PP doula handouts

[HerthElde]

Does anyone who is solely hired for the postpartum period give handouts? I'm thinking about handouts for things like circumcision (not done in the hospital here, parents have to specifically request it, find a doc, there's a wait to get in, pay out of pocket, etc, so I think it would rarely be "too late"), vaccination, breastfeeding, babywearing, etc etc
So, what do you hand out?

[JMoore86]

Good questions! I'm also interested in this.

[ScootchsMom]

I'm interested too Good question!

Liz

[Marisa]

A couple of the things that I give out, that I can think of at this particular moment... (of course, it varies from person to person, depending on their situation)

* a listing of local LLL groups & their meeting times (there are a lot!)
* an article on safe co-sleeping (although I need something more succinct...let me know if you have a good one)

[Amydoula]

What I give out varies from family to family based on needs but ALL families get: a letter from me introducing myself, talking about what I provide, etc. a brochure on "what is a doula" from DONA, if there is a dad a brochure on "Dads and Postpartum doulas" from DONA, my personal brochure, some of my business cards, a magnet with my contact info for the refrigerator, if they are undecided or want to breastfeed they get some great tear off sheets I ordered from LLL, if they are having a boy I give them a brohure printed from nocirc.org on how circ is unnecessary medically, a handout on postpartum depression/mood disorders, a local resource list, my contract, the DONA confidentiality statement, a Postpartum needs questionaire form Postpartum Doula Office that I purchased from birthsource.com, and then all the rest of the info is based on what they want/need. I give a list of birth doulas if they are interested in that, if they want swaddling, bathing, etc. handouts I include those. If there are twins I have a special LLL handout on nursing twins. Hope this helps!

Amy

[HerthElde]

Amy, what percentage of your clients do you meet before the birth?

I like the nocirc handouts, I don't really feel the need to present "the other side", they'll hear that elsewhere. In fact, a big problem here (that I plan to get involved in when I have the time) is that there is an unreasonably high %age of boys being circ'd when they're older, likely due to problems intro'd from forcible retraction, and the horror stories that result from that prompt some people into circ'ing "so it doesn't have to be done when he's older" Even my brothers are intact and mom *still* thinks you have to retract babies to clean them! So I really really like the retraction handout at nocirc!
I also found a bunch of handouts here: http://www.breastfeedingonline.com/newman.shtml

Where do you get a postpartum depression handout? That's sort of my "big one" as far as concerns go, because I went through it . . . I'm hoping to find one that addresses nutritional issues and alternatives to allopathy, have you seen any? I'd like to present both sides on options.

A cosleeping handout is a great idea too!

Keep 'em coming

[Amydoula]

For PPD, I got my info from www.postpartum.net

I see about 95% of my clients before birth. First step is usually the client calling me after finding my name from somewhere, we talk, I mail them the prenatal packet, we set a date for our prental meeting (I do one for free, if they want any other prenatal meetings for other reasons, they pay a consultation fee), then the rest of the care is postpartum.

Unfortunately most of my clients are very mainstream (I'm a tree huggin liberal ) so articles on alternative things are usually a non issue I am sad to say. I do have a very good breastfeeding rate with my clients as I have only had ONE to solely bottle feed from the begining by choice.

That is so too bad about the early retraction issues! My son is intact as well and I am so glad we made that decision.

[saalmc]

This is a very helpful thread, thank you!!

[deew]

Amy, what's included in your prenatal packet that you send prior to your meeting them?

[captivatedlife]

This is very helpful, thank you.

Here are some more that I've found

www.demetria.net/article.htm

I search google: doula handouts, postpartum doula handouts.

HTH,
Kim