This interview is the second part of a series where I speak with those who work in the birth space here in Melbourne. From midwives to doulas and beyond, each conversation explores the different ways families are supported during pregnancy, birth and the newborn weeks.
This conversation is with Melissa and Rachel from Melbourne Postpartum Services – they are postpartum doulas based in Melbourne who can help you through the postpartum period, a stage that is often overlooked and can deeply impact your start to parenting. They offer support, knowledge and care in a way that is tailored to your family.
What does a postpartum doula do? For someone who’s about to have a baby, how would you describe the fourth trimester support you bring into those early weeks at home?
In the first weeks after birth, life can feel both beautiful and overwhelming a mix of joy, exhaustion, and constant change. A postpartum doula offers calm, practical support during this transition, helping new parents recover, adjust, and feel more confident as they find their rhythm at home.
At Melbourne Postpartum Services, support often begins before the baby arrives through a Postpartum Planning session. These sessions help families think ahead about what will matter most in the early weeks, from rest and recovery to household rhythms and emotional well-being so the transition home feels more prepared and less reactive. Each plan reflects a family’s individual values, preferences, boundaries, and priorities, creating a foundation that feels authentic and supportive.
Once the baby is home, the team provides in-home visits, typically three to four hours at a tim,e blending emotional, educational, and hands-on help. A visit might include guidance with feeding (breast or bottle, no judgment), gentle discussion about newborn cues and settling, conversations around mental health and identity changes, or simply offering space for parents to rest while a meal is prepared or a load of washing is done.
Some families engage a postpartum doula for a few weeks; others continue for several months as confidence builds and routines take shape. While every postpartum doula brings their own approach, Melbourne Postpartum Services draws on its Wholehearted Postpartum Framework, an evidence-informed model that helps families move from overwhelming chaos to feeling calm and confident, clarify what matters most, and nurture connection with themselves, their baby, and one another.
The focus is always on supporting parents to feel steady, cared for, and capable as they grow into this new chapter together.
What drew you to postpartum doula work? You’ve both come from different professional backgrounds – what made you want to focus on supporting families after birth?
Melissa: Honestly, after fifteen years working as an oncology nurse, I knew I loved supporting people through life’s big changes but it was time to follow my passion for helping new mums and dads. Coming alongside families and equipping them with tools, knowledge, and confidence in their own values and parenting styles brings me so much joy.
I love sharing evidence-based information that actually helps parents feel calmer and more capable. Seeing their anxiety lift and watching them relax into this new season is such a privilege. I get to help families feel more equipped, have time and space to enjoy their baby, and, of course, sneak in a few gorgeous baby cuddles along the way. Honestly, it’s the best job ever.
Rachael: My background is in social work and mental health, and I’ve always been drawn to supporting people through challenges. After becoming a mum myself, I saw how much support families need in those early months, not just practically, but emotionally. There’s so much noise and pressure out there, and it can be hard to find guidance that feels both compassionate and evidence-informed.
Melissa and I created Melbourne Postpartum Services to fill that gap to offer care that blends the practical with the emotional, and the scientific with the human, filling a huge gap in support, mostly vacant in Melbourne.
What are some of the biggest challenges you see new mums facing in those first few weeks, and how do you help provide newborn support at home?
Rachael: One of the biggest challenges I see is how many new mums feel blindsided by the realities of the fourth trimester. Even when they’ve prepared for birth, they’re often not prepared for after. Sleep deprivation plays a huge role it affects everything from mood and mental health to communication between partners. Feeding challenges are another big one; there’s so much pressure to get it “right,” and it can really shake confidence when things don’t go as planned.
A lot of what I do is help parents take a breath and zoom out to see that these struggles don’t mean they’re failing. We talk about what’s normal, what’s fixable, and what’s worth letting go of. Using our Wholehearted Postpartum Framework, I help families clarify what matters most to them, set gentle boundaries, and find steadier rhythms so they can focus on rest and connection rather than perfection.
