COVID-19 Update

This is undoubtedly a stressful time for everyone, particularly those who are welcoming a new baby into the world. As a doula, my primary role is to ensure the birthing mother and her family feel confident, safe and reassured during this incredible time in their lives— and that hasn’t changed. We can only control what is in our means and now more than ever, the world needs the support of a doula.

Precautionary safety measures I have taken:

  • Specific certified training for Covid-19 Infection Control

  • Minimised my exposure to the virus, only leaving my home for essential services and to visit clients who are showing no symptoms

  • Following all health and safety recommendations by both Government health officials and Doula Network Australia.

As your doula, I will ensure to:

  • Continue to maintain the highest safety practices

  • Work collaboratively and flexibly with healthcare services to provide essential support to women and their families

  • Provide links to podcasts, websites and videos for prenatal, birth preparation and postnatal care to ensure my families are kept well-informed

  • Communicate with clients through email, text and phone conversations, or using virtual rooms such as Zoom

  • Offer additional home postpartum support as women are currently being discharged earlier than usual if mother and baby are well

  • Continue to offer personalised packages as well as my birth and postpartum packages already listed

  • Additionally, I’ll remain creative in looking at all options of care that are available within the health and safety guidelines, and personalising that care to the birthing mother and her family during this time.

Temporary changes to my services under current policies:

As recommended, all prenatal meetings will be performed virtually through Zoom. Please be assured that the level of service I offer will not be effected by having our meetings virtually.

Both labour and postpartum care can be conducted as usual in my client’s homes using the correct hygiene methods, if both parties are well and agree. Otherwise, these services can also be performed virtually, however this will restrict what types of help I can offer.

In the event that only one support person is permitted into the labour ward at the Launceston General Hospital, I can continue to support low-risk women in their homes. I will provide both emotional and physical support during the longest part of labour, until you are in established labour and are ready to transfer to hospital or until the home birth midwives arrive.

Given how new this virus is, we currently have very little data on how it might effect pregnant mothers and newborns. There is currently no evidence that the virus is spread from mother to baby in utero, or that it is transmitted in human milk.

Please note that I will be continually reviewing my services as I closely monitor the recommendations made by both Government health officials and Doula Network Australia.