Frequently Asked Questions

 Choosing birth and postpartum support is a personal decision. These answers explain what you can expect from On the Nest Doula Services and can help you decide which services may be right for your family.

A doula is a trained, non-medical support professional who provides emotional, physical, educational, and practical support during pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period. A doula helps you understand your options, prepare for what to expect, practice comfort measures, communicate your preferences, and feel supported as you make decisions for your family.

A midwife is a licensed medical professional who provides clinical care, monitors the health of the pregnant person and baby, and may deliver the baby. A doula does not provide medical care or perform clinical tasks. Instead, a doula focuses on continuous comfort, education, emotional reassurance, practical assistance, and support for both the birthing person and partner.

Yes. JoAnne Mankowski is a CAPPA Certified Labor Doula and CAPPA Certified Postpartum Doula. She participates in ongoing education to keep her knowledge and skills current.

On the Nest Doula Services supports families throughout Southern Maryland, including Lexington Park, Leonardtown, California, Great Mills, Hollywood, Mechanicsville, Lusby, Solomons, St. Mary’s County, and Calvert County. Please ask about availability and any travel considerations for your specific location.

Yes. A free virtual consultation gives us time to discuss your family, due date, support needs, preferences, and questions. It also allows us to decide whether we are a comfortable fit before you make a commitment.

Many families begin interviewing doulas during the second trimester, but it is never too early to ask about availability. Because a doula can accept only a limited number of clients around each due date, booking earlier gives you the best opportunity to reserve support and complete prenatal planning without feeling rushed. If your due date is approaching, please still inquire—availability may remain.

Yes. Doula care should be respectful, inclusive, and free of judgment. Support is tailored to your family, values, feeding decisions, and birth preferences. You remain the decision-maker throughout your care.

A doula does not diagnose conditions, perform clinical procedures, interpret medical tests, prescribe treatment, make decisions for you, or replace your physician, midwife, nurse, pediatrician, therapist, or lactation professional. When a question or concern falls outside the doula’s role, you will be encouraged to contact the appropriate healthcare provider.

Birth doula support includes prenatal preparation, education, help exploring birth preferences, communication during pregnancy, on-call availability beginning at the contracted time, continuous physical and emotional support during labor and birth, assistance for your partner, and postpartum follow-up. Please review the current package description and contract for the complete list of included services.

Early labor support often begins by phone or text. We remain in communication about contractions, comfort, rest, hydration, provider instructions, and changes in how you are coping. Together, we decide when in-person support would be most helpful. Depending on the situation and your location, we may meet at your home or at the hospital.

Once active in-person support begins, the goal is to remain with you continuously through labor and birth, subject to the terms and hour limits in your agreement. After the baby is born, support generally continues for a short period to help you settle, begin bonding, and establish initial feeding as appropriate. Any extended-support fees are explained in the contract.

No. A doula complements your partner’s role. She can suggest comfort measures, demonstrate counterpressure, offer reassurance, explain what may be happening, and give your partner an opportunity to eat, rest, or use the restroom. Your partner knows you personally; your doula brings training and experience. Together, they can form a strong support team.

Absolutely. A doula supports your choices, whether you want an unmedicated birth, an epidural, an induction, or a planned cesarean. With an epidural, support may include position changes, comfort, emotional reassurance, partner assistance, communication support, rest strategies, and help maintaining a calm environment.

Yes. Doula support can be valuable during an induction, a planned cesarean, or an unexpected change in the birth plan. The exact support available during a cesarean depends on hospital policies and the clinical situation. Support may continue before surgery, when permitted in the operating room, during recovery, and after the family returns home.

A doula does not speak for you or make medical decisions on your behalf. She can help you organize your thoughts, remember your questions, request clarification, and communicate your preferences in your own voice. She works respectfully alongside nurses, physicians, and midwives while keeping you at the center of decision-making.

Support may include breathing guidance, movement, position changes, massage, counterpressure, relaxation techniques, birth-ball use, heat or cold, environmental adjustments, hydration reminders, encouragement, and emotional reassurance. Comfort measures are adapted to your preferences, stage of labor, medical circumstances, and provider guidance.

The service agreement explains backup arrangements for illness, emergencies, overlapping births, or other circumstances that could prevent your primary doula from attending. Backup coverage is intended to ensure that you are not left without support. You are encouraged to ask about the backup plan during your consultation.

A postpartum doula provides non-medical support in your home after birth. Care may include newborn-care education, feeding support within the doula’s scope, diapering, soothing, light meal preparation, baby laundry, bottle or pump-part care, sibling adjustment, emotional reassurance, and opportunities for the recovering parent to rest, shower, eat, or attend to personal needs.

Postpartum doula care centers on recovery, newborn adjustment, parent education, confidence, bonding, and the well-being of the family unit. Light household tasks may be included when they relate to postpartum and newborn care, but the doula is not a full-house cleaning service. A nanny typically focuses primarily on childcare, while a postpartum doula supports both the baby and the recovering family.

