Move over Mary Poppins and Nanny McPhee, there’s a traditional and practical caregiver who doesn’t need a bag of tricks or magic to show parents they are capable of raising a child. 

Cue Lupine Sialia, a Bradford woman who serves as a postpartum doula. 

Sialia, like Poppins and McPhee, swoops into households for the necessary amount of time that a family of a newborn needs her services — typically one to three months — and then she’s gone, leaving behind a set of parents capable of tackling most postpartum and baby raising issues.

How does she accomplish this?

Her services are similar to that of a nanny — provide child care and perform household chores — however, she is also trained in parent rearing, educating parents on how to manage stressful and vulnerable times associated with pre- and post-childbirth. She is certified in breastfeeding and is in the process of obtaining placenta encapsulator certification.

“Often times, television shows depict pregnancy, childbirth and parenting immediately following childbirth as this negative experience.

Well, it doesn’t have to be, and it shouldn’t be,” Sialia said.

“That’s where doulas come in handy. They are trained — some of them are certified — to help parents handle stressful and overwhelming situations that may arise during labor and following childbirth.”

After a child is born, Sialia assists with the parent’s and child’s needs.

“I’ve helped in both breast and bottle feeding, caring for the baby while the mother sleeps, washing dishes, preparing meals and even suggest to the parents how to handle and communicate with their baby when it is upset,” Sialia said. “I’m there to make life less stressful for parents who are adjusting to having a new baby in their home.”

There are also birth doulas, those who provide non-medical services prior to and during childbirth, Sialia explained.

“Both types of doulas will work alongside a family during its transition into parenting, and both are equally beneficial to expectant parents because they provide relief throughout and after the birthing experience,” Sialia said. “Having a person who is hired by you to be a constant presence through your labor is very reassuring.”

Studies have shown that the presence of a professional providing one-to-one support at a hospital can result in a family being 28 percent less likely to have a Cesarean section, 31 percent less likely to use the synthetic hormone oxytocin to speed up labor, 9 percent less likely to use pain medication, and 34 percent less like to rate their childbirth experience negatively, she said.

“Doulas will not advocate any type of birthing methods … It is a huge part of our job not to bring our ideology into another family’s home,” Sialia said. “A professional doula will support you no matter what type of birthing and child rearing method the parents choose.”

Doulas are not medical professionals, she added.  

“We are simply in a family’s life to provide support to the parents and ensure they are given the type of birthing and postpartum experience they want,” Sialia said. 

Birthing doulas help create a birthing plan, suggest different birthing positions, provide information on various birthing methods, and offer emotional reassurance that the birthing process is progressing in a safe and healthy fashion, she said.

“In some ways I feel like doula care is similar to the type of care women received decades ago,” Sialia said. “During the when families were taking care of each other in their villages, mothers were supporting other mothers. Doulas serve in a motherly fashion by mothering the mother so she can better care for her baby. I’ll do whatever I can to help the mother and father so they can enjoy their bonding time with their baby, and also relax while I tend to their babies needs.”

To learn more about Sialia’s services, visit her business website at www.bluebirddoula.com or call her at (412) 480-7103.

“Hiring a doula should bring nothing but positives to the child birthing and postpartum experience,” Sialia said. “I know for me it is a truly beautiful experience to help another mother bring a child into this world, and assist parents with caring for each other and for their newborn. I welcome and cherish every moment a family allows me into their life to assist in that way.”