- Holistic Family Doulas co-owners, Libby Deutsch and Errin Bald, answer five questions about how postpartum doula support can be transformative for all families and bridge the gap when a village isn’t available.
The days after a new baby arrives to the world can be beautiful, busy, and even scary, but what’s true across the board is that everyone needs support.
That’s one key takeaway we received from Libby Deutsch and Errin Bald, co-owners of Holistic Family Doulas.
I had the privilege of working with HFD before Libby and Errin’s time at the agency, and it was a truly impactful and grounding experience for my family.
Here’s what Libby and Errin offered about the impact of postpartum doula support for all families, struggling or not.
1. Broadly speaking, what is a postpartum doula and how can they help new parents, especially the birthing parent?
A postpartum doula provides emotional, practical, and evidence-informed support during the tender weeks after birth. While a new baby naturally receives much of the attention, we believe mothers deserve to be nurtured, seen, and cared for as they recover and step into their new identity.
Our role is not to take over, but to come alongside families and help create an environment where parents can slow down, rest, and bond with their baby. We support infant feeding, newborn care, household rhythms, emotional wellbeing, and recovery while gently encouraging parents to trust their instincts and find what feels right for their family.
When a mother feels supported, safe, and cared for, she is better able to connect with her baby and settle into motherhood with confidence.
2. How can families know if a postpartum doula is right for them?
We often tell families that you don't have to be struggling to deserve support.
Postpartum doulas aren't just for difficult circumstances — they're for anyone who values entering this season with intention and care. Whether you're a first-time parent, adding another child to your family, recovering from a challenging birth, or simply looking for some more restful sleep, postpartum support can make a meaningful difference.
Many parents wonder if they should be able to do it all themselves. But humans were never meant to mother in isolation. We believe every family deserves a village, and sometimes that village looks different than it once did. Postpartum doulas help bridge that gap.
3. The village model of raising children isn't as common as it once was, but the need for community is just as strong. Do you see a shift in thinking around reaching out for help or do families that come to the agency feel stigmatized?
We absolutely see a growing shift.
More and more families are recognizing that support is not a luxury — it's a necessity. Parents today are often raising children far from extended family while balancing work, responsibilities and endless information. The expectations that are placed on modern parents is immense.
At the same time, many mothers still carry guilt around asking for help. Somewhere along the way, we've created the expectation that mothers should instinctively know how to do everything while recovering from birth and caring for a newborn around the clock, while also tending to all of the demands that modern day society has placed on us.
We don't believe motherhood was ever meant to look that way.
For generations, women were cared for by other women after birth. Meals were prepared, babies were held, and mothers were given space to recover. While the structure of the village may have changed, the need for community has not.
Postpartum doulas are one way we can help rebuild that village and remind mothers that they were never meant to do this alone.
4. In relation to question 3, what are the most transformational changes you notice in families who have worked with postpartum doulas? What do you wish naysayers knew about this type of care?
One of the greatest transformations we witness is a mother's growing trust in herself.
Parents often begin postpartum feeling overwhelmed by outside opinions and pressure. With consistent support and encouragement, we see them begin to quiet the noise and lean into their own intuition. In a noisy and opinion filled world, we think the is the greatest gift of all.
For those who are skeptical, we want them to know that when mothers are nourished emotionally, physically, and practically, they are able to show up more fully for themselves, their babies, and their families. We believe caring for mothers is one of the most powerful ways to care for children.
5. If you could impart one piece of advice or encouragement for new parents in the trenches, what would it be?
Slow down. Be present with the tender moments in front of you. You and your baby are changing every day.
We live in a culture often tells parents to bounce back, figure it out quickly and resume life as normal. But birth changes us. Becoming a parent is a profound transition and it deserves time, gentleness and support.
Rest when you can and accept help when it is offered. Trust that getting to know your baby — and yourself as a parent — is a relationship that unfolds over time. You don't have to do it perfectly! You will learn along the way. While it will be challenging at times, it is a beautiful journey. Arguably, the most transformative experience of your life.
About Libby and Errin
Libby Deutsch is the co-owner of Holistic Family Doulas, a certified birth and holistic postpartum doula and private childbirth educator. Known for her calm, grounded presence, Libby provides deeply mother-led support rooted in trust, education and honoring each family's unique journey. She is passionate about helping mothers feel informed, confident and connected to themselves through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum transition. Her work is centered on a simple belief: when mothers are cared for, families thrive.
Errin Bald is the co-owner of Holistic Family Doulas, a certified birth and postpartum doula and educator with over a decade immersed in the study of birth. Her own births — an unexpected cesarean, a VBAC and a deeply healing homebirth after cesarean — continue to shape the empathetic, grounding care she offers families across hospital, home and birth center settings. Her postpartum work weaves together ancestral wisdom and contemporary evidence, including traditional bellybinding, herbal support, Reiki and healing nourishment. She is committed to mother-led care — following each family's lead while nourishing and restoring the mother at the center of it all.
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