Doulas are trained professionals experienced in providing support through pregnancy, birth, and the early postpartum transition for new families.
Doulas specializing in newborn adoption support seek to work in conjunction with every member of the adoption team, and lend their expertise to help ensure a smooth transition for the birth mother, the baby, and the adopting family, through a number of specialized skills that no other adoption professional can offer.
Adoption doulas have a unique position which serves to provide the birth mother with the following:
- private, adoption-specific birth education and preparation.
- customized birth plan tailored to fit her needs and desires.
- comfort, assurance and uninterrupted labor support.
- initial postpartum support, including assistance with her breastmilk decision.
- joining her as she leaves the hospital, so that she doesn’t have to leave alone.
- help her identify support resources should she transition to a parenting plan at any time.
- one optional postpartum visit to ensure she has identified counseling and support resources for herself.
In addition, adoption doulas have a unique position which serves to provide the adopting family with the following:
- private, adoption-specific birth education and preparation, unique to the adopting family’s needs.
- availability during labor by nearby support (options vary) if presence isn’t invited by birth mother, to assist the adopting family in how best to support the birth mother through her birth plan and experience, and to work through their own needs at this time.
- postpartum support in bonding, feeding choices including breastfeeding, and navigating the many questions new families face.
Schedule an initial interview with an adoption doula to discuss:
- what an adoption doula has to bring to the adoption birth experience, including professionalism, confidentiality, and expert personalized service.
- why adoption doula support may increase the confidence of the birth mother in her adoption decision.
- how an adoption doula can accomodate providing her services in whatever unique adoption situation you may have.
Whether you are the birth mother, or the adopting family, newborn adoption doulas have vital support to provide you through your experience. We work with your unique situation and offer services that work in harmony with everyone involved. Interview a newborn adoption doula today to see how she can help support you in your upcoming newborn adoption!
Find us on Facebook! Visit the Adoption Doulas page today!
National Adoption Day: November 19
About this Site: Content & Layout
You’ll find that all doulas are published under the same date: November 19, 2011.
November is National Adoption Month, a month wrapped around November 19, which is National Adoption Day.
National Adoption Day became official two years after The Adoption and Safe Families Act (ASFA, Public Law 105-89) was created by First Lady Hillary Clinton and signed by President Bill Clinton. While this act intended to address barriers to adopting children who have special needs (Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980, signed by President Carter), it actually forced states to expedite parental termination and did very little, including federally, in actually endorsing adoption completion, resulting in an increase of epidemic proportions (40%+) of children in living conditions that were neither, a reconciled home with family of origin, nor a permanent home through adoption.
So while it is the position of the author that the ASFA became harmful to the American family, the month of November is recognized nationally and so is November 19, as a day set apart, unfortunate origin aside, as a day for all of us to consider the many multifaceted challenges regarding adoption. You will find through this site contents, that this site does not hold favor to any stance regarding adoption. It is an option that needs to be made with the clearest conscience of all involved, and so each situation, family dynamic, individual goal and life in consideration is precious, important, and unique. This site is only intended to meet you wherever you might be and wherever you may be headed along the journey, to affirm you, to validate you, and if possible, to offer some kind of support for who you are and what your vision for your family and future may be.