Explain a Doula

Not to be too condescending, but doulas do a whole lot of nothing. I had one with my only pregnancy and I can't say that it was at all worth the money or having another "cook in the kitchen" so to speak. The previous statements are true, they are there for support, which means that they sit in the room encouraging you and can bring you your pillow or something to drink. Well, your husband and family are doing the same thing for free. They do offer you info if you need it, but as a second time mom, how much do you really need it? As a first time mom, my doula didn't tell me anything that I hadn't already been reading about as an obsessive mom-to-be. Post-partum, they could be of help in caring for you while you are recovering, but again I mention that your husband and family might already be doing that at no charge.
My intent isn't to down the doula experience. This was what mine was like; she was nice, but didn't do anything that my husband and family weren't already doing for free.

we had one and loved it. She was able to tell me where in the labor i was, massage me, hold me, etc during my back labor, help me understand what was happening, get food for dh etc, help with breathing correctly and diff positions w/ contractions. invaluable!!!! Yes the nurse was there, but not the whole time. DH helped a lot but we needed her for sure. Would never do it again w/o one.

Here's info i gave to my friends - we "registered" for her services for my shower. I also have one for postpartum doulas if you want...again invaluable

What is a Doula?
"Doula" is a Greek word for a woman (traditionally a friend or relative) who helps other women during transitions or illnesses. In America today, families are much more spread out geographically and community support is often inadequate during the perinatal period. The word "doula" has come to mean a woman who professionally provides emotional and practical support during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.

What Does a Birth/Labor Support Doula Do?
Doulas are trained and experienced in childbirth, although they may not have given birth themselves. The doula's role is to provide physical, emotional and informational support to women and their partners during labor and birth. The doula offers help and advice in comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning. She also assists families to gather information about the course of their labor and their options. Perhaps the most crucial role of the doula is providing continuous emotional reassurance and comfort.

Doulas specialize in non-medical skills and do not perform clinical tasks, such as vaginal exams or fetal heart rate monitoring. Doulas do not diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions, or give medical advice. Most importantly, doulas do not make decisions for their clients; they do not project their own values and goals onto the laboring woman.

The doula's goal is to help the woman have a safe and satisfying childbirth as the woman defines it. When a doula is present, some women feel less need for pain medications, or may postpone them until later in labor; however, many women choose or need pharmacological pain relief. It is not the role of the doula to discourage the mother from her choices. The doula helps her become informed about various options, including risks, benefits and accompanying precautions or interventions for safety. Doulas can maximize the benefits of pain medications while minimizing their undesirable side effects.

Studies show that when a doula is present at birth, women have shorter labors, fewer medical interventions, fewer cesareans and healthier babies. Recent evidence also suggests that when a doula provides labor support, women are more satisfied with their experience and the mother-infant interactions are enhanced as long as two months after birth.

When it comes to pregnancy, birth and parenting, today's father wants to share everything with his partner. He wants to be actively involved to ease his partner's labor pain, welcome his new baby at the moment of birth and help care for his newborn at home. A labor doula can help the father experience this special time with confidence. Many fathers are eager to be involved during labor and birth. Others, no less loving or committed to their partner's well being, find it difficult to navigate uncharted waters. With a doula, a father can share in the birth at the level he feels most comfortable with. The doula's skills and knowledge can help him to feel more relaxed. If the father wants to provide physical comfort such as back massage, change of positions, and help his partner to stay focused during contractions, the doula can provide that guidance and make suggestions for what may work best.

The father's presence and loving support in childbirth is comforting and reassuring. The love he shares with the mother and his child, his needs to nurture and protect his family are priceless gifts that only he can provide. With her partner and a doula at birth, a mother can have the best of both worlds; her partner's loving care and attention and the doula's expertise and guidance during the birth.

Hi C.. I am a doula and I can help you out in understanding what a doula does. Check out my website at www.tendermomentsdoula.com, and you can also check out cappa.net. I think that is right. That is the organization that I am certified with. If that website does not work let me know. You can call me too if you want to know more. It would be so much easier to talk to you by phone and explain this, and also, I have other things I can send you for you to read and get a better understanding. Doulas are great. I had 2 doulas, a midwife and my dh when I had my 3rd child who is now 4, and I was a doula at the time, and it was just an amazing experience. The others were great too, but this birth was something else. I could send you my birth story if that might help too. I can also call you if you would rather. Just give me your number and a good time to call you.

