Star & Sky Doula services

Dear reader,

Many insurance companies now cover costs for doula care. This benefit is so new, I didn’t have access to it when I gave birth to my son in 2022! If I did, I would have hired a birth doula and a postpartum doula as these services are so helpful both when you’re struggling and as preventative healthcare.

Postpartum doula care is offered in your own home, which means there’s no need to go out of your way to meet with a doula while also learning to care for your new baby. Doulas come to you and assist with everything from newborn care to mother care, aiming to ensure your postpartum experience is as stress free, comfortable and safe as it can be.

While doulas are not doctors and cannot give medical advice, their support is becoming increasingly recognized as an essential service because it helps to fill gaps in care that really must be filled.

Now, if you are wondering about how a postpartum doula can support you after childbirth, here are some of the most common services they provide:

1. Lactation and feeding support. Doulas are trained in both lactation and bottle feeding. They will help support you through your breastfeeding journey, and pumping or bottle feeding if you so choose.
2. Newborn care (education & support). Newborn care can really throw parents for a loop, especially when they are a first time parent. Doulas provide evidence based information to help educate parents about newborn care, and offer non-judgmental support allowing parents to choose methods and parenting styles that work best for them.
3. Assist with family adjustment and emotional support. Family adjustment can be hard, especially when you have older children in the household, have disagreements or challenging relationships between present family members, or are experiencing emotional hardships. Doulas have the education and experience to help smooth out any kinks and assist with coping during this significant time.
4. Meal prep and light household tasks. While visiting you in your home, a doula is checking on how you are doing in your natural environment! Never feel like you have to “get ready” or even dressed for your doula. Part of their role is to ensure you are well nourished and not stressed, so they will likely want to assist with things like dishes or picking up where they can.
5. Referrals out to appropriate services. A doula does not replace healthcare providers such as lactation consultants, doctors, or therapists, but is able to help recognize the signs of needing additional support and get you in touch with helpful services.

Doulas have been providing services for decades but families have largely had to pay out of pocket. Thankfully, evidence shows that doula support helps produce better outcomes for mothers, babies, and families so insurance companies have began to cover the cost.

The only downside is that the services covered by insurance are still rather limited compared to what many postpartum doulas usually provide. Therefore, if you need more from your doula than what is currently covered by insurance, you may have to arrange that separately and pay out of pocket.

Current coverage in California — through Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Kaiser and CalPERS — includes:

• 1 initial visit with your doula
• Support during labor and delivery, abortion or miscarriage
• Up to 8 additional visits (in any combination prenatal or postpartum)
• Up to 2 extended postpartum visits (three-hours in length each)

Note: This coverage can be used up to 12 months after the end of pregnancy. If you need additional care, ask your doctor for a recommendation (you may be eligible to add up to 9 more visits).

This is a great step forward in care for families in CA, so do take advantage of what is currently being offered!

Hopefully more extensive postpartum services will soon be covered, especially for the first few weeks after childbirth.

Postpartum doulas usually offer services such as overnight support and full work days assisting with household tasks, newborn care, etc., but current coverage doesn’t seem to make these particular services very accessible.

I suggest contacting your insurance provider and your doula to learn more about what is offered vs. what is covered, so that you can make a plan with your doula that works best for you.

Thank you for reading!

If you have any more questions please feel free to visit my FAQs page, or contact me directly via phone or email.

Sincerely,

Destany

Star & Sky Doula