Frequently Asked Questions

This is a significant investment! Here are a few ideas, if you need them, to budget for my services:

-register for my services at BeHerVillage.com. This is a free registry which allows you to collect funds for my services. Share this info in baby shower invites and with anyone who asks what they can get you.

-budget for it! Set aside money each month to cover the costs. Imagine if you put $50-$100/per month of your pregnancy. That amount could total anywhere from $500-$1000 and cover my services!

-consider expenses you might incur without this support: take-out/delivery/pre-made food, babysitters costs, stress buying unnecessary items, housecleaner fees, extra time your partner/spouse has to take off of work, the mental load, sleep loss, etc.

-adjust your mindset. Most likely, you are really great at prioritizing not only the needs but also the wants of your family: special sport camps, extra cute baby clothes, adorable birthday cakes, etc. However, you also should have your NEEDS met as well. If the wants of your family members are being met before your needs—like sleep, nutrition, and physical health—something has to change. Your family needs you and wants you to be well. Childbirth is a milestone event and impacts you on a physiological scale. Unfortunately, our society has minimized this life-changing event to the detriment of the well-being of mamas. Even the easiest of pregnancies and births require time and rest to heal. Not taking care of yourself can have serious ramifications: higher risk for perinatal mood disorders, pelvic floor issues, autoimmune complications, and thyroid problems. In this season, you must prioritize your well-being, Mama!

-giving up and reducing unnecessary expenses: cutting down on streaming services, skipping a hair dye or manicure, going without fancy coffee, avoiding impulse Target and Amazon buys, passing on designer baby outfits. It truly does all add up!

1) Give me a jingle! Call, text, email, or fill out my “Contact” form on this website.

2) Schedule a complimentary consult, in-person is ideal but we can also meet virtually via video chat or a phone call. This lasts about 30min-1hr. For in-person, we meet at a local coffee shop, and I buy you your favorite drink; it is on me! Think of this as your chance to conduct an initial interview with me.

3) Schedule a home walk-through with me while everyone in your home is present. We review the contract, talk about tentative schedules and package options, what specific services your are interested in. This also gives you a chance to see if you feel comfortable with me being in your home. Following this visit, I will an email summary of what we discussed.

4) After the above has occurred and if all parties feel that we are a good fit, you commit to a shift schedule along with the amount of hours you wish to purchase. You pay a non-refundable retainer of $450 and sign the contract.

5) You have secured Nestled in Postpartum to support you during your upcoming postpartum season. I block out my schedule. Congratulations! Help is waiting in the wings for you. <3

Contract is available to review upon request.

Take comfort that historically many cultures and societies had specific postpartum protocols to support new moms and their babies. Typically, that looked like the mom resting and feeding the baby while a loving community of experienced family members and friends took care of everything else. The isolation and extreme independence that American women have following childbirth is not normal from a historical perspective. Your body needs time and rest to heal. Babies are demanding. And our work and productivity obsessed world does not stop spinning even after you give birth. Investing in your care and taking the time to rest will put you in a much better place to resume your duties after you get past the fourth trimester.

Disclaimer: if you spend every shift with me berating yourself for needing help and feeling guilty, you will cancel out a lot of benefits. I encourage you to challenge those thoughts and tell yourself that you need and deserve rest and support. <3

Yes, I am, and I can provide more details if you would like.

A postpartum doula is NOT meant to ever take the place of your spouse/partner, grandma, mom, friend or anyone else who is apart of your support network.

A postpartum doula supports your immediate family as a whole. When we get down to it, it is absolutely impossible for your spouse/partner to support you and all of your needs. In fact, they need support as well! They are sleep deprived, adjusting too, probably working! And yet, subconsciously, we expect our main home slice to somehow pick-up all of the extra slack and then some. Not to mention, show up well-rested, in a chippery and cheery mood, able to go the extra mile every time. This is where I come in! I am supporting your partner as well which means I am supporting you.

