FULL CIRCLE POSTPARTUM CARE
Amy Thomson and Christina Prskalo are experienced Seattle-based birth and postpartum doulas who work as a team to support Seattle and Eastside area families.
Working together as Full Circle Postpartum Care, Amy and Christina can tailor your care based on the level of support that will best benefit your family; including prenatal care, preparing for baby, childbirth and c-section support, postpartum daytime care, overnight care, infant sleep training, and much more. They are passionate about supporting families by contributing without interference, offering guidance, and providing information. They strive to normalize and troubleshoot areas of uncertainty for new parents, help them to build confidence, and to learn to trust their own parental instincts. They work carefully to honor each family’s unique parenting choices and circumstances and tailor their services to match the individual needs of each family.
Amy and Christina have been a doula team since 2002 and have more than 30 years of combined postpartum expertise. They developed their doula team to provide a deeper level of support to the families that they serve. Having two doulas gives families the added benefits of broader scheduling flexibility, expanded knowledge and experience, and built in backup support.
New Parenting is one of the most challenging and expanding experiences of our lives. It stretches us and our ability to love and give of ourselves far beyond what we have previously known as possible. The birth itself is an initiation into a new world and it is only the first of many ongoing beginnings we will go through with our children. Source: DONA International
Becoming a parent is an exciting and sometimes scary process. Even while most look forward to the birth of their babies with great anticipation and joy, all of the planning, shopping, family stresses, and anxiety about the birth and bringing baby home can feel overwhelming. It is often difficult to navigate all of the conflicting information out there that is meant to support new parents and help them make important decisions about their new baby. Often, extended family lives far away, or is unavailable during this important time. All families need nurturing support through pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum period. In many cultures, whole communities come together to nurture new parents and their babies for many weeks before, during, and after childbirth.
What Does a Postpartum Doula Do?
Postpartum doulas provide emotional support, infant care and education, maternal and breastfeeding support, light household support (dishes, laundry, etc.), meal preparation, errands, sibling care, community resources and referrals, specialized support for postpartum mood disorders, and practical help with multiples and preemies. Postpartum doulas normalize and troubleshoot areas of uncertainty for new parents, help families build confidence, and to learn to trust their parental instincts.
Overnight postpartum care is an extension of the family’s night time parenting and includes all infant care, and maternal and breastfeeding support. Overnight, the postpartum doula’s main focus is on the baby and maintaining a peaceful night time environment in the home.The primary goal for overnight care is for the whole family to get a substantial stretch of sleep and to know that their baby is in competent hands. Overnight care is particularly helpful when the mother has had a cesarean section, postpartum depression, maternal or infant sleep problems or concerns, or when one or both parents are returning to work. Overnight doulas can also help families with older babies navigate nighttime sleep issues and help baby work towards sleeping through the night.
