What is a Birth Doula?
Birth doulas are labor assistants that support you emotionally, physically, and informationally during labor, birth, and the early postpartum period. They leave medicine to the experts and focus on hands-on comfort measures to help you have a more satisfying birth experience. Their methods strengthen your individual skills, help you connect with your partner or birth support, and give you tools that empower you throughout labor and birth.
Research from many different groups including American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), have found that working with a Birth Doula shortens duration of labor, decreases the use of medication for pain management, decreases the chances of emergent cesarean births, and improves positive feelings surrounding your birth. An incredible addition to these benefits is going into the “fourth trimester” or those early postpartum weeks, with a stronger sense of confidence and knowledge in caring for your newborn and reduced risks of developing postpartum mood disorders.
BIRTH DOULAS AND PARTNERS
Birth Doulas compliment the love and emotional connection you have with your partner, whether that be a spouse, friend, or relative. Doulas offer the experience, skills, and knowledge gained from their career to support you in this transformational time. Birth Doulas add to the care you already get from your partner and do not take away from it. From my experience in many birthing rooms, Doulas add the knowledge, coaching, and comfort skills as they pertain to birth, that partners do not generally have. They work as a beautiful, cohesive team.
BENEFITS AND STATISTICS OF BIRTH DOULA Support
As noted above, Birth Doulas offer a wide breadth of knowledge, experience, comfort, and care. The following are just a few of the statistics regarding how Birth Doulas can influence your birth experience. Their support is invaluable and cannot be limited to the numbers describing their benefits, however impressive they are. The positive outcomes are vast and impactful in ways that science cannot measure. Here are a few statistical benefits of working with a Birth Doula:
Who wouldn’t want a Birth Doula?
15% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal delivery
10% decrease in the request for and use of pain medication
On average, a 41-minute shorter labor (who wouldn’t want that?)
Overall, a higher satisfaction with birth experience
39% decrease in the risks for a cesarean
WHERE DO BIRTH DOULAS WORK?
Most Birth Doulas work out of their private business, however, some work for a collective or co-op. A collective is a group of Birth Doulas who work together under one business name. They often provide back-up support for each other when unexpected life events prevent us from supporting our clients. Some Birth Doulas work for hospitals or prenatal care groups, but this is less frequent. For example, I have my private business, Radiant Birth And Wellness, but also contract with a local hospital, Rose Medical Center, taking on average of 4-5 clients a month.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF BIRTH DOULAS
Before modern times, our friends, families, and neighbors provided support as a doula. It takes a village, and it wasn’t until the switch to modern medicine that our community was distanced from our births. We all used to act as Birth Doulas and supported birth and participated in it before ever entering our own. Birth Doulas bring wisdom from previous births, open-minds and flexibility to adapt to your ever changing needs during labor, and compassion to assist you through the most intense moments.
The term Birth Doula was coined by Dana Raphael, an American Medical Anthropologist, to describe labor assistants that support laboring women.
COMMON QUESTIONS about Birth Doulas
How does a Birth Doula work with my partner who wants to be involved?
Birth Doulas can offer advice, help coach your partner, and include them in everything they want to participate in! Your partner knows you best and we like to highlight that knowledge, love, and connection throughout our work. As a couple, you can expect the Birth Doula to educate, coach, and provide emotional and physical support to all members of your birth team, so you can focus on your labor.
How do Birth Doulas work with a medical team at the hospital?
Birth Doulas stay with you throughout your labor to provide continuous emotional and physical support. We work with your medical providers and nurses to ensure a healthy mom and healthy baby. You can expect us to talk frequently and advocate for you when questions come up, but we do not speak for you. We work closely with nurses to find the best positions to assist with a smooth delivery, but leave all the medical interventions to the experts!
What are some common techniques Birth Doulas use?
This list is expansive and will also depend on your personal preferences. Things change throughout labor and comfort measures will adapt in the moment. Here is a comprehensive list of some tools to expect:
Visualizations and guided meditation
Gentle, comforting massage and touch
Breath work and exercises
Comfort positions
Movement and dancing to assist baby through the birth canal
Use of essential oils
Spinning babies: a set of positions and techniques that get your baby in optimal positions for birth
Hydrotherapy
Hypno-birthing: guided self-hypnosis that uses meditations and affirmation to maintain focus and decrease pain