Postpartum home support: rest while we look after your family
- So what exactly is postnatal home support?
- What does a companion actually do?
- Why does rest matter so much after the birth?
- What postpartum support is out there?
- How much does postnatal home support cost, and is it covered?
- When should you ask for postnatal home support and when should you see a professional?
- How do you book postnatal home support?
- Frequently asked questions
So what exactly is postnatal home support?
Postnatal home support ("relevailles") is postnatal support in your own home: a trained person comes to you after the birth to help you with rest, caring for your baby and organizing day-to-day life. The French word actually comes from the idea of "getting back up" after the birth — that period when you slowly get your strength back.
This service is for any family with a young baby (often up to around nine months), whatever their income or circumstances. You can call on it whether or not you have a network around you, and whatever your baby's temperament. Some families book a few hours a week, others book support during the day as well as overnight. It's offered both by community organizations and by birth companions such as those at Ysé Naissance.
What does a companion actually do during postnatal home support?
She takes care of you as much as of your baby, so that you can rest. In practical terms, a postnatal home support session can include:
- 🤱 Support with breastfeeding and your baby's sleep
- 👶 Looking after your newborn while you sleep, take a shower or catch your breath
- 🍲 Preparing meals or snacks for the family
- 🧺 Light household tasks to keep the home ticking over
- 👧 Looking after siblings, so the older ones get some time too
- 💬 A listening ear and emotional support as you adjust to parenthood
The support always respects your own pace and your choices. It complements your medical care: a birth companion doesn't make diagnoses and never replaces your doctor, your midwife or the CLSC. At Ysé Naissance, this support draws on experience with many families supported over the years and on recognized perinatal training.
What if someone was looking after you, at home?
Our certified companions come to your home so you can sleep, cook you a good meal and take over with the baby. You recover, we handle the rest. Insurance receipts available.
Why do rest and support matter so much after the birth?
Because the body and the heart need time. Recovery after birth generally stretches over six to eight weeks: the uterus returns to its normal size, bleeding (lochia) can last from 10 days to 6 weeks, and tiredness is very common during this period, as noted by Naître et grandir. Resting well, limiting visits and asking for help with meals and chores are among the basic recommendations.
The World Health Organization considers the first six weeks a critical period, both for the mother's physical recovery and for her mental health (WHO, 2022). And this mental side of things is far from trivial: in Canada, close to one mother in four (23%) reports feelings associated with postpartum depression or anxiety (Statistics Canada, 2019).
Postnatal home support isn't a medical treatment, and on its own it doesn't prevent perinatal depression. But by allowing you to sleep, eat and catch your breath, it creates the restful conditions that support your recovery — something we see every day with the families we work with.
Postnatal home support, postnatal doula, home help: what postpartum support is out there?
Several forms of support exist side by side, and they're often complementary rather than competing. Here's a simple guide to help you find your way.
| Type of support | What it offers | Ideal if… |
|---|---|---|
| Postnatal home support | All-round support at home: rest, baby care, meals, light housework, a listening ear. | You want to catch your breath and have support on several fronts at once. |
| Doula / postnatal birth companion | Personalized support (emotional, breastfeeding, adjusting), grounded in perinatal knowledge. | You're looking for a human presence and reliable information for this transition. |
| Home cleaning help | Housekeeping (cleaning, laundry), with no care or parenting-support element. | Your main need is keeping the house in order. |
| Lactation consultant (IBCLC) | Clinical expertise focused on breastfeeding (latch, pain, weight gain). | Breastfeeding is your number one challenge. |
| Your network & the CLSC | Family and friends for occasional help; the CLSC for mother-and-baby health care. | You have people available around you and medical care already in place. |
Many families combine these resources. If you're unsure what would suit you, our team of doulas can help you see things more clearly at a first meeting.
How much does postnatal home support cost, and is it covered by insurance?
At Ysé Naissance, postnatal home support is offered as packages of hours to use at your own pace, in your own home. Here are the current rates:
| Package | Rate | Ideal for… |
|---|---|---|
| 12 hours | $770 + taxes | A helping hand over the very first weeks, a few sessions of respite. |
| 20 hours | $1,100 + taxes | Regular support to get through the postpartum period more calmly. |
| 35 hours | $1,760 + taxes | In-depth support: caesarean, twins, extreme tiredness, no network around you. |
On the insurance side: our companions provide official naturopathy receipts, which are eligible for reimbursement by several group and private insurance plans. Coverage varies from one plan to another, so check with your insurer that your contract mentions "Naturopathy" before you book. It's a real help in bringing the cost down, and our team can go through the postnatal home support packages in detail.
