Be Well at Home
Our All Inclusive, 16 week Postpartum Support Program
Be Well at home is a 16-week postpartum support program customized to meet the needs of the birthing person postpartum.
Once you arrive home, we will send a postpartum doula to your home to help you get settled and comfortable at home. Your doula will be there to answer questions, offer resources and referrals, and allow you personal time to rest and recover from birth.
Our goal is for mothers and newborns to have access to quality maternal and child health services. Each visit will last 4 hours allowing the family, mom, in particular, to rest, have a quality meal, and focus on her personal care.
Our doulas and support team will come to you 4 days a week for the first 6 weeks and 3 days a week for the following 4 weeks and 2 days a week for the last 4 weeks for a total of 16 weeks of personal in-home care.
What We Do
Be Well at Home is designed to support and nurture the mom and the family to recover from birth with ease, allowing her to focus on what’s important, caring for her baby.
Some of the things we will do for you include:
- Offering breastfeeding knowledge, support, and assistance
- Helping with newborn care, such as diaper changes, feedings and sleeping
- Providing resources to related services, such as birthing classes or a lactation consultant
- Helping your family learn and become comfortable with baby bonding and soothing methods
- Caring for the baby so parents can take a nap, shower, or eat a meal
- Helping with mom's post-birth comfort measures
- Offering physical support as mom recovers from a cesarean delivery
- Making breakfast, lunch, dinner, or healthy snacks
- Keeping mom hydrated and comfortable
- Playing with older children and helping with bedtime and naptime
- Taking care of light household cleaning, such as dishes, tidying up, and laundry so mom doesn't feel overwhelmed
- Help with the emotional recovery after birth
- Running errands
What Services are Included
We will assign you a postpartum doula to help you transition into parenthood and recover from birth. Some of the services we provide include:
- Educating you on complete infant care
- Help and assist with breastfeeding or bottle feeding
- Help with Postpartum Depression
- Monitoring baby’s nutritional intake
- Umbilical Care
- Circumcision Care
- Diapering
- Bathing
- Burping Techniques
- Soothing and Swaddling
- Initiating a schedule for sleeping and feeding
- Assist in establishing healthy sleep patterns
- Supporting your baby in sleeping through the night
- Sleep Conditioning & Training using skilled and proven techniques
- Bottle Sterilization
- Care for babies with Reflux, Colic, and slow weight gain
- Maintain the baby’s log of eating, sleeping and behavioral patterns
- Complete care of the newborn at night
- Bring newborn to nursing mom (if breastfeeding)
- Organization and maintenance of the nursery
- Laundering baby clothing and linens
- Sibling Interaction
Be Well at Home Application form
Schedule of Services
First 6 weeks
We provide 4 hours of in-home support up to 4 times a week (16 hours of weekly care)
Weeks 6-12
We provide 4 hours of in-home support up to 3 times per week (12 hours of weekly care)
Weeks 12-16
We provide 4 hours of in-home support up to 2 times per week (8 hours of weekly support)
NOTE: The Be Well at Home program is a 16 week program. If you need less Postpartum Support or you aren’t sure if this program is the right fit for you, visit our Postpartum page to view other options.
The Be Well at Home Care Team
Meet our Doulas, Lactation, and Mental health team
Our trained and certified postpartum doulas come with years of experience supporting families after the birth of their bab(ies). We come into your home and help you get settled and comfortable so you can rest and recover. Our support services include light housekeeping, meal prep, breastfeeding support, running errands, sibling and pet care, providing resources, answering baby-related and new moms questions, and of course newborn care. If you have additional needs, please let us know as we are here to help!
Amanda Dodson (she/her)Labor Doula, Social Media Manager
Amanda Dodson (she/her)
Labor Doula, Social Media Manager
Amanda is originally from Roswell, Georgia, but has lived in Nashville for the past 4 years. She is a birth doula and (soon to be!) childbirth educator. Amanda has worked with youth in some capacity for the past 9 years as a tutor, Junior High Math teacher, and volunteer with her church. She is passionate about both education and birth work. Everyone deserves the empowerment that comes from both education and adequate support! Amanda is married to her husband, Adam, and has a 4 year old son named David. When she is not doing work with Sunnyside Up Youth, you can find her hanging out with her family, enjoying a good book, or serving in the Young Women’s organization of her local congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Angela Weast (she/her)Labor and Postpartum Doula
Angela Weast (she/her)
Labor and Postpartum Doula
As a proud mom of 2 adult daughters, parenting is Angela’s passion. As an only child growing up without much direction or guidance at home,she values the precious women who mentored her along the way ( and still do). Angela remembers being handed her firstborn daughter and thinking, “What do I do with her?” And when she cried, she called the nurse to ask why! However, she had a support system to help her adjust. Angela understands firsthand that not everyone gets what they need “at home”. Her greatest desire is to be the support that another needs during the most challenging time in their life.
