Welcome to Gentle Hands Doula


We provide a broad range of services both pre and postpartum for
parents, babies and their families in the Greater Boston area.

Lactation Education ▪ Postpartum Doula Care ▪ Attachment Parenting Coach

About Gentle Hands Doula


Lactation Education ▪ Postpartum Doula Care ▪ Attachment Parenting Coach

Sondra Schimelman MEd, CPD, LE

I am first and foremost a mother – I have been in mindset my whole life, but since becoming a mother more than 12 years ago, it has become clear that helping new parents and babies is what I was meant to do. I have always been a helper and a motherly-type, and translating that desire and my own experience caring for children is a dream come true. I have been advising friends and family about lactation for more than a decade, and have always been inclined to help where possible when someone I know is expecting a new little one into their lives. I am trained and certified in Postpartum Doula Care and Lactation Education with CAPPA (Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association), and also have two years of experience with in-home care of disabled adults. I truly believe that having a doula come into your home to help you have the best start really makes a huge difference.

**Studies have shown that women who have social support during the postpartum period tend to have less postpartum depression, breastfeed/chest-feed for a longer duration, and make a better adjustment to parenthood.

Postpartum Doula Care

The following is a list of the services that I can provide as a postpartum doula with your family:

  • • Initial in-home visit prior to birth of baby
  • • Accompaniment to screen pediatricians
  • • Put together a baby registry that makes sense for your needs
  • • Assistance with breastfeeding/chest-feeding, pumping and bottle-feeding
  • • Information for birth parent about breast/chest care and any issues that may arise
  • • Helping non-birth parent feel involved and competent with baby
  • • Guidance with soothing techniques
  • • Help with getting baby to sleep
  • • Baby-wearing instruction
  • • Light housekeeping and meal prep
  • • Grocery shopping and help with meal planning
  • • Education and discussion about birth parent and baby's health and wellness
  • • Accompaniment to birth parent and/or baby's appointments for support
  • • Support via phone, text or email

Reasons for Hiring a Postpartum Doula:

  • • First-time parents get the help and advice to reassure you that you’re doing it “right”
  • • You’re in need of non-judgmental support
  • • Someone to be there when far away family can’t be
  • • Someone to be there when your partner goes back to work/family has gone back home leaving you and your partner confident you will have the help you need in those first weeks and months
  • • Single parents are definitely in need of an extra set of hands and the knowledge that they have someone there to support them
  • • If you’re new to the Boston area I can help you to find other new parents in your area
  • • If there will be twins or multiples coming having an extra set of hands will be invaluable
  • • A difficult pregnancy or the need for a cesarean section can cause extra concern which I can definitely help allay
  • • If you have a history of depression it has been shown time and again that having a doula is a very important part of the postpartum parent’s experience
  • • Have you had breast surgery? Either augmentation or reduction? I have personal experience with breast reductions and breastfeeding and can give much help in that area. Have you had difficulty breastfeeding in the past and want a smoother experience this time around? I can help with that too.
  • • If you anticipate an adoption or a foster child that may arrive rather suddenly I can be available for an additional set of hands on as needed basis.
  • • Do you want to make sure you have time for your older children? I can make sure that you carve out that time. I can also make sure that they have some attention paid to them and that they know that they will get time with you too.

 

Fees for postpartum services are offered at an hourly rate. These are my current rates, but please contact me as I can offer a sliding scale in some situations:

Daytime Postpartum Doula Care: $45/hour – minimum of 4 hours per visit

Overnight Postpartum Doula Care: $50/hour ($60/hr for awake overnights) – minimum of 8 hours per overnight

Lactation Education

  • • Available for in-home lactation education sessions – one-on-one or small group settings
  • • Learn about breastfeeding/chest-feeding prior to birth so that you feel more prepared for what comes right after the birth you’re focused on now
  • • Learn about the myths and truths of breastfeeding/chest-feeding
  • • Pumping essentials and getting ready for going back to work
  • • Assist non-birth parent with postpartum care of breastfeeding/chest-feeding parent and baby dyad
  • • Resources for when more help is needed

 

Fees for lactation education are offered at a per session rate.  Please email me for more information at sondra@gentlehandsdoula.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Resource List


