Usually, Doulas work specifically for one party (for instance, for a pregnant woman, a couple that wants children, or for an elderly person), but Adoption Doulas can be seen from two different point of views. That is, from out the view of the birth mother and from out the view of the adopting family.
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As it is, the Adoption Doula may provide their services only for the birth mother, or only for the adopting family, or for both sides at the same time. Mind also that the adopting family may be part of the LGBTQ+ community. In this case, the Doula will also need the skills and experience to handle and guide this specific realm.
Nonetheless, as a general rule, the Adoption Doula will seek to work together with all participants in the adoption process, meaning with the birth mother, the newborn baby (or young child), the adopting family, and the administrative, judicial, and governmental teams or individuals involved in order to ensure a smooth and pleasant transition.
For the birth mother, the Adoption Doula would typically supply practical and emotional support, birth education and preparation, labor and postpartum support, logistical help, advocacy, and information about and access to supporting resources.
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For the adopting family, the Doula would supply adoption-specific birth education and preparation, help in navigating the legal adoption process, helping the adopting family in their contact and communication with the birth mother (before, during, and/or after birth), giving support in bonding questions, feeding issues, and in all other questions new families may have, alongside general post-placement support as long as the adopting family wants or needs it.
Mind that in quite a number of cases, the adoption family is not sufficiently prepared for the adoption process. That is, it’s not uncommon that the adoption is part of an emergency placement, meaning that everything goes fast, and that people didn’t have the time to properly adjust to the changes at hand. In this sense, the Adoption Doula can be of invaluable help as a guide and buddy.