Ari M. Hill (she/her)Labor & Postpartum Doula, Research Coordinator, Moderator
Ari M. Hill (she/her)
Labor & Postpartum Doula, Research Coordinator, Moderator
Ari serves as a research and organization coordinator, as well as a childbirth / new parent educator at Sunnyside Up Youth Services. I am a postpartum doula, and the CEO of L.Elevyn Doula Services. She currently works as a healthcare administrator and has been in the medical field for over 5 years. Ari’s background consists of cardiology post acute care, cardiac rehabilitation, and kinesiology studies. She is passionate about positive and beneficial birthing and postpartum outcomes, as well as womens’ health as a whole.
Desiree Isidore (she/her)Moderator, Licensed Practical Nurse
Desiree Isidore (she/her)
Moderator, Licensed Practical Nurse
Desirée is a new postpartum doula, stay-at-home mom to a fun-loving, adventure-seeking two-year-old and wife to Kerr. Having my son during the pandemic 2 years ago we had very little village present and both my husband and I worked together to take care of my son and learned A LOT. I developed this new passion for motherhood, postpartum and lactation during that time. Some of the things I learned on this journey but not limited to are teaching myself to breastfeed, learning all about cloth diapering, baby wearing and even learning how to care for and nourish myself. I have learned it all and want to make sure I help as many mamas as I can. I became a nurse in 2009 and have worked in pediatrics for the majority of my career as a Licensed Practical Nurse. I love kids, but I’m ready to focus on the care of mothers. I’m originally from northern Virginia, but moved to Tennessee on a whim and now have established my own family and life here. I love trying new recipes and honestly, it may sound cliche but, I love being a mom and wife and spending time with my family. It brings me joy.
Deylen Earl (them/they)Full Spectrum Doula, Student Midwife
Deylen Earl (them/they)
Full Spectrum Doula, Student Midwife
Deylen is a full-spectrum doula and future student midwife. As a trans and queer person, they know how challenging our healthcare system can be to navigate for those of us it wasn’t built to serve. A life-long reproductive health nerd, Deylen has spent the past decade building their systems advocacy skills in the service of breaking down barriers to reproductive care. They are passionate about reproductive justice, about care work, and about showing up for their communities and the people that they love. As a doula, Deylen works alongside clients and their loved ones to support them in becoming experts on their own bodies, in making informed and empowered choices, and in accessing the resources they need. Deylen completed their doula training through Doula Trainings International and is currently enrolled in the pre-midwifery program at Vanderbilt University School of Nursing.
When they’re not working, you can find Deylen in the woods, in the water, at a SONG meeting, volunteering with ARC-Southeast, or spending time at home with their chosen family – Topaz, Avery, and Richard the cat.
Vanity Bonner (she/her)Grief & Loss Advocate, Postpartum Doula
Vanity Bonner (she/her)
Grief & Loss Advocate, Postpartum Doula
Vanity Bonner is a Nashville, TN native raising 4 beautiful children and an energetic cat named Salem. She is a Postpartum Doula,PAIL Advocate, Nicu Unit mom and postpartum depression survivor. Her passion is caring for moms and babies. She enjoys educating, supporting and giving knowledge to families for them to make informed decisions.Vanity’s goal is to have a supportive healing place for families suffering from any postpartum challenges. Vanity has a background in nonprofit philanthropy and fundraising.
Our Newborn Care Specialists provide support overnight to the newborn so that everyone in the household can sleep and rest. We will assist in bathing, night-time feedings, circumcision and umbilical cord care, burping, changing diapers, swaddle, soothe and comfort your baby back to sleep without the family being disturbed of their rest. We keep track of everything happening with your baby overnight and provide support and resources as necessary.
Pregnancy and the postpartum period can be challenging and emotional and it;s perfectly normal! We have teamed up with mental health therapists to support you emotionally and mentally as your mind and body transition into being a new parent. Contact us if you are feeling anxious, overwhelmed, depressed or just not your normal self.
