why a doula?
What is a doula?
“Doula” is a word that has come to mean a birth support person.
Doulas bring continuity of care and extra support to your pregnancy and birthing experience. What they offer is broad and at the same time very specific to the needs of each birthing person and their family. Choosing a doula is a very personal thing, as the energetic connection between the doula and the birthing woman can often be the most important element of support.
In general, doulas are dedicated to offering nurturing, holistic support for families during pregnancy, childbirth & postpartum. The care they offer is focussed on emotional and physical wellbeing, along with information sharing and advocacy. This support is beneficial for all women, regardless of the birth they are planning for.
Doulas are trained non-medical professionals with very clear scope of practice. Doulas do not provide medical care or make decisions. However, they do offer evidence-based information and research to help clients better understand medical procedures and empower couples to ask good questions and helping them to make informed choices for their birth experience.
This is me in 2019 with my newborn babe, one day postpartum. Blessed to have the sublime experience of a sweet, straight-forward water birth at home.
The threshold of birth encompasses an emotional, energetic, and spiritual dimension that profoundly influences a woman’s overall well-being. A doula can help cultivate a feeling of connection to the magic and flow of the process.
Evidence based…
Research has shown that the presence of a doula can lead to better outcomes for both mother and baby, including shorter labour, reduced need for interventions, and higher satisfaction with the birthing experience. Doulas offer a unique, personalised form of support that can make a significant difference in the experience of childbirth.
The way a woman feels about her birth and the way she is treated during her labour and birth can and will have an enormous effect on her postpartum experiences. Doulas ensure that the mother is feeling safe, calm, supported and respected.
The role and impact of a doula includes:
Emotional support: Doulas provide continuous emotional support to the mother and her family. This includes being a calming presence, offering reassurance, fear release, positive affirmations and helping to manage the emotional highs and lows that can come with pregnancy and childbirth.
Physical comfort: Doulas are skilled in techniques to help provide comfort measures to reduce pain and distress during labour, such as breathing exercises, massage, positioning, and using birthing tools like birthing balls and rebozos. Their presence can help reduce stress and anxiety, which can positively influence the birthing process.
Advocacy: Doulas help ensure that the mother’s wants and needs are acknowledged. They can help facilitate communication between the mother and the medical staff, ensuring that the mother’s preferences and concerns are heard. While they do not make medical decisions, they can help the mother understand her options and advocate for her choices.
Information & Resources: Doulas are dedicated to providing evidence-based information about pregnancy, labour, birth, and postpartum care. They help expectant parents understand the processes and options available to them, which can help parents feel empowered to ask more questions and make informed choices based on their set of circumstances.
Postpartum care: After birth, doulas continue to provide support, assisting with breastfeeding, helping the family adjust to life with a newborn, and offering emotional support during the postpartum period. They may also help with newborn care, light housework, sibling care and providing resources and referral information for additional support if needed.
Continuity of care: the presence of a doula throughout the entire process from pregnancy to postpartum provides consistency and trust, which can be comforting for the whole family.
What does support look like?
PHYSICAL
During pregnancy:
◇ Ask you about how you are feeling in your body.
◇ Pinpoint any areas of discomfort or problems.
◇ Work with the birth ball and rebozo to find relaxation positions to give comfort in the 3rd trimester.
◇ Practise breathing exercises for relaxation and labor preparation.
◇ Refer you to an appropriate specialist for any issues (physio, acupuncture, massage etc).
During labor:
◇ Help you into positions that you feel comfortable in. Help you to shift positions to assist the baby's descent.
◇ Use comforting touch massage to ease the pain of contractions, and to relax you in between.
◇ Apply warm compresses or cool cloths to soothe you.
◇ Press acupressure points to relieve nausea, soothe discomfort, and promote contractions.
◇ Remind you to focus on your breathing, and assist in keeping you centred.
◇ Use the rebozo to give relief and to help baby move into a favourable position.
◇ Make sure you use the bathroom, eat if you're hungry, and drink if you're thirsty.
◇ Notice the atmosphere and set up of the birth space and adjust it to be conducive to a calm and focussed birth (lower lighting, less noise, etc).
MENTAL
During pregnancy:
◇ Listen to your concerns, fears, questions and feelings surrounding the birth and new parenthood.
◇ Work through those concerns or fears with you until you feel confident.
◇ Show you visualisations, affirmations, and key words to build your belief in yourself.
◇ Show you ways to prepare yourself for unpredictable outcomes.
◇ Empower you to feel confident in making yourself heard in the birth space.
◇ Be non-judgemental regarding any decision or choice that you make.
◇ Support your decisions and choices fully.
During labour:
◇ Remind you of your strength and your ability.
◇ Use your affirmations and visualisations with you to achieve calm and the ability to cope with contractions.
◇ Be there with you, by your side, to be a calm, consistent and grounding presence (sometimes that's all you need!)
◇ Encourage you when you are feeling like it's all too much.
◇ Believe you and support you when you voice your preferences.
◇ Be non-judgemental regarding any decision or choice that you make.
EDUCATIONAL
During pregnancy:
◇ Share knowledge of pregnancy physiology (your body and how it works while pregnant)
◇ Teach you how labor works, from muscles to hormones to positioning of the baby
◇ Go through step by step the stages of labor and what to expect during each
◇ Talk with you about the postpartum period, what to prepare for, how you might feel and what you can do to make this time as enjoyable as possible
◇ Teach you relaxation techniques to utilise during labor and postpartum
During labor:
◇ Offer encouragement, physical support, presence, calm
◇ Support for your partner so they remain well, hydrated and rested so they can better support you in the precious post-partum. eg; offer to tag-team if they need a walk or some fresh air during a long labour.
THE BIRTH PARTNER (HUSBAND/WIFE/LIFE PARTNER/FRIEND/FAMILY MEMBER)
During pregnancy:
◇ Include them in our prenatal appointments so they feel fully part of the process.
◇ Demonstrate relaxation techniques that they can utilise to assist you.
◇ Teach comforting touch, pressure points and methods for pain relief.
◇ Address any concerns, fears, or questions so they feel confident and prepared.
◇ Outline the logistics and processes of the birth space; what is likely to happen, what people will do, what to have ready.
◇ Make a plan with them about what to do when the time comes.
During labour:
◇ Encourage them to support you in the ways we have practised.
◇ Guide them to feel confident in their support of you.
◇ Allow them to rest, eat or get some fresh air if needed, without leaving you alone.
◇ Make sure they are aware of all progress and any developments.
◇ Step back and give them space to be with you.
Perhaps most importantly, the main thing doulas can do is simply BE WITH YOU.
This may sound simple, but in birth it is profound. Having someone there with you - someone trusted and familiar has your best interests at heart and wants to see you happy and empowered - that really is the most valuable thing a doula can provide.