S. Bailey CLD
Aurora
www.tendermomentsdoula.com

Hi C.,
A doula is a woman (mostly, altho there are about 5 men in the country who are trained doulas) who provides emotional support to you and your partner during the prenatal and birthing process. She is trained in the process enough to help encourage labor progress with body positions and comfort measures. She is able to help when it comes to understanding what the staff may be talking about, and can serve as an advocate for your wishes and desires. She is available to answer questions, knows when to defer to your caregiver and can sometimes provide some childbirth education prenatally. She is versed in early breastfeeding support and can help with that first latch. She can provide back rubs, knows pressure points to help with comfort and progress, runs erands, such as getting both you and your partner drinks and food for your partner. Mostly, she is able to take the pressure off of your partner so they can support you in the way they feel most comfortable. A doula is very skilled at fitting in to the birth team where she feels she fits most. During a long labor, she may send the partner off for a 10 minute nap, which works wonders in the middle of the night. I don't know where you live and I am somewhat unfamiliar with the birthing climate here in the Chicago area as I am a recent transplant from Seattle, where the doula movement gained it's strength in the early 90's. You can look at the internation organizations website at: www.dona.org and find all kinds of information. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions that you think that I could help with. Best wishes....J. Dowers ____@____.com .

Dear C., my name is D. Conte and I am a doula. I am sorry for the lady in the first response. We do many things, we are there "yes" for support. I am trained through DONA "Doulas of North America". I have been a doula for 12 years. There are close to 3,000 in North American and I am #55. Doulas who are trained through DONA are trained in massage techniques, breathing patterns, etc. I could go on and on. We do not step in and take Dad or members of the family position or the nurses for that matter. I think we enhance there role. We help with birth plans, if you want one. We help you before, during and after your birth, at least I do. If you are going to breast feed we can help you start with that. Like I said I can go on and on. Please feel free to contact me at ____@____.com or feel free to call me 815/474-1678.

Hi C.,

We had a doula (Laura Hurtienne) for my son's birth and are having the same one for my daughter's birth in May. I don't know what area you are in, but she is in Southeastern Wisconsin.

We ended up having her services through our birthing class, she was there recruiting couples to receive her services for free so that she could finalize her certification. My husband and I were interested in a doula anyhow, the free part sealed the deal for us.

I honestly think that I could not have had my son medication free without Laura. We met with her twice before the birth, made a birth plan together, and talked about what my husband and I wanted from our experience. She arrived at the hospital not long after we did, and she was right next to me and my husband the entire time. She reminded me what to do to stay calm and focussed, and it reduced my stress quite a bit.

Basically, I didn't have to remember anything about breathing the right way, how to push, etc., because she would just tell me what to do (in a supportive and comforting way.) This was perfect for me, because I didn't have to think too hard, and I was able to cope with the birth really well. It was extremely effective, I had a fast birth, and the nurses were very impressed.

The most important part was that she was able to get me through the toughest contractions at the end. I know that if it would have been just my husband, Mom, and the nurses I would have been yelling at someone, in lots of pain, and just generally not in good shape.

I know that Laura (and probably most doulas) will do whatever it is that you want for help and support to make your birth what you want. I am positive that someone from my family could not have done what she did. Obviously, otherwise I wouldn't have sought her services this second time around.

Laura is actually on mamasource (Laura H.), and her website is: www.serenitybirthing.com. If you have any more questions for me just let me know, I check my messages on here daily.

Good luck!

J. :)

Hi C.,

Well, there are two kinds; partum and post-partum. Partum doulas are there for emotional support and guidance during your baby's delivery. They in no way "take over" the roll of the father (many men's worry) but instead are there to take care of the things that you both would need during delivery; explaining what is happening now, showing/telling dad what he should do now to help, even getting you water if you need it. Quite often they also act as your support and "inforcer" for your birthplan if an overzelous nurse wants to talk you into an epidural and you don't want one (don't be surprised). Having said that, doulas are also helpful if epidurals and even c-sections are taking place simply for the support they can provide.

Post-partum doulas assist the family after everyone comes home. This can be in the form of breastfeeding support, looking out for signs of post-partum depression, asking questions about your health to be sure you are healing properly and there and no pending infections, even helping prepare meals and do some light cleaning (laundry, straigtening up) so you can feed and bond with the new baby, not answering the door for the UPS guy because you got another gift or grocery shopping. I work as a post-partum doula for Birthways, Inc. ( www.birthwaysinc.com; ###-###-#### ) but I work straight evenings so I will feed the baby so mom can sleep, do sleep training, and change laundry, even cook for mom at 3am if she is breastfeeding (or not) and hungry. The idea is to free you up to be a mom, to bond with your child and help the adjustment for the whole family by allowing you all to be with each other as the doula takes care of the support roles.

Feel free to look up our company website. We've been around for 10+ years in Chicago and have about 20 doulas that work either day or night. Someone from our staff is always on-call and they are very prompt to returning calls if you decide to leave a message after hours. Background checks and references are standard practice and if one doula isn't working out (personalities are all different, it does happen) Birthways would address your issue and send out another. This is probably the most consciencious company I have ever worked for in my life (I was a NASDAQ trader for some pretty big companies prior to this).

You're smart for thinking about a douls while you are still in the planning stages. Calling in the eleventh hour usually just gets you whoever is open but by taking the time to address your needs you can get the support that you need and fits you and your growing family perfectly.

Take Care, feel well,
L.