Episode 62: Beyond Birth: The Power of Postpartum Care, Doula Advocacy + Baby Sleep with Sara Skiles

Written By Nathan Bengtson

We’re honored to welcome Sara Skiles to the podcast today!

Sara Skiles, CD, CPSC is the owner and Family Care Coordinator at Wichita Doula, and also a certified doula, pediatric sleep consultant, and childbirth educator. Sara is the mother of two teen sons and has extensive training, skills and personal experience in breastfeeding, birth options, comfort techniques, and all facets of infant care and sleep. She holds current certifications in doula work, pediatric sleep, advanced newborn care, childbirth education, and other related skills.

Sara is proud of her past work in overcoming perinatal anxiety/OCD and depression. One of her biggest passions is helping other new parents get the education, practical help, & the resources they need to have positive postpartum experiences.

In today’s conversation, Sara shares how her own supported birth experience with a doula and midwife changed the trajectory of her life. This ultimately led her into doula work, and eventually, postpartum and sleep support. As she honestly shares “there’s no epidural for the six weeks after birth!” 

We also dive into what a doula actually does, what postpartum care looks like, the sleep support Sara provides her clients as a pediatric sleep consultant, how babies can learn to put themselves to sleep in a respectful & holistic way, and more.

If you’re preparing for birth, navigating postpartum, or simply wondering if better sleep is possible, this episode with Sara will leave you feeling informed, supported, AND encouraged!

In today’s episode, we’re covering:

  • Sara’s journey into doula work + why her own birth experience changed everything

  • The real role of a doula + how they support labor at every stage

  • Why having a consistent advocate in the delivery room matters

  • What personalized postpartum care actually looks like

  • How doulas collaborate with medical teams to keep communication clear & mom’s voice heard

  • Why early postpartum support can drastically impact a mom’s mental health & overall family wellbeing

  • Sara’s holistic, customized approach to pediatric sleep support

  • What’s really happening during the 4-month sleep regression

  • Practical sleep foundations you can implement from day one

  • Realistic timelines for sleep progress + why improving baby sleep benefits the entire family

**Disclaimer: The information shared in this podcast is NOT meant to be taken as individual or medical advice. These conversations are for educational purposes only. Please seek the advice of your physician or healthcare provider regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Links/Resources:

Nathan Bengtson
Previous

Episode 63: Rethinking Clogged Ducts + Mastitis: How Therapeutic Ultrasound Supports Healing for Nursing Moms
Next

Episode 61: Pelvic Floor Basics: Understanding Your Pelvic Floor From the Ground Up