Doulas of New Jersey (DONJ)
Professional Birth & Postpartum Doulas
Honored to be there for you
Birth Doula Info | Postpartum Doula Info | Doulas of New Jersey Members
Having a member of Doulas of New Jersey present at your birth and/or with you after your baby comes home, improves outcomes for mother and baby. Women are more likely to be satisfied and positively rate their birth experiences and transition into parenthood.
About Doulas of New Jersey
Doulas of New Jersey (DONJ) was founded in 2001 for the purpose of providing support, education, and networking opportunities for professional doulas. DONJ members maintain independent businesses. Clients must interview and hire doulas privately.
What is a Doula?
In much of the world today and in nearly every culture and throughout history, women surround and care for other women during birth and the postpartum period. We call a woman who helps at this important time a doula (do-la).
Doulas recognize the need for families to feel empowered in their decisions and abilities; therefore, doulas do not promote any one philosophy. Doulas provide supportive, non-judgmental nurturing.
There are two kinds of doulas:
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A birth doula is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth.
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A postpartum doula is an experienced, trained, non-medical care provider who offers support in your home after the birth of a baby. This physical, educational and emotional support allows the parents time to nurture and bond with their baby.
Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?
No, a doula is supportive to both the mother and her partner. The doula plays a crucial role in helping a partner become involved in the birth, and after the birth, at home, in the care of the baby, to the extent he/she feels comfortable.
Will my insurance company cover doula services?
Possibly, but you will need to check with your carrier to be sure. Many insurance companies realize the numerous health benefits and savings in medical costs and do cover doula services. In addition, many clients use their flexible medical spending accounts to pay for doula services.
What does a birth doula do?
A birth doula is a NON-MEDICAL assistant who can help you with:
- childbirth education and local resources
- labor coping skills
- reassurance
- encouragement
- comfort measures for labor
- initial breastfeeding support
- relaxation
- visualization
- massage
- natural ways to work with long or difficult labors
- vaginal birth after cesarean (V-BAC) support
What other things does a doula actually provide once hired?
- prenatal meeting(s)
- Being on call 24/7 until your labor begins
- Continuous labor support at your home and/or your birth site, during active labor & birth and immediately after birth
- A backup doula is arranged for you 24/7
- A postpartum meeting
- On-call phone support pre/post birth
What effect does the presence of a doula have on the mother?
When a doula is present during a birth, women report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and medical interventions and suffer less postpartum depression.
Numerous clinical studies have found that the presence of a birth doula:
- tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
- reduces negative feelings about one's childbirth experience
- reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
- reduces requests for pain medication & epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesareans
What effect does the presence of a doula have on the baby?
Studies show that babies born with doulas present have shorter hospital stays, fewer admissions to special care nurseries, breastfeed more easily, and have mothers that are more affectionate in the postpartum period.
What exactly does a postpartum doula do?
Listing exactly what a doula does is difficult because every family has its own needs that become clear after the baby arrives. Here are just some of the ways a doula might help your family:
- Help you master breastfeeding.
- Catch up on laundry.
- Prepare nourishing meals.
- Show you how to bathe and dress your baby.
- Educate you about baby's normal sleep patterns.
- Reassure you about your newborn's noises, behavior or appearance.
- Care for older siblings.
- Run errands.
- Pick up groceries or supplies.
- Handle phone calls and visitors.
- Share a list of local parenting resources.
- Provide referrals.
- Loan books, DVDs, and instructional materials.
What do families gain by hiring a postpartum doula?
First-time parents find that working with a doula quickly builds confidence in their parenting skills. Second-time- and-beyond parents find that a postpartum doula offers a set of capable, helpful hands, so they have time to focus on bonding with the new baby while maintaining the all-important connection to his/her older siblings.
What are the benefits of postpartum doula care?
A postpartum doula's job is to impart knowledge to you in a non-judgmental way. A postpartum doula can:
- Increase breastfeeding understanding and success.
- Build your confidence in your parenting skills.
- Answer questions and listen to your concerns about your baby.
- Provide referrals, when and if necessary.
- Offer emotional support.
- Reduce feelings of isolation thereby cutting down on the potential for postpartum depression.
Won't we be uncomfortable having a stranger in our home?
Clients who work with a postpartum doula report feeling cared for, nurtured in their new role, reassured and grateful for the calm, professional and unobtrusive support of a postpartum doula.
Contact these members of Doulas of New Jersey to work with you:
| 862 Area Code | 917 Area Code |
|---|---|
|
Cherie Carter Serving Northern New Jersey and New York City Labor and Birth Doula, Holistic Prenatal Support Phone: 862-279-8923 |
Kim Collins Serving Northern New Jersey and New York City Childbirth Services for Mommas & Their Families Phone: 917-992-4424 |
| 908 Area Code | 973 Area Code |
| Natalie Orban, CD(DONA) & Memory Galipeau NWNJ Doula Serving NorthWest and Central New Jersey Birth, Postpartum, Waterbirth, VBAC, Phone: 908-247-7589 Heather Criollo, CD, PCD(DONA) Serving Union, New Jersey (North/Central) Birth and Postpartum Doula Services, Breastfeeding Support Phone: 908-397-8136 |
Suzanne Crouch, PCD, CD Serving Sussex, Warren, Passaic, Morris, & Essex Birth, Postpartum, Lactation Support Phone: 973-948-7309 Serving Northern New Jersey Birth Doula Care, Prenatal Yoga and Prenatal Shiatsu, Wellness Services for Mothers-to-be Phone: 973-655-9655 Laura DePasquale, LCCE, CD(DONA) Serving Morris, Somerset & North-Central New Jersey Childbirth and Relaxation Classes, Doula Services Phone: 973-635-6292 Stacey Gregg, CD(DONA) Serving Morris and All Northern/Central New Jersey Birth, Birth Coaching and Consulting, Childbirth Classes, Photo, VBAC, Waterbirth Phone: 973-627-4120 Jill Wodnick, MA, CD(DONA) Doula Training, Birthing-From-Within Classes, Prenatal Yoga, Guided Imagery, Relaxation and Healing Arts to Harness Your Intuition in Pregnancy Phone: 973-655-1628 |
| 201 Area Code | |
|
Elaine Petrowski, PCD(DONA) Serving Northern New Jersey & Lower Rockland Counties Postpartum Support, Lactation Support, Moms' Group, Infant Massage, Grandparents' Classes Phone: 201-652-4662 Serving New York and New Jersey Doula Services, CalmBirth Classes Phone: 201-349-3688 Billee Wolff, RN, CD(DONA), LCCE Serving Northern NJ, Rockland County & NYC Labor & Birth Doula, Lactation Support, Shildbirth Education, Relaxation & Guided Imagery Phone: 201-836-4514 Lisa Repasky-Sandhusen (DONA) Serving Northern NJ and Lower Rockland County Bellydance Fitness for Labor and Birth, Prenatal Yoga, Postpartum Doula Services and Parenting Support Phone: 201-881-6338 |
