The Drop-In Doula
Doula care when you need it, at your home away from home.
Located in The Heybrook Perinatal Center in Kirkland, WA. Have your questions answered and relieve your mind, then give your body a break with complementary coffee and tea, spacious comfortable seating, and a play area for tots and infants — just a few benefits of The Heybrook’s Parent Lounge.
Enjoy 1-hour or 2-hour sessions
Receive doula support:
- Feeding and lactation — nursing, pumping, formula preparation, preventing gas and colic, bottle selection
- Baby care and developmental basics — soothing, burping, swaddling, hunger cues, tummy time, and other ways to enrich your baby's waking hours
- Learning and trying different babywearing methods
- Processing your birth journey
- Check-ins about postpartum healing and ways to make it more comfortable
- Getting more sleep (for you and baby!)
- Bring your dirty bottles and pump parts to be washed and sterilized
- Planning for your 6-week check-up, midwife appointments, or any of baby’s upcoming doctor's visits
- Strategies to manage the household and keep it running while you recover
- Connecting with the right professionals: pelvic floor therapy, lactation consulting, massage, craniosacral therapy, other doulas
About Us
The Drop-In Doula, located inside The Heybrook, offers a compassionate space to speak candidly with a trained postpartum doula about your postpartum experience and receive helpful recommendations for non-medical matters.
Our scheduling model prioritizes access. You can schedule appointments as little as one hour in advance, and recurring appointments or long-term commitments are not required. If you only need a few visits, feel overwhelmed and need immediate support, want to set up regular check-ins about your progress, or are looking to augment your postpartum support network, The Drop-In Doula is here to bring you thoughtful postpartum care at the drop of a hat.
As a client, you will also have access to The Drop-In Doula’s referral network of professionals and services such as pelvic floor therapy, lactation consultants, night doulas, birth doulas, myofunctional therapists, pre/postnatal yoga classes, and perinatal exercise groups. On the day of your appointment, you will be invited to enjoy the amenities of The Heybrook’s lounge, which include cafe-style seating, a play area for toddlers as well as littler ones, a pop-up postpartum shop, and complementary tea and coffee.
FAQs
Q: What is a doula?
A doula is a birth/postpartum professional who is trained in matters related to pregnancy, the postpartum period (“the fourth trimester”), and infants in the early stages of life. A doula’s main goal is to help your newborn transition into your family. To assist with this transition, doulas provide non-medical care such as infant care assistance, lactation support, older sibling support, household assistance, emotional companionship, and evidence-based educational support regarding soothing, feeding, and sleep. If you have given birth, your doula will also help you keep track of your recovery and follow any discharge instructions following birth.
Q: How is The Drop-In Doula different from traditional postpartum care?
After delivering your baby, you may choose to hire a doula or live-in assistance, where care will take place in your home and scheduling occurs weeks or months in advance, with a fixed schedule and number of visits. For many, this is a great option! The Drop-In Doula is here for others who may feel overwhelmed at the idea of others being in their home, who need urgent relief support, who need assistance to complement their existing postpartum care, or who prefer the flexibility to schedule care on a case-by-case basis. At the Drop-In Doula, you may schedule appointments as little as 2 hours in advance.
Q: Can non-birthing parents receive doula care?
Absolutely! While bodily recovery is often part of the journey to a new baby, every family is different. No matter how your baby joins your household — birth, adoption, surrogacy, or transferred guardianship — every parent and guardian in the baby’s life deserves access to high-quality care and information. I am happy to work with you to help your family experience a joyful adjustment with your little ones.
Q: Can I bring my older children to my appointments?
Yes! You are welcome to bring up to 2 people with you to your appointment. This can include partners, older children, and support people.
Q: Is this covered by insurance?
Currently, postpartum care coverage is not required by the state of Washington. However, many employers offer postpartum benefits through companies such as Carrot Fertility. If you have an FSA/HSA under your insurance plan, you may be able to receive reimbursement if you provide a letter of medical necessity from your doctor. Check with your employer and insurance company to receive detailed information about any postpartum benefits they may offer.
About the Owner
Colette Gonzales is an experienced childcare, education, and infant care professional turned doula after completing her doula and lactation training at BASTYR University through DONA International’s Postpartum Doula Training Program. A fierce advocate for postpartum care for all, Colette opened her practice with the aim of serving families who seek to augment their postpartum support system, or whose needs do not fit within existing models of postpartum care, which can be a costly long-term commitment.
She believes that receiving support right when you need it is a crucial aspect of care. At the Drop-In Doula you will become familiar with the world of options available to you as a family, coupled with kind, accepting, evidence-based guidance that aligns with your needs and parenting philosophy; because Colette’s primary goal is to empower you to be the parent you want to be.