What Is A Doula?
Having a baby is one of the most intense yet rewarding experiences a parent can have. It is also one of the hardest things to prepare for. Having a doula can help make the transition into motherhood easier. Many people are unaware or have misconceptions about the duties of doulas. If you are looking to hire a doula or you just want to know what we do, this article should help you get a better understanding.
What is a doula?
A doula is an educated support person who attends births to assist mothers in positive birth experience. We support physically, emotionally and informationally, having an array of knowledge helping women with different techniques such as breathing, positioning and pain management.
The role of the doula is to give guidance and support. We help keep parents involved and informed by answering questions and getting them to advocate for themselves. A doula is an essential liaison between parents, doctors, midwives, nurses and all birth workers in all birth settings.
What Are the Benefits?
Doulas help by:
reducing fear and doubt through out birth process
reducing medical interventions during childbirth such as (C-sections, forceps, vacuum delivery)
provding Physical, emotional & educational support
contributing to positive birth experiences & outcomes
helping to reduce length of labor
reducing usage of pain medication
making birth better!
And much more!
Types of Doulas
There are many different types of doulas but the traditional type is a birth/labor doula. We support parents before, during and shortly after birth. Usually we have a few meetings during the pregnancy to plan for the birth and address concerns and answer questions mother’s may have.
Another type of doula is a postpartum doula. Many families get so caught up in the pregnancy and birth that they don't prepare for the postpartum period. Support is very important in the process of raising a baby and doulas give just that. Postpartum doulas support families after birth and help mothers get acclimated to motherhood. They assist with breastfeeding, bottle feeding, diaper changing, light housework, referring you to medical professionals and much more.
It is important to do your research and know what you're looking for in a doula before hiring one. Different doulas specialize in different things. Some doulas provide care before and after birth, others do not, so be sure to check and see if they provide all the services you are looking for.
What A Doula is not!
There are a lot of misconceptions about doulas and we are many times confused with midwives. Although both professionals have many of the same goals, they do not do the same job. Midwives are trained health professionals who assist women in the delivery of their baby. They focus on making sure that mom and baby have a healthy delivery. Doulas focus more on the needs of mother and partner and assist everyone in having a healthy and harmonious birth. Doulas DO NOT perform clinical tasks, give medical advice or make diagnoses. The main difference is that midwives can deliver your baby but doulas cannot.
A doula is also not a replacement for your partner if you have one. A doula does not only service you but also services your partner, making sure that partners know what is going on are taken care of so that they can take care of the mother. If you do not have a partner, a doula can take over some of the things that a partner would do, however if you do have a partner, they make sure that the partner is involved and educated about the birth process as well.
Although doulas help women make decisions, they cannot make decisions for them. They help women and partners by educating them so that they can advocate for themselves.
Doulas are very beneficial for all women and every mother should have one!
