So you may have heard the term “Doula” before and thought, that sounds Greek to me! And you’d be RIGHT! The word “Doula” comes from the Greek word doule, meaning “handmaiden” or “woman who serves.” That is precisely the role of a doula for a laboring woman: to serve the laboring mother and help her have her desired birth outcome.
Having trained as a Doula and also photographing many births over the years I’ve seen what a difference having one attend your birth can make.
I personally know that I wouldn’t have had such an easy and smooth labor and delivery had it not been for the calm presence of our Doula, Kathy. She was always there when I had questions, and even attended the ECV to flip Olive out of breech position, which was above and beyond anything I expected from her.
What Does a Doula Do?
A doula is trained in labor and childbirth and provides continuous support to a laboring mother (This is very helpful if you are having a hospital birth because the nurse on the floor won’t be there to help you much besides taking vitals etc. And your doctor usually only shows up at the end to catch the baby). Your doula’s focus is tending to and helping you and supporting the relationship of the laboring couple. Doulas often support laboring women by:
- Providing continuous emotional and physical support
- Giving information if asked and helping the mother find resources to research her birth choices (before labor)
- Using comfort measures like massage, suggesting different positions and helping with relaxation breathing
- Accommodating the mother’s wishes for the birth environment (low light, soft music, etc) to the extent possible in the place of birth
- Encouraging the mother to communicate with her doctor and to be informed about any procedures and interventions (a doula does NOT give medical advice or interfere with the doctor/mother relationship)
- Supporting the father or birth partner in the best way to support the mother. A doula never replaces the very important role of the birth partner and a good doula will help the birth partner by suggesting ways that he can support the laboring mom and things that can improve their synergy in labor. This is also very important because we often forget about dads needing support. But they absolutely do – they are often terrified, unsure what they should be doing and how. A doula helps in all these areas, and if your labor is long, is able to stand in for dad while he uses the restroom, gets something to eat etc.
What Does a Doula NOT Do?
Doulas are not medical professionals and do not give medical advice. (If a doula ever tries to give you medical advice or directly suggests that you go against medical advice, this should be a red flag).
A doula will also not perform medical tasks like checking blood pressure, doing cervical exams or monitoring the baby’s heart rate.
A doula does not judge, condemn or go against a mother’s wishes. They are there to support your birth choices, whatever those may be.
Unlike nurses and doctors, doulas also do not take shifts or leave during a labor. A doula is continuously with a laboring mother without leaving or sleeping. Also, unlike medical professionals, a doula does not have other patients or rounds so her single focus is on the mother.
Why hire a Doula?
The benefits of giving birth with a doula’s assistance are well-established. A 2017 review of 26 studies involving nearly 16,000 women by Cochrane, a nonprofit network of independent researchers, found that pregnant women who receive continuous support from doulas typically have shorter labors, need fewer medical interventions, and are less likely to have a cesarean section. They’re also more likely to say that the birth was a positive experience. Babies born with a doula’s help tend to be healthier as well, having higher Apgar scores at birth.
My top 10 reasons for hiring a Doula:
1. To provide emotional support during labor and delivery
While your partner or other family members can also provide support, a doula has likely witnessed many births before and is invaluable to your team. Doulas know how physically and emotionally taxing labor can be and will be there to comfort and encourage you when you need it most.
2. To assist your partner in assisting you
Often times, well-meaning partners say or do the wrong thing during birth, not understanding exactly where you are in your labor or what you need from them. Your doula will help them so that they can provide the right kind of support at the right time (even if it’s just being quiet). My Doula, Kathy went over everything with us prior to labor and we talked about knowing when to make suggestions for me, when to stop making jokes or being noisy. This is a real thing and very helpful. Doulas are great at “reading the room” and knowing how to mirror whatever environment you need to birth in for that moment.
3. To answer any/all of your questions
If you deliver in a hospital, busy staff may not have time to sit by your side and answer all of your questions. Sometimes your doctor won’t even make an appearance until the very end of your delivery (especially if it’s the middle of the night or early morning). Having someone by your side at all times to answer questions at any hour will provide you a world of relief.
4. To help keep you safe and ensure that the care you receive is evidenced-based
Not all birth practices are based on medical evidence. Sometimes medical professionals need to check off the boxes of care without regard to your wishes and birth plan (Think one size fits all but for birth in a hospital). A doula is great at reminding you of your wishes and helping give you time to make decisions. Sometimes they are able to have the room cleared so you and your partner can discuss pros and cons of medical interventions and decisions.
5. To explain things to you and your partner that you may have missed in the baby books
It’s totally ok to not be an expert on birth. And unless you’ve had lots of babies, you probably aren’t one. Even if you’ve really done your research, a doula has the special training, knowledge and experience to explain things that you may not understand in the heat of the moment.
6. To assist with pain management via hands on methods, auditory or visualization techniques
Doulas are great at pain management. Not only do they know techniques such as the double hip squeeze or counter pressure, they also know the right words and visuals to help you relax as much as possible. My doula helped remind me to keep my vocal tones low and would give me a starting point to match her vocal tones. Sometimes you feel silly making primal noises during birth, but having someone there to show you how without judgment makes all the difference.
7. To run errands for you
Do you need some ice chips? A pillow? The music to be changed or the to be lights dimmed? Don’t send your partner out of the room every time you need something. Let your doula do that for you.
8. To make you as comfortable as possible
Whether it’s help getting into a different position or holding your hands or your feet, a doula will help you find as much comfort as possible during and after your birth. My doula even used a Rebozo technique that felt AMAZING.
9. To make sure your wishes are respected and accommodated as much as possible
Since you don’t want to repeat your birth plan over and over to every nurse or doctor that stops by, a doula can do that for you. If your wishes aren’t being accommodated, it’s helpful to have another person who has your back.
10. To provide initial postpartum and breastfeeding support
A doula can provide a lot of assistance post-birth, especially in regard to breastfeeding. If you plan to nurse your baby, your doula can help you get the best start by showing you proper techniques and making sure you get a lot of skin-to-skin contact with your baby right away. Even if you’ve had a cesarean, it’s often possible to have skin-to-skin soon after birth.
How to find a doula
I highly recommend asking your friends who used a doula. If you don’t know anyone who has, the next best thing is DoulaMatch.net!
