How Can a Sibling Doula help me during birth?

Learn all about Sibling Doulas in Portland, Oregon

Maybe you have heard the term “Sibling Doula” before and found yourself wondering what they are and how they can support you during childbirth. Well, we have all the information for you! 

What is Sibling Doula? 

A Sibling doula is a trained birth professional (often a trained Birth or Postpartum Doula) who can provide on-call sibling care when a woman goes into labor. They are well versed in both caring for children, as well as the labor and birth process. 

Does a Sibling Doula provide any support during pregnancy? 

Sibling doulas in Portland, Oregon will either have 1 prenatal visit built into their package or offer it a la carte for the families that would like it. They can use this time to essentially create a birth plan of action and get to know your ideal care needs. They make an effort to truly get to know your child/children including their routines, favorite activities, foods they enjoy and how they are best comforted. This is a great opportunity for your children to get comfortable with the sibling doula as well! If desired, she can bring books, games or activities about pregnancy, birth and be a big brother / sister to help them prepare for this big transition. If you are having a home-birth and the children will be present at the birth, the sibling doula will explain what to expect (in an age appropriate way) and how they can best support their mommy, while helping them create boundaries and deepen their understanding of the process. 

What does a Sibling Doula do during my hospital birth? 

A sibling doula will be on-call to provide childcare during the 3-5 weeks surrounding your due date. They will join you at your home and make sure your child(ren) are all lovingly cared for while you are at the hospital in labor. They will care for your kids, according to your set boundaries and desired care routines such as making them meals, playtime and bedtime rhythms. This sibling care package is often a 12-48 hour package and they will stay with your children until you or your partner are back home. 

Many Sibling Doulas provide specialized activities for the children during this time; such as art therapy projects, sibling preparation games, help them surprise mama and baby siblings with a “birthday cake” and all sorts of intentional ways to connect!   

What can a Sibling Doula provide during a homebirth?

Whether your children are 3, 5 or 10 years old; you may want to give your kids the opportunity to be present and a part of your baby’s home birth. While many kids are naturally drawn to be a part of witnessing or even participating in labor support, children thrive with a safe and knowledgeable person to support them during a home birth. A sibling doula can be there to give kids ideas on how to support their mom (bringing water, offering a washcloth, saying “good job mama!”). She can also be there to bring them to a quiet and calm space, if the sights and sounds become too overwhelming. Aside from that, we all know kids have ongoing needs throughout the day and night. She is there to help the partner as much as possible with basic support such as prepping meals, filling water cups, potty help, bedtime routines, etc. throughout the labor experience.  

How much does a Sibling Doula cost? 

Sibling doula packages in Portland, Oregon range from $800-$2500. They are often priced very similar to a Birth Doula package; as they are still on-call for immediate labor support and are bringing their wealth of knowledge and expertise about pregnancy, labor and postpartum to 

Does a Sibling Doula provide any postpartum support?

Absolutely! Most sibling doulas will provide at least 1 postpartum visit with the whole family. This is an ideal time to answer any questions from you or the children about their new baby sister/brother, allow time for processing the birth experience and help support them with their new sibling role! She’ll share some ideas and tips on how they can be awesome big brothers or sisters and some suggestions for you on how to support and nurture that transition for them. Add-on visits are available for ongoing sibling transition or general postpartum doula support. 

How can I hire a Sibling Doula in Portland, Oregon area? 

At Doulas of Oregon, we have some incredible Sibling Doulas on our team! Reach out today to interview and find your sibling doula match.