Doula?

Posted on by infinitelifeworks
You're pregnant and wondering about your options for you and your baby. A doula can help with that! Aaaaand now you're asking yourself some very important questions;
  1. What is a doula?
  2. What do birth doulas offer?
  3. What are the benefits of having a doula? 
  4. Do I need a doula?

We've pulled some info together from a couple sites and organizations to cover you with the basics. 

What's a Doula?

A doula is a professional trained in childbirth who provides emotional, physical, and educational support to a mother who is expecting, is experiencing labor, or has recently given birth. The doula’s purpose is to help women have a safe, memorable, and empowering birthing experience.

source: http://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/having-a-doula/

Do I need a doula?

Yes! Every expectant mother deserves a doula! The benefits from the presence of a doula far outweigh the stress of not having one! The above quote pretty much sums it up. Now you just have to find a doula that's the right fit for you. 

 

What do birth doulas offer?

 

Physical Support

Position ideas for comfort and labor progression cross over with hands-on comfort measures like comforting touch, counter pressure, breathing techniques and other “doula magic” for families. A doula’s skilled hands and positioning tools can often help a malpositioned baby find its way through the pelvis and into the birthing parent’s arms.

Emotional Support

Doulas help families to feel supported, easing the emotional experience of birth and also helping to create a space where the hormones of labor can work at their best. Whether a birth is completely unmedicated or medically very complex, every family can benefit from nurturing and connection at this tender, incredible time in their lives.

Partner Support

Whether it’s a romantic partner, a friend or another family member like the baby’s grandma, the birth partner’s experience matters in birth....doulas are there to support every birth partner in being as involved as they’d like with the birth. Physical and emotional support make a huge difference for everyone involved.

Evidence-Based Information and Advocacy

...doulas are trained to help families connect with evidence-based resources so they can ask great questions and make informed decisions about their births....doulas serve as a bridge of communication between women and their providers, lifting them up to help them find their voices and advocate for the very best care.

source: https://www.dona.org/what-is-a-doula/benefits-of-a-doula/

What are the benefits of having a doula?

Numerous studies have documented the benefits of having a doula present during labor. A recent Cochrane Review, Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, showed a very high number of positive birth outcomes when a doula was present. With the support of a doula, women were less likely to have pain-relief medications administered and less likely to have a cesarean birth. Women also reported having a more positive childbirth experience.1

Other studies have shown that having a doula as a member of the birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labor by 25%, the use of oxytocin by 40%, and requests for an epidural by 60%.

source: http://americanpregnancy.org/labor-and-birth/having-a-doula/