Nurturing the Family: A Doula's Guide to Supporting New Parents

A new edition for the changing landscape of new parenting.

A new edition for the changing landscape of new parenting. As society changes, so do the ways in which we define family. As fewer and fewer families live communally and traditional means of support become less viable, many parents are left feeling isolated and unsupported. As families evolve, their needs and the responsibilities of those who support them have to be reimagined. Jacqueline Kelleher’s second edition of Nurturing the Family is designed to identify the needs of growing families and provide tangible solutions and strategies for the people who serve them. The needs of families and the profession of doula support have evolved in the years since the first edition. This book reflects those changes and is for doulas, supporting professionals, and everyone else committed to supporting a diversity of families with sensitivity and compassion.



Praise for Nurturing the Family



"This well-organized practical guide clearly describes the role and responsibilities of the postpartum doula. It is a must-read for all postpartum doulas and others who care for new families. The greater value of this book, however, is that it represents a tangible solution to one of our society’s greatest problems – the lack of support, assistance and empowerment of new mothers and fathers as they begin their journey through the unfamiliar territory of parenthood.”

— Penny Simkin,Co-author of Pregnancy, Childbirth and the Newborn: The Complete Guide, and author of The Birth Partner: Everything You Need to Know to Help a Woman Through Childbirth



"I have been waiting for this book for a long time. It is terrific – thoughtfully, carefully and clearly written with all sorts of valuable information. Jackie Kelleher makes clear that the postpartum doula is a professional filling a crucial role of immense importance for new mothers and their babies, a role that successful human societies have appreciated and supported for hundreds of thousands of years. Professionals, students, family members and others who help a new mother in the first postpartum weeks should all read this book and have a copy with them when they provide postpartum assistance.”

— Dr. John Kennell,
Researcher, author, and co-founder of Doulas of North America