What is a Doula?
A doula…
- Recognizes childbirth as a profound rite of passage that the mother will remember all her life.
- Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labour.
- Assists the woman and her partner in envisioning the birth journey ahead.
- Stays by the side of the woman throughout her labour at home or in the hospital.
- Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, and an objective viewpoint.
- Helps the woman and her partner obtain the information they need to make an informed decision.
Many women who hire a doula go through childbirth education with her. She can help you explore your ideas and feelings about birth and offer assistance in finalizing your birth plan.
A doula does not…
- Replace midwives, nurses, or other medical staff
- Make decisions for clients or intervene in their clinical care.
- Doulas do not perform clinical tasks such as taking blood pressure/temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, pelvic exams.
- Speak for the woman and her partner, she provides information and emotional support, while respecting a woman’s decisions.
Childbirth is a very physical and emotional experience. You cannot predict what will happen and how you will respond until you are in the moment. A Doula provides physical and emotional support as well as encouragement, massage, suggestions for positions and an overall sense of calm to the birthing environment.
“Women who have used a Doula are shown to be more satisfied with their birth experience, feel more confident in their ability to mother, bond faster with their newborn, and are less likely to have post-partum depression.” ~ Klause, 2001
Here is what a Doula can offer you:
- Advocate your wishes with medical staff
- Medical supports explained – benefits, alternatives, and risks
- Suggestions to help your partner be involved at his/her comfort level
- Educate you about your rights as a patient
- Insight about your birthplace’s policies
- Massage and other techniques to help counter the pressure in your hips and lower back
- Someone to make, retrieve, and apply hot or cold compresses, food, labour aid, water, and ice.
- Positioning suggestions to help your baby descend faster and with the least discomfort as possible.
- Verbal encouragement
- Empathentic and supportive touch
- Provide confidence in the birth process
- A woman to woman connection
- Body-mind technique suggestions
- Pain-coping practices
- Visitor/phone call shield
- Appropriate and safe Aromatherapy
- Calming and encouraging Music
- Peaceful presence
- Soft lighting with LED candles.
- Greater Confidence
- Decreased Anxiety
- Peace of Mind
- Maintaining connection with the mother
- Ability to participate in the birthing process at his/her own comfort level
- Ability to take breaks during the birthing process and know the mom is well supported
- Being reminded to eat, drink, and rest
For Private Doula Care in the West Kootenays, BC., click Contact.
Often the hands will solve a mystery that the intellect has struggled in vain with. ~C.G. Jung
