Postpartum doulas can bring confidence and joy to the early postpartum period. After working with families of multiples for over 25 years and giving birth to my identical twin boys and then boy/girl twins ten years later I have come to realize how crucial it is. I am so happy to have this amazing group of professional doulas who care for families with singletons and specialize in twins, triplets, or more.
Below you will find information about postpartum doulas and overnight nannies. Within the framework of our services, we can help you navigate those early weeks while supporting your unique parenting style.
From here you can contact me or the office to schedule a time to talk about your needs.
The Itsabelly Postpartum Philosophy
Our postpartum doula team aims to help families feel as confident, rested, and supported as possible as they settle into everyday life with a new baby. Just as our birth doulas can fulfill a range of roles during the transition from pregnancy to birth, our postpartum doulas know how to fit in right where they are needed. We can be a listening ear and resource guide, playful companion to an older sibling, bottle-washing, laundry-folding home organizer, night nanny for a full night of rest, or all of the above.
Ultimately our job is to work ourselves out of a job. We bring decades of experience working with single newborns, twins, and other multiples in every family setting imaginable. So we feel prepared not only to help ease everyday life so you can get all the rest and space you need to get to know your new baby and find your rhythm, but also to offer you tips, education, and resources to help you do it all on your own.
At the helm of our postpartum team is highly-experienced postpartum and multiples specialist Deana Andersen-Tennant. Deana has worked with families and their babies for over 30 years, and as a mother of two sets of twins herself, knows exactly how crucial additional postpartum support can be. As Head of Placement for postpartum doulas and night nannies, Deana can help find the perfect fit on our team for your family.
Our Services
Our postpartum doulas work a minimum of 4 hours at a time, up to a full overnight shift. We work efficiently to create space for breastfeeding, pumping, or bottlefeeding support, as well as emotional support and referrals, but also quiet space for you and your whole family to deeply rest.
During both day and night shifts we can:
- Offer hands-on education in newborn care
- Guide parents in recognizing and responding to their baby’s cues and individual personality
- Give parents the opportunity to sleep, eat, and shower
- Shop for groceries and prepare meals
- Play with older children and help them get used to the new baby
- Spend time with the newborn so parents can spend quality time with each other or with older children
- Screen for feeding challenges and postpartum mood disorders
- Make referrals to providers, support groups, and any additional resources parents might benefit from
- Assess latch and positioning and help with breastfeeding
- Wash, sterilize, and set up pump and bottle supplies for next feeding or next day
- Bring snacks or beverages to parent while they nurse their baby
- Help organize the nursery and rest of home
- Take care of laundry
- Help the new baby sleep at night between feedings so parents can fully rest
- Educate about baby sleep patterns and methods for settling fussy babies
- Offer a supportive, non-judgmental ear
Overnight nannies
Postpartum doulas serving as overnight nannies fully-focus on your baby’s needs so you can get a full, uninterrupted night of sleep. We will support any night routine you already have in place, and take care of all feedings with expressed breastmilk or formula.
What makes us different?
As a doula collective, in contrast to many larger Portland doula agencies, our tight-knit doula team supports each other with frequent meetings where we share resources, continuing education, and referrals. Our family-like meetings often center around topics of current events, race, justice, intersectionality, and the ever-changing climate of birth and postpartum support work.
In addition, we take a minimalist approach to our business model to better support our doulas. Clients pay a small administrative fee when agreeing to services, then doulas are paid directly for their work. Because of this streamlined process, many clients find us to be more affordable than many doula agencies and love the close relationship they get to enjoy with their doula.
We support each other so we can better support you. Feel free to read more about us, meet our doulas, or begin a conversation with our postpartum team.
Our Postpartum Team
Deana Andersen-Tennant ~ Owner, Postpartum Doula
Elizabeth Benz ~ Birth and Postpartum Doula
Emilie Young ~ Birth and Postpartum Doula
Erica Matteson ~ Owner, Birth and Postpartum Doula
Julia Martin ~ Birth and Postpartum
Keeley Fryer ~ Postpartum Doula
Kimmi Burk ~ Postpartum Doula and Newborn Photographer
Melissa Haskins ~ Postpartum Doula
Melissa Wright ~ Postpartum Nanny
Robyn Bibb ~ Birth and Postpartum Doula
Sabrina Johnson ~ Postpartum Doula
Shannon Morrison ~ Postpartum Doula
Taylor Tappin ~ Full-Spectrum Doula, Birth and Postpartum Doula