Help at Home
Professional Services
A variety of professional services are available to help families at home with a new baby. These listings are not meant to be all-inclusive but rather a starting point in finding help after baby arrives.
Healthy Families Virginia (throughout Virginia) provides home visitors to work with overburdened families who are at-risk for adverse childhood experiences.
Postpartum Doulas
Postpartum doulas help new families adjust to life with baby. They have knowledge about postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, and newborn care. Their services vary depending on the family’s needs, and might involve anything from a one-time visit for information and advice, to providing overnight care every night for a month. Postpartum doulas often say they “mother the mother.”
Lactation Consultants
Lactation consultants can help with breastfeeding concerns. Many hospitals, birthing centers, and pediatric offices have lactation consultants on staff. Additionally, many lactation consultants offer services either individually or through lactation consultant groups.
- The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) provides certification for lactation consultants.
- The International Lactation Consultant Association maintains a directory of IBLCE-certified lactation consultants.
- The La Leche League provides education, information, support, and encouragement to women who want to breastfeed
Overnight Assistance
Many families benefit from the services of night nurses and baby sleep coaches.
- HushHushLittleBaby (Northern Virginia and Metropolitan Washington DC)
- INOVA Home Health (Northern Virginia)
- Let Mommy Sleep (Northern Virginia and Metropolitan Washington DC)
- MetroParentRelief (Northern Virginia and Metropolitan Washington DC)
- Overnight Newborn Care (Northern Virginia and Metropolitan Washington DC)
- PINK Newborn Services (Worldwide)
- The Baby Guru (United States)
- Tired Moms Helper (Northern Virginia and Metropolitan Washington DC)
Postpartum Support Virginia does not advocate for any of these groups or individuals.
Listings are not meant to be all-inclusive but rather a starting point in finding help at home.