Once you figure out how to package your virtual postpartum doula sessions, get them up on your website and someone buys one of your virtual postpartum doula packages (YAY!!) - what do you actually SAY when you have them on the screen?

I cover how to price your sessions, create virtual postpartum doula packages and promote these services in my Take Your Postpartum Doula Business Virtual class.

But here’s the down-low on eight questions you need to be asking during every single one of your virtual postpartum doula sessions during COVID.

1. “Do you have your water bottle?” I start off every call making sure parents have some water and even a snack nearby. This models that taking care of their needs is of the utmost importance. If you have two parents on the call (or a grandma in the background helping out) I always take this chance to say something like, “Dad, can you grab 2 glasses of water while we chat?” This gives you a couple minutes for quick chit chat to get a sense of the energy of the room/situation.

2. "How was last night?" This lets me know how feeding and sleeping are going and where our focus needs to be for the session. It's also just so incredibly satisfying to vent to a non-judgmental postpartum doula about how many times your baby woke up and how long they were awake. As a doula, it’s important to just L I S T E N. Only offer advice if mom asks for it.

3. "Is your pain the same, better or worse?" If a new mom is having nipple pain, c-section incision pain or vaginal pain, it's important to know if it is improving or getting worse. But mostly, it's important to acknowledge that she may be in pain. And to listen to her answers. Be sure to encourage her to reach out to appropriate professionals if her pain is not improving.

4. “Are you finding ways to build a nap into your day every day?” My favorite part of in-person work is taking care of a baby so parents can nap. Obviously, we can’t be doing that with virtual postpartum doula sessions. So we have to get creative and teach our clients how to navigate napping on their own. Do they need to learn how to swaddle so baby will sleep too? Can you help them make a plan with their partner to set up a napping schedule so that they both get the sleep they need? Do they need some guidelines for safe co-sleeping habits if that’s something they’ve started doing out of desperation?

5. “Are you able to eat some good meals each day?” Trying to eat a healthy dinner is hard enough with a newborn around, but add in social-distancing and it’s even harder! We can be a huge help by strategizing ways for parents to eat healthy meals. Can you help them set up a meal-train? Can you add-on meal drop-off services? Are there easy crock-pot recipes you can share with them?

6. “How is your experience different than what you’d always dreamed of?” A lot of parents are mourning the loss of normalcy and the “newborn things” that they’ve dreamed about their whole lives. Hold space for them to cry about the big in-person baby shower that they didn’t get to have. Let them mourn that grandparents couldn’t visit in the hospital. Listen as they tell you about attending ultrasound appointments alone. Validate their experiences. Acknowledge that it is okay to mourn these things.

7. “What’s it like navigating this right now because of COVID?” Whether they’re dealing with the 2 week check up, visits from in-laws, or getting lactation support - COVID is making the first few postpartum weeks even more difficult for new parents.

8. “When do you want to talk again?” Always get your next session booked on the calendar before you sign off. That’s way easier than trying to text back and forth and get it scheduled later.

Just like the whole “Well, at least you have a healthy baby.” comment can feel like a smack in the face to a mom who is mourning her birth experience, some parents right now aren’t talking about the extra layer of difficulty and stress that COVID is adding to their prenatal and postpartum experience. Give them the chance to simply vent without feeling shame that they aren’t grateful that they still were able to have a healthy baby. Acknowledge that what they are going through is tough. Hold space for them to process their birth story, their transition to parenthood AND the fact that they are doing it all during a global pandemic.

Want to learn HOW to start offering virtual postpartum doula services? Take my self-paced, online class!

Here's what postpartum doulas are saying about the Take your Postpartum Doula Business Virtual class:

“I recently finished the “Take Your Doula Business Virtual” class and LOVED it! It was so helpful. I absolutely cannot express how much this helped me and I’m thankful you put it out there!”

-Nikole, Hippie Dippy Doula, Vallejo, CA

"This is such a great package! I'm loving the videos and info!"

- Heather, Dragonfly Postpartum Care, York, ME

"I was actually struggling a bit on how to move forward with virtual sessions. Then I took Doula Darcy's class and got my packages put together and online. I have signed up two families!"

- Allison C., Austin Baby Guru, Austin, TX

"Thank you for your incredible resources! This course helped me pivot and work through these odd times. It made me more confident in my approach and feel better about the value of virtual support. You offered concrete tips and exact wording and that was amazingly helpful!"

- Sarah Ludwig, Baby To Go