A key part is that I provide CONSISTENT SCHEDULED support. Maybe you have family coming for a week to help, or your sister babysits every once in awhile. However, we all know the needs are never-ending. And the randomness and limitations of that support sometimes just doesn’t cut it. Knowing that help is coming can sometimes bring peace on its own.

I also am coming into this situation unbiased. While invested, I do not take any of your choices personally. So, that means that I won’t give you well-meaning advice on how to discipline your kids, your chosen method of feeding, how you like your coffee, why you should or should not be working, etc. You don’t have to entertain me or host me.

Maybe you are blessed with supportive family and friends who live locally and have the availability to provide on-the-ground support to you when you need it. I can supplement and fill-in some of those gaps. Perhaps, you do not have that support at the ready and are in need of more robust help. I can also provide that as well.

I completed a postpartum doula training and achieved certification. I hold a pediatric and adult first aid and cpr certificate.

This is up to you! With that being said, there are some practical limitations. I work with families up until the fourth month of the postpartum season. I do offer exceptions for extenuating circumstances: breastfeeding issues, mental health diagnoses, single moms, families with a deployed spouse, NICU families, and/or families with medical issues. This must be discussed with me, however.

The common amount is 40 hours total. However, I know that is not possible for everyone. I am happy to work with you and your budget.

To learn more about pricing and packages, please refer to Services.

Often a little bit of everything because households and babies have a lot of needs! I will help as little or as much as you feel comfortable with as long as it falls within my professional scope.

You can text a to-do list prior to the shift or have one written out upon my arrival. I understand that this might not always be possible so you can ask me to assist with tasks at anytime during the shift.

If you want a meal made, it is helpful to discuss that prior so we can have the ingredients on hand. I can also shop for groceries during your shift or do a pick-up order.

We will fall into a rhythm as we get to know your baby as well! Typically, we chat, I help with household tasks like tidying and dishes, sometimes prep or make a meal, care for Baby so YOU can rest or have time alone. I can also play with and watch older children. Run laundry and fold.

I do my best to establish a relationship with you prior to birth. That is why I offer an in-person complimentary consultation and a home-walk through where I meet everyone in your household prior to birth. I accomodate your preferences and learn your vibe. I will follow your lead in regards to chatting. You never have to explain your choices to me. I have seen it all. I know postpartum is messy: unwashed dishes, tears, lots of sweat, leaky boobs, mountains of laundry, crumbs on the floor, tired faces. I am not in your home to be entertained. I am there to support you. We can go the whole shift without talking or we can chat the whole time. However, I am NOT a mind-reader. If you need something or want something you must communicate that to me. I also am not going to be bossy and tell you what to do. I can encourage you if that is what you need, but I will not order you to your bedroom to nap for two hours or demand you hand over the baby.

I do not do deep cleaning, professional organizing, nannying, or provide medical advice. I am not a therapist or counselor so I cannot provide counseling. I will not drive you or your family. I will not dispense medication. I require one adult family member to be in the home if there is a child there. This can be a grandparent and does not have to be a parent. I do not attempt to usurp your role as a parent. I do not take the place of your spouse or partner. I also don’t read minds! In order for me to support you, you have to communicate your needs to me and allow me to help you.

I am constantly networking in our community to ensure I know the best of the best. I also know red flags for perinatal mental health, newborn wellness, and feeding issues. Instead of panic-Googling in the dead of night as you search for business listings, I cut through that and can text you a phone number to call. I have a vetted list of providers and services. I know about moms group, toddler activities, the most compassionate mental health professionals, lactation professionals who can troubleshoot your issues, someone to assist with more housecleaning, a list of newborn photographers, meal services—you name it, I know it.

Short answer: no. Why? When I take on personal postpartum package clients, I am blocking out my schedule for you and your family which means I am turning away other clients. With that being said, I understand that the inevitable illness or inclement weather happens. I will make every effort to reschedule shifts with you. If we are unable to do so, I will reimburse for that shift.

If you choose to not use all of your hours, you may donate them to my scholarship fund. This fund gives NICU, rural, single parent, and/or special needs families to receive services at a discounted rate as they are typically juggling other expenses but often need extra support.