What does a postnatal doula actually do?

The word doula comes up a lot in pregnancy circles, but most expectant parents I meet have a slightly hazy idea of what we actually do — and crucially, what we don't do.

This is the honest version. I'm a Doula UK trained postnatal doula who also works as a Postnatal Midwifery Assistant & Infant Feeding Specialist for the NHS. So I've seen those early weeks home from both sides — clinical and personal.

What a postnatal doula actually does

I support you in the first six weeks home with your baby — the bit nobody quite prepares you for.

• Feeding support — practical help with breastfeeding, bottle, mixed feeding, and latch issues. As an NHS Infant Feeding Specialist, this is my home turf.
• Sleep guidance — realistic, evidence-based, no rigid programmes
• Emotional anchor — for both you and your partner. The first weeks are intense; having a calm, trained presence helps enormously
• Mum-recovery checks — keeping a clinical eye on healing, mood, and any early signs that need a GP
• Light practical help — preparing meals, tidying, holding baby while you nap or shower
• Translating the medical-speak — explaining what the health visitor said, what the symptoms might mean, what your options actually are

What I don't do

• I don't attend births. I focus exclusively on postnatal support now — the period where I think doulas add the most value.
• I'm not your midwife. No medical examinations, blood pressure checks, or clinical interventions. My role is supportive and emotional, with practical infant-feeding expertise.
• I don't make decisions for you. I share information and emotional support; you make the calls.
• I don't replace your partner. I'm there to support both of you — to make your partner more useful, not less needed.

Why postnatal doula support matters

The first six weeks home with a newborn are when most parents need the most help — and often when they have the least. Partners typically go back to work after two weeks. Family help is sporadic. Health visitors visit briefly, then stop. The result is exhausted, isolated parents trying to learn the hardest job of their lives without support.

A postnatal doula fills that gap. Not as a babysitter — but as a calm, trained, knowledgeable presence who knows what's normal, what's not, and what helps.

Do you need a postnatal doula?

Honestly — no parent needs one. People have been having babies without us for thousands of years.

But you might really benefit from one if:

• It's your first baby and you're feeling unprepared for the early weeks
• You had a difficult birth and want this recovery to feel different
• You're struggling with feeding and want hands-on help
• You don't have family nearby for the first weeks
• Your partner has to go back to work quickly
• You're a single parent
• You just want a calmer, more supported start

How I work — South London

I'm based in Anerley (SE20) and travel for in-home postnatal sessions across South East and South West London. I cap travel at 30 minutes from Anerley so I can be present for the actual support rather than spending half the visit in traffic.

I also offer a separate antenatal preparation service — two 90-minute sessions in your home covering birth plan, hospital bag, partner preparation, and what really happens in active labour. Often booked alongside postnatal support.

Doula UK trained. Nurturing Birth trained. Plus I work part-time as a Postnatal Midwifery Assistant & Infant Feeding Specialist for the NHS — which means I bring real, current clinical experience into every doula relationship.

See my doula packages or book a free 30-minute discovery call — no commitment, just a chat.

Eva Levinson is a Postnatal Midwifery Assistant for the NHS, a Doula UK trained doula, and an Ofsted/HSE compliant first aid instructor. She runs And Chillax in Anerley, South London.