As a new parent in a small Colorado mountain town, looking for birth and postpartum doula services can seem daunting. After all, there are very few doulas who live within an hour of these picturesque towns. Thankfully, there are experienced doulas who would love to travel to support growing families and their new little ones.
Planning ahead for support and understanding the accommodations doulas need to provide support in a location far from home can make the process much easier, and give your family some much needed rest after baby arrives.
Plan Ahead
Planning ahead for postpartum support can alleviate a lot of stress and anxiety that new parents often experience. It is essential to have a support system in place during this time. Friends and family can be a tremendous help, but it’s also important to consider professional support options, such as postpartum doulas, lactation consultants, or therapists. Many doulas book their time months in advance, with some parents even reserving their favorite doulas before they become pregnant with baby number 2. It is never too early to start looking for a birth or postpartum doula, especially if you live in a less populated area away from a bigger city. Because there are few, if any doulas living in Aspen year round, an agency may need several weeks to find candidates for you to interview, so starting now is always the right answer. By creating a plan for support, new parents can feel more confident and prepared for this significant life transition, ultimately leading to a more positive experience for everyone involved.
The More Support the Better
Parents living in remote areas face unique challenges when it comes to raising children. Access to resources, such as doula support and childcare are limited and require longer travel times. Planning for more support can go a long way in alleviating these challenges.
If you are able to find a doula who lives along the front range, consider looking for 24/7 live in support, 18-20 hour shifts or consecutive shifts with day time sleeping accommodations.
Live In Support
Live in support truly gives you the very best, full coverage support for your family, allowing for true, in person support for every level of your postpartum recovery and care for your newborn. Live in support gives you a much wider range of providers to choose from, as it opens your family to support from people living outside of your immediate area. Many doulas will travel from other states for a short term live in contract of 1-12 weeks or more. Longer contracts may require a ROTA position, where two doulas work as a team, rotating in and out every week or two, allowing them to provide support while still taking care of their family at home. Some doulas may require to be paid for travel time, airfare or paid breaks, while others will take 4-8 hours each day for themselves, or consider travel as part of their business expense. Doulas who also provide birth support may be able to offer birth support packages combined with live in postpartum support as well
Longer, Consecutive Shifts with Accommodations
Offering longer consecutive shifts (12-20 hours) with daytime sleeping accommodations can be a great option for families who live far from larger cities. This gives the doulas more incentive for time away from their family and helps create a better balance between longer hours and more days off. If a guest room is not available, past clients have used nearby family homes or Air B&Bs for their doula’s accommodation during off hours.
How to Find the Perfect Doula for Your Family
If you live in a remote area, it may be helpful to work with a local doula agency or newborn care specialist agency to help you find the right doula for your needs, reducing the time and stress involved in a nation wide search.
- Start your search early. Many doulas are booked months if advance and will need time to take make arrangements to be away from home.
- Plan ahead for more support. You’ll never regret having an extra set of hands around, and last minute support may not be available.
- Offer accommodations. Your doula will likely be away from their family for several weeks supporting your family. They will be modeling self care and sustainable routines by caring for themselves during their down time with your family.
- Know your budget. How much do you have to spend on doula support? Chat with the agency to understand their fees, and typical rates charged by doulas. Consider possible transportation fees for out of state support. Check with your health insurance company to see if they will reimburse you for doula support, or take advantage of buy now, pay later options like Paypal Credit, Klarna and Afterpay.
Finding the support your family deserves doesn’t have to be stressful. We can help by tapping into our already existing roster, or reaching out to other industry professionals and groups to find the perfect person to for your needs. Click the Agency Placement Button Below to start your search!