Melissa: I completely agree. I often see similar challenges feeding worries, exhaustion, and the emotional rollercoaster that comes with both. Sometimes it’s not just the lack of sleep itself but what that tiredness does to relationships: the short tempers, miscommunication, or feelings of disconnection between partners.
In those early weeks, I like to bring calm into the home to reassure parents that what they’re experiencing is common and that things will keep evolving. I’ll often start by helping with the basics: a nourishing meal, a tidy kitchen, a baby who is settled, and a parent who has had a moment to breathe. From there, we can start to rebuild confidence and connection, one visit at a time.
How do you approach caring for the whole family, not just the baby, during that postpartum time?
Melissa: While I do love a baby cuddle, I don’t see my primary role as coming over to hold the baby. There are plenty of visits where I don’t actually hold the baby at all, especially in the beginning. My focus is on supporting the parents. That might mean making sure a mum can have a shower or a nap while dinner’s cooking, or simply knowing that someone’s there keeping things calm and steady in the background.
I’m always conscious that recovery and adjustment affect everyone, not just the mother. While one in five mums experience postnatal depression, around one in ten dads also report symptoms within the first year, and those numbers are likely underreported. So I make space for open, honest conversations with both parents while I’m in the home, sometimes while stirring a pot of soup or folding laundry. And yes, the toddlers often join in, they’re usually fantastic little helpers in the kitchen!
To me, supporting the whole family means making sure everyone feels seen, nourished, and cared for. When parents are rested, heard, and connected, the baby benefits too that’s the heart of what we do.
What’s one thing you wish every new mum knew before heading home with their baby?
Rachael: I wish every new mum knew that parenting isn’t about finding the right way, it’s about finding your way. You’re allowed to change your mind, try something different, and learn as you go. Babies change so quickly, and what worked yesterday might not work tomorrow that doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong.
One of the biggest pressures I see parents face is the belief that they have to “push through” or get everything perfect. You don’t have to willpower your way through exhaustion or uncertainty. It’s okay to ask for help, to rest, and to set boundaries around how that help looks.
At Melbourne Postpartum Services, that’s really at the heart of what we do, helping parents feel confident experimenting, adapting, and finding rhythms that work for their family. Parenthood is full of trial and error, but it’s also full of growth and grace. You don’t have to have it all figured out to be doing a beautiful job.
What role do you think newborn photography can play in the early days?
Melissa: It’s so worth it! Babies are only that tiny for such a short time, and those early weeks fly by in a blur. Having those moments captured, the tiny fingers, the sleepy faces, the quiet in-between seconds, means you’ll always have something beautiful to look back on.
Having worked alongside Bec before, I’ve seen firsthand the calm and care she brings to her sessions. She creates a space where parents can relax and just enjoy being together. She’s not fazed by noisy babies or unpredictable moments, she actually celebrates them. The way she captures families simply being themselves is really special, and those photos often become a beautiful reminder of how much love and tenderness fills those early days.
Any final comments or thoughts you’d like to share with my readers?
Rachael: Those early weeks are a blur of love, learning, and change and it’s okay if they feel messy. You’re not meant to have all the answers; you’re meant to become alongside your baby.
Our work isn’t about fixing or perfecting families; it’s about helping parents feel safe enough to slow down, find calm in the chaos, and start living in a way that feels true to who they are. When you give yourself permission to pause, reflect, and grow, you begin to discover the parent and person you’re becoming. That’s what wholehearted living is all about: the freedom to evolve, to live by your own values, and to write your own story.
Melissa: If there’s one thing we hope new parents remember, it’s that you deserve care, too. The meals, the naps, the help, the hugs, they’re not luxuries; they’re what allow you to show up as the parent you want to be.
And please know, you don’t have to enjoy every moment. Some days will feel hard, and that doesn’t mean you’re failing; it just means you’re human. Be gentle with yourself. Parenthood is as much about growth and grace as it is about love. These days can be both long and fleeting, but the love you’re building will last a lifetime.
Thank you SO much, Melissa and Rachel, your insights into this stage of life are beautiful and I think the work you’re doing for new parents is so important. Please check out: Melbourne Postpartum Services if you’re expecting or if someone you know much benefit from care like this.
