What is a doula and why do I need one?
A doula is simply "a woman who serves." She's a trained professional who comes along side you through your pregnancy, birth and postpartum journey to support you emotionally, physically, intellectually and spiritually.
Studies show that when you add a doula to your birth team,
You have better birth experiences.
You have better birth outcomes.
You'll see this in various ways:
decrease in medications
decrease in interventions
decrease in cesareans
decrease in risks of low Apgar scores
shorter births
increase in spontaneous vaginal births
increase in mother satisfaction
The real reason you’ll really want a doula though:
Cold rags on your forehead at the perfect moment
Strong arms to hold you up when you’re tired
Comforting eye contact that assures you that everything is okay
Steady counter pressure on your back that feels so relieving
Someone to catch a timeless photo of your first few moments as a new family
Support that doesn’t come and go - We’re with you the whole way.
What kind of births do you support?
We support all kinds of births!
Winter, spring, summer, fall. Indoor, outdoor, squatting behind a tree, in the shower, or in a kiddie pool. Laid out on the bed, or cooped up in the corner. However you want to birth- we support you all the way!
I specialize in births taking place in the home setting, but will not hesitate to support you in-hospital should a transfer be needed.
How does your care differ from that of a midwife?
At a birth, midwives will look after the medical aspects of birth while doulas will support the mother in achieving the birth experience she desires.
Some things that your midwife might do:
prenatal care with medical screenings for mother/baby safety
monitor your blood pressure
monitor the heart rates of you and baby
perform requested vaginal exams and cervical checks - to see how many centimeters you are / where baby is!
administering any medications if needed
stitches (only if needed!) and ensuring your uterus returns back to it’s normal size
Midwives come periodically to check on you during the birthing process, and stay once you’re in the pushing phase.
Some things your doula might do:
help you build a solid birth plan and get ready for postpartum
show you how to find unbiased, easy to understand information so you can make informed choices
walk you through birth fears or past traumas
suggest positions to speed, slow or ease labor - and help you move into them!
provide physical relief from the tough work of labor - massage, comforting touch, and comfort measures
help your partner recognize when birth is normal and ensure them you’re doing fantastic
help your partner engage in the birthing process and guide them on how to best help you
give your partner a chance to eat/sleep/potty while knowing you’re really well taken care of
help you navigate any changes to your birth plan
Doulas come once you’re ready for labor support, and won’t leave your side until you’re cozy with baby and ready for family time.
What about dads? My partner thinks you'll replace them.
To our dads- We couldn't replace you even if we tried! You have a connection with mom that we could never duplicate. This connection you have with her is so important and helpful for keeping her grounded and at peace during labor. Your presence is everything. We honor that this is your big day, your journey into fatherhood, and we're honored to be a part of it.
Before the birth we will:
go over what you can expect during the labor process
come up with solutions to any fearful scenarios
practice techniques you can use to help support her in relieving discomfort
show you how you can help her in the early weeks after the baby is born
Can't my friend/sister/mom be my doula?
For centuries, women gave birth surrounded by other women. Birth was something they got to witness many, many times. Women understood birth as normal and safe...and they had a huge range of experiences to draw from. Today, most women haven't witnessed many births. If they've had children themselves, they bring their own birth experiences, philosophies, and fears into the room with you. Their experiences to draw from are limited. If anything arises that they believe to be outside of normal, they may go from helpful teammate to an emotional, nervous mess.
Doulas have been trained extensively on physiological birth. We understand the intricate levels of labor and what you'll need from the atmosphere in order to go further in. We hold the space while guiding others along the journey because we know how what they say/do will affect you and your birth. We have knowledge to help guide you through different scenarios that may arise and we have a network behind us if our knowledge reaches it's limit. We work reflectively, so we bring our wisdom without our personal experiences attached. We check our biases at the door-this birth is about you.
*If your mom/sister/friend will be joining us for the birthing day, it's important that they're there for one of our prenatal sessions. They'll need to have a good idea of what you want for your birth experience. We'll go over what they can expect and how they can best support you.