Yes. A postpartum doula can provide basic, non-medical support for nursing, pumping, bottle-feeding, formula-feeding, or combination feeding. This may include helping with positioning, organizing supplies, paced bottle-feeding when appropriate, washing feeding equipment, and providing encouragement. Complex feeding concerns, significant pain, poor intake, or growth concerns should be addressed by the baby’s healthcare provider or an appropriately qualified lactation professional.

Yes. Postpartum doula support can be especially helpful while you recover from abdominal surgery. Assistance can include bringing the baby to you, organizing feeding and changing supplies, preparing simple meals, helping with baby-related household tasks, and creating opportunities for rest. Medical questions, incision concerns, increasing pain, fever, or other concerning symptoms should be directed promptly to your healthcare provider.

The start date depends on your needs, your birth and recovery, and scheduling availability. Some families want support immediately after returning home, while others prefer to begin after a partner or relative returns to work. We can discuss an estimated start period before the baby arrives and confirm details after birth.

An overnight shift begins with a check-in about the baby’s day, recent feedings, diaper changes, and the family’s preferences for the night. Support may include preparing bottles, bringing the baby to the nursing parent, feeding as directed, burping, diapering, soothing, settling the baby in an approved sleep space, washing feeding supplies, and maintaining a written log. In the morning, the doula provides a clear handoff so parents know how the night went.

Usually, yes—but your waking time may be shorter. The doula can bring the baby to you when feeding cues begin, help you get comfortable, and then take over burping, diapering, soothing, and resettling. This allows you to return to sleep sooner and reduces the number of overnight tasks you must manage.

Yes, when that is part of your chosen feeding plan. The doula can offer expressed milk or formula according to your instructions, use appropriate bottle-feeding techniques, burp and settle the baby, and clean the supplies afterward.

The expectations for rest or awake care should be clearly addressed in the service agreement. Regardless of the arrangement, the doula remains responsible for responding to the baby according to the agreed plan and for following safe-care practices throughout the shift.

An overnight doula cannot promise that a newborn will sleep through the night and does not force an age-inappropriate schedule. Newborns naturally wake for feeding, comfort, and diaper care. The doula provides responsive care, observes the baby’s cues, and helps the family establish calm, realistic nighttime routines.

This depends on your recovery, feeding plan, partner’s schedule, available family help, budget, and baby’s needs. Some families benefit from two supported nights each week, while others prefer three nights or a longer period of care. Current packages offer different combinations of shifts and weeks so families can select the level of support that fits them best.

Yes. Overnight care follows current safe-sleep guidance and the family’s approved sleep plan. The baby is placed in an appropriate sleep space, and unsafe sleep arrangements are not encouraged. Families should discuss individualized medical needs with their pediatric provider.

A sibling doula provides in-home care for older children while their parent is in labor, giving the family dependable childcare without requiring the children to leave their familiar environment. Support can continue during labor and delivery or through the parent’s hospitalization, depending on the family’s needs and the agreement.

Care may include meals, dressing, play, comforting routines, homework or school-related tasks, transportation when agreed in advance, light child-related household tasks, bedtime, and age-appropriate preparation for welcoming the new baby. The specific responsibilities, emergency contacts, transportation permissions, and household expectations are documented before care begins.

It is best to make a plan during pregnancy so there is time for an intake appointment, for the children to become familiar with the doula, and for routines and emergency information to be documented. Because labor can begin unexpectedly, families should also maintain a backup childcare plan.

Yes. On the Nest Doula Services supports military families throughout pregnancy, birth, and the postpartum transition. Doula care can be particularly valuable when extended family lives far away, a partner has a demanding duty schedule, or the family is adjusting after a PCS.

On the Nest Doula Services accepts eligible TRICARE benefits for authorized doula care. Eligibility, covered services, authorization requirements, and family responsibility can vary, so benefits must be verified for your individual plan and circumstances.

Ask whether doula care is covered under your plan, which services qualify, whether your chosen doula must meet specific authorization requirements, whether a referral or prior authorization is needed, what documentation must be submitted, and whether there are visit, date, or reimbursement limits. Always rely on current information from TRICARE regarding your benefits.

Fees depend on the type of service, number and length of visits, overnight schedule, and selected package. Please visit the Packages and Pricing page for current rates and package details. Your consultation and contract will clarify what is included, payment dates, additional-hour charges, and applicable policies.

Yes. A signed agreement protects both the family and the doula by explaining services, responsibilities, scheduling, fees, communication, cancellation terms, backup arrangements, and the limits of non-medical care. Any required retainer and payment schedule will be reviewed before booking.

Families have different needs, and the appropriate level of support may vary. During your consultation, we can discuss your due date, recovery plans, household, feeding goals, partner availability, older children, and preferred schedule. Available options depend on scheduling and the terms of the service packages.

Cancellation, rescheduling, refund, and unused-hour policies are explained in the service agreement. Please review them carefully before signing and ask about anything that is unclear.

Schedule a free virtual consultation. We will talk about your family, due date, location, preferences, and the type of support you are considering. If we decide to work together, you will receive the appropriate agreement and next steps for reserving care.