What is a Doula?
A doula is a professional labor assistant who provides emotional, physical and informational support to the expectant mother and her birth partner. The primary focus of the doula is to provide continuous support to the mother throughout the entire labor. She does not perform any medical tasks but actually compliments the medical birth team. Regardless of what kind of birth a mother wants a doula can provide tremendous support. She also helps the partner participate in the birth to the extent that he feels comfortable. *see Partners and Doulas below
As Your Doula....
During pregnancy
My role is to assist families in preparing for birth, to provide information about birth options and resources, and to provide emotional support. My primary goal is to help instill a mothers confidence in her ability to birth her baby.
During labor and birth
I provide continuous support to the mother and her birth partner. Prior to the birth we will discuss exactly what the birthing family prefers but I primarily provide support with the use of comfort measures such as massage, position changes and other relaxation techniques. In addition to answering questions and offering suggestions, maintaining the birth environment like lighting and music is also a priority.
Postpartum
I will stay with the new family for a couple of hours after birth to assist with breastfeeding and newborn transition. Within a few days I meet with the new family to talk through the birth experience. I'll be available as needed to answer questions about newborn care and breastfeeding concerns within my scope of practice. If I feel something is outside my scope or beyond my knowledge I will refer the family to appropriate resources as needed.
The Labor Doula's Scope of Practice
It is not within my scope to offer medical advice or perform any medical or clinical procedures. For more information about doulas and their roles visit www.CAPPA.net
Partners and Doulas
As a doula, a mother, and a wife I am very passionate about the partner's role in birth. A doula should never take the place of the partner or make him/her feel less important in any way. In addition to helping the mother, a doula can help the partner in many ways:
- She can guide you in applying what you learned in childbirth classes.
- She can take over for you so that you can get a meal, a quick nap or make a few phone calls. Or she can make those phone calls for you.
- She can bring the mother beverages, hot packs, or ice, so that you do not have to leave her side to do so.
- She can help you understand what the mother might be feeling as well as interpret the signs of labor progress to you.
- She can help you to participate more comfortably if you are unsure of how to help.
- She can teach you massage and relaxation techniques and trade off implementing them in a long or challenging labor.
- She can take photos of the final moments of the birth so you can stay connected and not miss out on the most intimate moments of your child's birth.
The partner can benefit greatly from the support of a doula. The emotional roller coaster of labor is not the mother's alone. The partner will also experience feelings of excitement, worry, joy, relief, and confusion among others. A doula can help the partner in taking away the pressure of being the "coach" leaving him/her free to experience the intimate, amazing wonder that is the birth of a new child. Dr. Sears writes a great article in The Birth Book that helped shape my views on how important partners are in the birth of their children.
I strongly encourage the book The Birth Partner: A complete Guide to Chilbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin. Anyone who is privilaged to attend the labor and birth of a new family should be familiar with how to best support a laboring woman and especially how not to discourage or undermine her confidence. The primary goal of everyone attending a birth should be to support the birthing woman in whatever way *she* desires.