BLISSFUL EMBRACE DOULA SERVICES

A birth doula, as defined by DONA International, “is a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help her achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.”  Some people think a doula is the same as a midwife, with a technical or medical type roll.  This, however, is not the case at all.

Normally a doula is hired by an expecting couple to provide one-on-one physical, emotional and informational support during labor and delivery.  But they also provide education about routine interventions, a resource list of local natural women’s care professionals, initial breastfeeding support and lastly, advocacy.  Doulas attend births at the expecting parents chosen location i.e., home, birth center or hospital.

Doulas are trained to support all types of births but especially physiological birth; allowing the body to go through labor under its own innate power, with little to no intervention.  They employ various comfort techniques, offer emotional support, encouragement and reassurances that can alleviate pain throughout labor.  A doula will also help the mother move into a variety of positions that help progress labor into the delivery stage of childbirth.  They will also bring food, ice chips, water and provide assistance when walking to and from the bathroom.  A birth doula is a support person through and through.

What are the limitations of a birth doula?

Doulas do not perform any clinical tasks or diagnose conditions.  Nor do they make any decisions on behalf of their client, unless explicitly asked to do so.  They also do not pressure their client into accepting or declining procedures or into making certain choices; they solely support the family’s decisions, birth plan and birth goals.  A doula absolutely does not take over the role of the laboring woman’s partner.  Instead, she helps him to understand the process taking place.  She shows him how to help his laboring wife in the most effective ways possible and reminds him to take a break every once in a while, or to grab a bite to eat.

What is the evidence on doulas and are they really worth it?

Randomized controlled trials have shown that women who have doulas during labor are more likely to have spontaneous vaginal deliveries and positive birth experiences. They are less likely to need an epidural as the calming effect of the doula’s presence increases the mother’s own natural pain coping hormones (beta-endorphins) making labor feel less painful. 

The presence of a doula has shown to increase oxytocin production in the mother reducing her stress reaction, fear and anxiety and increases contraction strength and effectiveness. And finally, having the continuous support from a doula drastically decreases the odds of needing a cesarean section, especially in induced labors.

If the goal is to have as natural and normal a birth experience as possible, with little to no intervention then, 

YES, a doula is most certainly worth it.

More Evidence on doulas can be found at Evidence Based Birth 

Our bodies were designed to give birth.  Birth, in most cases, is not an emergency.  When the birth process is not influenced or interrupted with unnecessary interventions we reduce the rate of complications significantly.  

Recovery after natural birth is night and day different than recovery from medicated birth.  During labor you are able to move freely, feel where the pushing needs to happen, less likely to push for hours and less likely to tear.  

As great as an epidural can be for an exhausted momma, there are side effects and they can negatively affect baby.  Milk supply can be hindered by medications during labor.  Many moms think they can't breastfeed or don't produce milk; when in reality the hormones that support breastmilk production could have been hindered by the use of high dose medication like an epidural.

Your hormones are able to balance much better after natural birth than with a medicated birth.  This can help reduce the likelihood of having Baby Blues and Postpartum Depression (PPD).

I prefer taking a more wholistic approach to life in general and birth is one of the things I think we need to go back to our roots for.  If you have knowledge about birth and the birth process you will be so much more confident in the decisions you make.  

Knowledge = Confidence

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blissfulembracedoula@gmail.com

Call or Text (435) 691-1098