Ashley Shelley (she/her)Mental Health Specialist
Ashley Shelley (she/her)
Mental Health Specialist
Ashely is a licensed private practice therapist in Nashville, Tn. She works to consistently provide quality and effective therapeutic services that encourage meaningful and sustainable positive outcomes. Promoting engagement in mental health practices within minority communities has been one of her primary focuses. Ashley is also a certified yoga instructor and is in the preliminary stages of becoming a certified doula. Private yoga and guided mediation sessions are a couple of additional provided therapeutic offerings. Along with being a therapist, she enjoys community engagement, blogging, hanging with friends, and travelling.
Be Well at Home Prerequisites
It’s important that our clients are well educated on matters relating to pregnancy and baby care. We require all clients that signup for Be Well at Home attend at least 4 of our 7 education classes. You can view our classes below and click through to get more info.
This information-packed class will cover all things that happen when labor begins!
In this class, we will discuss the third trimester of pregnancy, labor, common medical interventions, special situations, informed consent, relaxation techniques, coaching, breastfeeding during the “Golden Hour”, baby care, and more!
Begin your breastfeeding relationship with confidence! In this class, you will learn the foundations for breastfeeding success. You will learn about the first feedings, positioning and latch, how your body works to increase your supply, how to know the baby is getting enough, and more.
In this class, we will discuss possible hurdles, the importance of ongoing support, pumping and storing your breast milk, bottle feeding the breastfed baby, nursing in public, and more.
Even though babies don’t come with step-by-step guides, we’ve got you covered! Our course will give you the tools you need to put your best foot forward on the journey of being a parent. Babies grow up faster than you can blink, don’t miss a second! You’ll learn more than the basics of infant safety, including car seats, choking hazards, and first aid.
This class will help you care for your newborn from your first day home, solve possible challenges of parenting and give you more time for the most important thing: spending quality time with your baby and family!
Now it’s time to take care of the pregnant person! In this class, we will help you learn ways to have a safe and full recovery after childbirth.
We will discuss nutrition, healing techniques, postpartum depression, and mood disorders and when, how and where to seek help. This class is all about you and your needs and making sure you feel as well during recovery.
Safe sleep means putting your baby to sleep in ways that can help protect him from danger, like choking and sudden infant death syndrome (also called SIDS).
In this class, we will discuss ways to protect your baby while sleeping, the do’s and don’ts to safe sleep, and how to co-sleep with your baby, and different types of sleeping environments.
We know every family has options on how to feed their baby. We are not here to judge. We are here to support your choices by providing accurate information about the formula.
Our goal is to ensure you are correctly preparing each bottle to ensure that safety and nutritional needs are met. In this class, we will discuss what’s in the formula, the different types of formula, and guidelines and regulations for formula feeding.
Proper nutrition during and after pregnancy is vital to both the pregnant person and baby. With the added demands on the recovering body, and those necessary for the development and well-being of the baby, eating healthy during and after pregnancy provides an abundant amount of short and long-term benefits.
In this class, we will teach you the importance of nutrition, what to eat to help your baby grow and body heal, and share easy, budget-friendly recipes.
NOTE: The Be Well at Home program has prerequisites because it’s a 16 week program. If you need less Postpartum Support or you aren’t sure if this program is the right fit for you, visit our Postpartum page to view other options.
FAQ
We will supply a team of postpartum doulas, lactation specialists(if you choose to breastfeed), newborn care specialists and mental health specialists to support you as you recover from birth and transition into parenthood. In order to participate in the Be Well at Home program, you must attend four of the seven new parent education classes we offer. To view our classes, click here.
Be Well at Home is $75.00 per week and can be paid weekly or monthly. A $150 discount ids available when the 16 weeks are paid in full. Don’t want 16 weeks of care? We offer 4, 8, and 12 week packages also (see here)
Having in-home personal support after birth can speed up recovery time and set you up with long term new parent success. Having experienced and trained support to answer your questions and help with baby related tasks help give you not only peace of mind but confidence in your ability to care for your baby!
Sunnyside Up Youth is confident that after receiving support from our postpartum team, you will be equipped to care for your newborn but we are not going to leave you without additional support if you need itt. We have partnered with local organizations such as Nurture the Next to provide additional wrap-around services such as training and educational opportunities, crisis prevention, housing and employment assistance. Contact us to let us know how we can help.
Sunnyside Up Youth Pregnancy Services is located in Nashville, Tennessee
Sunnyside is a registered non-profit charity Tax exempt #85-4190996
need our mailing address? click here