FAQ'S

Your birth doula does their best to be available for you on your baby's birth day. If, for some reason, your primary doula is unavailable for in person support, your back up doula will be a Welcome Baby KC birth doulas. They'll fill in until your primary doula is available to continue your care.

Anytime. Once you hire us we like to have them done before we go on call for you at 38 weeks. Prenatal visits are usually done at your home. Other options are via Zoom or other location discussed ahead of time.

A doula is there to allow a partner to enjoy the birth the best way that works for them. For some partners this is standing back and mostly observing or really focusing on emotional support. Your doula is there to provide the physical and informational support primarily. For others its like having their birth class teacher by their side. We’ll walk them through how to use and when to use the tools they’ve learned in classes. We're also there to remind them to care for themselves. We will give reminders to eat and rest and when the best time is to do both. This allows partners to be fully present when it’s important.

In the event in person labor doula support lasts 12-15 hours, and birth is not imminent, your birth doula may call in their Welcome Baby KC back-up to assist your family at no additional charge to you. You deserve a well rested doula as well as not having to worry about cost or the clock during this time!

When you choose a Welcome Baby KC birth doula, you receive the customized care that fits you and your family. Your doula will provide prenatal visits to prepare for your birth and postpartum, unlimited pregnancy phone and text support during business hours, as well as phone, text, and virtual support throughout late pregnancy and early labor. You will also receive continuous in-person support from active labor until your baby arrives, immediate access to your Welcome Baby KC back up birth doula, and three weeks of on-call text/phone/facetime support to answer general postpartum and newborn care questions including infant feeding - even at 2am. You also have the option for 1- 2 in person or virtual postpartum visits.

We attend births in most KC Metro hospitals, and sometimes at New Birth Company or at your home. We rarely attend families outside the metro.

Yes, absolutely! We'd love to get together with you in your home during the third trimester to talk through your needs and concerns and to make a plan for your postpartum care. This visit usually takes about an hour, and it's best if your partner or support person is there, so we're all on the same page.

We see families M-F and will spend about 3-5 hours in your home between the hours of 7am-5pm. All visits are customized to fit your needs that day! Typically we let ourselves into your home, wash our hands, and come find you. If you're sleeping, we will care for the baby and/or tend to chores until you're up. If you're awake when we arrive, we will check in with you about how you're feeling, how the night went, etc and make goals with you for your appointment. Some families want us to spend the entire appointment talking through their concerns, while others want us to spend the entire appointment making meals or doing chores or caring for the baby.

We arrive to your home between 9 and 11pm. We will wash our hands and then check in with you about how the day went, how you're feeling, and what concerns or needs you have for the night. We will then care for your newborn(s) overnight in their nursery, your guest room, or (in a pinch) your living room so you can sleep. We will likely nap when your baby sleeps, and wake with your little one to diaper, feed, and soothe them. If you're still snoozing when it's time for us to leave between 5am-7am, we quietly bring baby or the baby monitor to you before we let ourselves out.

If you're lactating, you may choose to either pump so we can bottle feed your newborn overnight, or we are happy to bring your baby to you to feed. Some lactating parents choose not to pump or feed at all overnight, but that does come at a risk of developing clogs, mastitis, or lowered milk supply. In that instance, we would feed your newborn pumped milk and/or formula.

Probably not, but we can connect you with a nanny or daycare that fits your needs! Postpartum doulas are not childcare providers, we're parent care providers. Sometimes that may mean we watch your newborn so you can rest, eat, or shower, and we are experts in newborn care, however we never take over full care of your infant or older children. Our primary job is supporting your recovery from birth and adjustment in new parenthood.

We work hard to see you as soon as possible, ideally within 3 days of your inquiry. If we're unable to see you within 1 week, we will connect you with another lactation support professional who has availability sooner.

Try to prioritize your basic needs ahead of time. Make sure you eat, have water, wear something comfortable with easy breastfeeding access (if applicable to your feeding goals). Don't worry about cleaning your home. We don't care what your house looks like, but we DO care if you're stressed and exhausted. Try to time your feeding/pumping session to coincide with your appointment. If you've got an energetic pup, help them get safely situated and calm before we arrive so we can maximize time spent on you and your baby.

Our LCs may look at your baby for signs and symptoms of tongue tie, but we are not doctors and cannot diagnose ties. We will help you feed your baby, and we will connect you with a doctor who can evaluate, diagnose, and treat your baby's mouth.

No. Our doula services complement and enhance your existing support system. In fact, we frequently hear from our client families that partner, grandma, older children, etc all enjoyed our support, too!

Fees can be found on our service pages:

• Birth Doula Services
• Postpartum Doula Services
• Infant Feeding Support
• Placenta Encapsulation

Our doulas accept card, check, or cash.