1. What is a birth doula?
A birth doula is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth. Most doulas work both in hospital and at homebirths.
2. What is a post natal doula?
A post natal doula is a doula who work with women after the birth of their child. She might help out with establishing breastfeeding or light housework. She might be a lifeline for the new Mum as she comes to grips with her new role as a mother and she might even stay overnight to help give the Mum a little break. Many birth doulas will also provide this service or parts of this service.
3. What does a doula do at a birth?
A doula can have many roles at a birth and as no two births are the same, nor is a doula’s role. A doula can be right in there supporting you with back rubs, massage, encouraging words, positive affirmations, suggestions of positions and how to cope with the pain. She will help you when you need to make big decisions by reminding you to ask lots of questions until you feel like you have enough information to make your decision. She could also be more in the background, fetching the hot pillows, getting a better birth ball, looking after siblings present at the birth and reassuring partners.
Most of the time a doula is not one or the other. She might be massaging you, reassuring you, helping you through contractions and then at other times stand back a bit letting you have some intimacy, and privacy with your partner for a while and then be back when she is needed again. Basically a doula can be supportive in just the way that suits your needs.
4. What effects does the presence of a doula have on birth outcomes?
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:
- tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
- reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
- reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
- reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesareans
5. What effects does the presence of a doula have on the mother?
When a doula is present during and after childbirth, women report greater satisfaction with their birth experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and experience less postpartum depression.
6. What effects do the presence of doulas have on babies?
Studies have shown that babies born with doulas present tend to have shorter hospital stays with fewer admissions to special care nurseries, breastfeed more easily and have more affectionate mothers in the postpartum period.
7.How do doulas practice?
A doula is hired and paid directly by the birthing couple. She will then spend time with you during your pregnancy and stay with you during your labour and birth and visit you again after the birth to help out and finish off your work together.
8. Does a doula replace a midwife?
No. Doulas do not replace midwives or other medical staff. Doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring foetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. And she does not give medical advice. Doulas are there to comfort and support the mother and to enhance communication between the mother and medical professionals.
9. Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
A doula does not make decisions for clients or intervene in their clinical care. She provides informational and emotional support, while respecting a woman’s decisions.
10. Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?
No, a doula is supportive to both the mother and her partner, and plays a crucial role in helping a partner become involved in the birth to the extent he feels comfortable.
Some partners are reluctant to “share” the birth with an outsider, and worry they will be made redundant in the birthing room if there is someone else there in a support role. ” But talk to couples after the baby is born. The actual experience of having extra support is usually expressed as a blessing, and a part of their positive view of their birth.