Not sure which package you need?
In 30 minutes, we go over your needs, your budget and how many hours would be useful. No commitment, and clear answers about insurance receipts.
When should you ask for postnatal home support, and when should you see a professional?
You don't need to be "at the end of your rope" to deserve support. Postnatal home support is useful as soon as you feel you're short on rest: broken nights, demanding breastfeeding, no network around you, an older child to manage as well, or simply the wish to live these early days more gently. Planning ahead during pregnancy is often the best option, because the first few weeks go by quickly. It's also a good time to get your hospital bag ready and to think about who will be around you when you get home.
The baby blues, common in the first few days, is different from perinatal depression, which is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and the postpartum period (INSPQ). Postnatal home support is support, not medical care: contact a health professional without delay (your doctor, your midwife, your CLSC or Info-Santé at 811) if you or the person you're supporting have any of the following in particular:
- 🩸 bleeding that suddenly becomes heavy (soaking a pad in less than an hour) or large clots;
- 🌡️ fever, chills, severe pain or a wound that's getting worse;
- 🫂 sadness, anxiety or emptiness that lasts beyond two weeks, or that stops you functioning;
- ⚠️ dark thoughts, the feeling that you can't cope any more, or wanting to harm yourself or your baby.
If you're in distress or having suicidal thoughts, don't stay on your own: call 988 (suicide crisis helpline) or go to the emergency department. These situations are more common than people think, and help is available.
How do you book postnatal home support?
The process is simple and moves at your pace:
- 📞 A discovery meeting to talk about your situation, with no commitment.
- 📝 Assessing your needs: day or night, number of hours, priorities (rest, breastfeeding, siblings…).
- 📅 Choosing a package and planning the sessions, ideally booked before the birth.
Still getting ready for your baby's arrival? This is the ideal time to prepare for your postpartum and to think about the support you'd like to have. You can also explore our full postpartum support to combine postnatal home support, breastfeeding help and ongoing care.
Give postnatal home support to a new parent?
It's one of the loveliest new-baby gifts there is: rest, meals and a reassuring presence at home. Give a few hours of support to a family you care about.
Frequently asked questions
Is postnatal home support only for mothers who breastfeed?
No. The support adapts to your reality, whether you're breastfeeding, bottle-feeding or doing a mix of both. The aim stays the same: helping you recover and take care of your baby.
When can postnatal home support start?
As soon as you get home, and sometimes even in the very first days. Since the first few weeks go by quickly, a number of families book before the birth to be sure of having support at the right moment.
Can you give postnatal home support as a gift?
Yes, and it's an increasingly popular gift idea. You can give someone close to you a number of hours of support; get in touch and we'll organize it simply.
Is postnatal home support reimbursed by insurance?
Often partly, yes. At Ysé Naissance, our companions provide official naturopathy receipts, which are eligible for reimbursement by several private insurance plans. Check with your insurer that your contract mentions "Naturopathy" before you book.
What's the difference between a postnatal doula and postnatal home support?
The two overlap a great deal. "Relevailles" refers above all to the home support service (rest, care, meals, light housework), often provided by a postnatal birth companion or doula. At Ysé Naissance, it's our companions trained in perinatal care who provide it.
In short
Postnatal home support gives you all-round help at home in the weeks after the birth: rest, baby care, meals and a listening ear. It doesn't replace your medical care, but it creates the right conditions for your recovery, in a period the WHO considers critical. This support combines easily with other resources according to your needs and your budget. The best time to arrange it? Often before your baby even arrives.
This article is for information only and doesn't replace the advice of a health professional.
Sources:
Naître et grandir. Recovering after birth, 2023.
World Health Organization. WHO urges quality care for women and newborns in the critical first weeks after childbirth, 2022.
Statistics Canada. Santé mentale maternelle au Canada, 2018-2019, 2019.
Institut national de santé publique du Québec (INSPQ). Santé mentale et troubles mentaux en contexte périnatal.
Remember that every pregnancy is unique
Choosing a birth doula can make all the difference to how you experience becoming a parent.
Find all of the childbirth preparation services on offer as well as the reviews families supported by the Ysé Naissance team ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