CLCs/IBCLCs

Zipmilk
www.zipmilk.org


Christine Fischer-Rothman, PhD, IBCLC
617.447.8411
cbfisch@yahoo.com
www.bfwnewengland.com/christine-fischer-rothman.html


Robin Snyder-Drummond, IBCLC
617.435.0693
robin@birthready.com
www.birthready.com

Breast Pump Rental Sites

Healthy Baby Essentials
1600 Boston-Providence Highway, Walpole, MA 02081
www.healthybabyessentials.com
888.495.7491
referrals@healthybabyessentials.com


Lactation Care, Inc.
25 Fisher Avenue, Newton, MA 02461
www.lactationcare.com
617.244.5593
info@lactationcare.com

La Leche League Leaders/Meetings

Co-Leaders, La Leche League of Boston:


Hilary
404.630.5245

Janna
617.775.7602

Margo
617.651.1766


www.lllmarivt.org/lll-of-boston
lllofboston@gmail.com

Cranial Sacral Therapists & Chiropractors [specializing in infants]

Steve Carter, LMT, CST, CLE
617.797.3602


The Lydian Center
777 Concord Avenue, Suite 301, Cambridge, MA 02138
www.lydiancenter.com
617.876.6777


Chiropractors (specializing in infants)
Village Family Chiropractic
617.566.2001
126 Harvard Street, Brookline, MA 02445
vfchiro@gmail.com
www.villagechiro.com


Dr. Jamielee Shanahan
508.316.1289
355 Kelley Boulevard, North Attleboro, MA
info@lifelongharmony.com
www.lifelongharmony.com

Mothers Support Groups & New Mom Fitness

First Connections @ Mama & Me (0-4 Months)
Mama & Me: 284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
www.mymamaandme.com


Winthrop Mommy Playgroup
www.facebook.com/winthropmoms


Boston Mamas
www.bostonmamas.com/local-resources/


New Mom Fitness
FIT4MOM
www.fit4mom.com


Mama & Me: Mama Yoga (babies welcome) and Postnatal Pilates (babies welcome)
Mama & Me: 284 Amory Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130
www.mymamaandme.com

Car Seat Safety

Massachusetts Official Web Site: Car Seat Inspection
www.mass.gov/eopss/crime-prev-personal-sfty/traffic-safety/cps/locate-cps-inspection-site.html


Winthrop Police Department
617.846.1212


East Boston Neigborhood Health Center Child Safety Technician
617.568.4740

Mental Health Providers [specializing in PPD]

Maria Dolorico, M.Ed., BCC, CLC, CD (DONA)
A Mom is Born Counseling and Coaching for Pregnancy, Postpartum and Motherhood
581 Boylston Street @ Boston Integrated Health, Boston, MA 02118
www.amomisborn.com
617.869.4310


Leslie McKeough, LICSW
Core Values
7E Kimball Lane, Suite 3, Lynnfield, MA 01940
www.corevalu.com
781.507.2025
leslie@corevalu.com

Cloth Diapering & Baby Wearing

Fluff Love University
www.fluffloveuniversity.com


The Diaper Lab
www.diaperlab.com
200 Elm Street, Someville, MA 02144
617.764.0192


All About Cloth Diapers
www.facebook.com/allaboutclothdiapers/


Baby Wearing
Baby wearing International
www.babywearinginternational.com/about-bwi/chapters/


Wrap Your Baby
www.wrapyourbaby.com/babywearing-groups/

Scientifically-Supported Articles

Breastsleeping
There is no such thing as infant sleep, there is no such thing as breastfeeding, there is only breastsleeping. James T. McKenna and Lee T. Gettler. Acta Paediatrica. 17 August 2015.
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/apa.131
61/epdf


Circumcision
Male Circumcision Decreases Penile Sensitivity as Measured in a Large Cohort. Bronselaer, G. et al. BJU International 111 (2013): 820-827.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23374102?dopt=Abstract


Kangaroo/Skin-on-skin Benefits
Kangaroo care for the preterm infant and family. Ann L Jefferies and Canadian Paediatric Society, Fetus and Newborn Committee. Paediatrics and Child Health. 2012.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC3287094/


Formula Feeding
The Risks of Not Breastfeeding for Mothers and Infants. Alison Stuebe, MD, MSc. Obstetrics & Gynecology. Fall 2009.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/
PMC2812877/