WHAT DOES A DOULA DO?
For as long as babies have been born women have been supporting each other in labor and birth. Across every culture women have experienced more peaceful and satisfying birthing when they felt fully supported. Labor support can come in many forms like a loving spouse or partner, a mother or sister, a best friend, and even a nurse or midwife. In most of these situations though, it can be difficult to fully support the mothers wishes. Loved ones often have difficulty seeing the laboring mother in pain and have trouble understanding why she may choose to give birth with or without intervention. Even before the mother makes it to the birthing room she is bombarded by numerous, sometimes conflicting,(and often unwanted) opinions about how she should have her baby. To the mother and father, the nurses, doctors, midwives, family and friends the baby is the most important person in the room and that’s a good thing! The baby is being well monitored and taken care of by highly trained professionals. To the doula however, the mother is the only one in the room. She is the priority! The doula is there for one purpose only; to serve the mother. So what does a doula actually do?
A Doula does...
A DOULA PROVIDES PHYSICAL SUPPORT
Labor is quite true to its name. It can be both the hardest and most fulfilling work a woman will ever do. That hard work can take its toll on the mothers body. A doula is trained in natural and very effective methods of pain relief that work with body instead of against it. Some examples of physical support that doulas offer are; massage, rebozo work, body work to re-position baby, and counter pressure. A doula will also encourage the mother to listen to her own body and her baby.
A DOULA PROVIDES INFORMATIONAL SUPPORT
One of the most disturbing problems with our medical system is the lack of information provided to patients. Countless pregnant and laboring women have medical procedures performed without knowing being informed of the associated risks. Some women even have procedures performed without ever knowing. This is illegal. Medicine and the people who are qualified to provide it are an absolute necessity in treating illness and injury, but too often healthy pregnancy is treated as a medical condition instead of a normal part of life. A woman deserves to be given complete information about her pregnancy, her body, and her baby as well as every medical intervention that is suggested to her. A doula is there to provide the mother with as much information as possible so that she can make an educated decision. The more you know about your body, baby, and birth the more power you hold.
A DOULA PROVIDES ADVOCACY
You can’t always get what you want. But when it comes to your birth experience as long as your desires are not putting you or your baby at increased risk, you should get what you want! Do you want to listen to gangsta rap music and dance your baby out? Go for it! You want a completely unmedicated home birth? Get it girl! Or maybe you feel more comfortable with all the meds and monitors of a hospital setting, go with it! Every woman is different and values different things. The role of the doula is not to make sure that you have the most natural birth you can, it is to make sure that you have the most satisfying birth that you can! Women have been taught by society and media that pregnancy and birthing make them more delicate or weak. It’s time to flip that script. A doula will stand as an advocate for the mothers decision but even more she will encourage the mother to advocate for herself. Women are strong, intelligent, fierce, resilient, and capable creatures! A doula is there to remind the mother and everyone else in the room of that fact.