation for a healthier, more confident start for the entire family.

Because every parent deserves to feel seen, supported, and cared for, just as much as their newborn does.

 -Emily Jacobson is the founder and owner of Green Bay Doulas, celebrating ten years of service in Northeast Wisconsin. She is also the Executive Director of the Wisconsin Doulas Association and a Brown County Supervisor, passionate about advancing maternal-infant health and building stronger communities. Emily has dedicated her career to ensuring families have access to the care, confidence, and compassion they deserve during pregnancy, birth, and beyond.