What is a Doula?
If you’ve glanced over a birth blog, joined an online pregnancy forum, or even read the NY Times (I love this article!) chances are you’ve heard the word doula a time or two. Doulas can vary in the type of support offered and so in this description I am going to highlight birth doulas and the scope of practice that I personally work from.
I’d love to break it down here and explain to you: why doulas are important, what they can and cannot do, why I’m excited about my work as a doula, and why I think every birth would benefit from one being present. That’s a tall order but stay with me, I think you’ll agree too!
Why are doulas so important?
Simply put, doulas are important because your birth, your satisfaction, and your experience in labor and delivery is important!
Doulas guard birth and view it as a sacred space. They know how to interact at home births and hospital births, have seen all kinds including unmedicated natural births, inductions, cesareans, and everything in between. Doulas love birth and supporting families and helping them navigate all of the excitement therein. Having someone like that on your team is invaluable!
What they can and cannot do
Doulas are non-medical birth support and according to DONA International a doula is “a trained professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a mother before, during and shortly after childbirth to help them achieve the healthiest, most satisfying experience possible.”
Continuous support
Doulas are with you through nurse shift changes or in the case of a hospital transfer they stay with you too
They know what your birth plan is and how to help you stick to it as much as medically possible
They know your preferred comfort measures
Doulas are dedicated to enhancing your birth experience
Doulas know how to the support your partners too and encourage them to get as involved as they feel comfortable
Physical support
Counter pressure
Hip squeezes
Back, neck, foot, hand massages
Mood setting and birth space guarding
Providing a warm compress or cool wash cloth
Drawing a bath
Helping with water therapy
Providing nourishment and encouraging hydration
Encouraging movement
Emotional support
Vocalizing positive affirmations
Reiterating your birth plan
Supporting your partner and helping them find ways to support you
Guiding you to stay on rhythm
Birth and golden hour photographs, capturing those first sweet moments together
Remaining calm and modeling a peaceful presence
Post birth processing
Writing a birth timeline
Informational support
She understands hospital lingo, the importance of the role of nurses, doctors, and midwives and how to work together safely with them
creating a space for asking questions
breathing techniques
evidence based research support
explaining labor stages and progress
aid in relaxation and movement
As you can see, doulas do so much! You may have also noticed though, that doulas do not offer medical advice or exams. That’s because the official statement on the scope of work for DONA doulas is that “doulas do not perform and clinical tasks such as vaginal exams, fetal heart rate monitoring or blood pressure monitoring. Doulas do not diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions or give medical advice. Most importantly doulas do not make decisions for their clients; they do not project their own values and goals onto laboring women.”
Why I’m excited about my work as a doula (and as a birth photographer aka doulatog)
The more I learn about physiological birth, the more excited about it I get. The interplay of birth hormones and their delicate balance as they work together to bring a baby earth side is completely fascinating to me. When I learned about making space for the laboring person to be in a dark and warm environment, that helping them feel safe, heard, and supported could positively affect birth experience and outcomes, I was sold.
How you view yourself and your birth matters. That is why doulas are important, they allow you to see how AMAZING you are, how capable you are! And especially as a birth photographer, I am passionate about showing my clients how beautifully captivating they are too. The love in the room, the hand holding, then tender kisses, the first time you lay eyes on your baby. That story is so powerful, and so healing. It’s begging to be told!
I am all about bringing health and healing to every area I can, and the birth space especially!
Why I think every birth should have a doula
The facts support that doulas make a difference.
Births with doulas are 28% less likely to have a cesarean, 31% less likely to use synthetic oxytocin to speed up labor, 9% less likely to use any pain medication, 34% less likely to rate their childbirth experience negatively. If you’re interested in learning more about the evidence for doulas check out this paper and visit evidencebasedbirth.com too.
Now don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely a room and space for medicine, and if you want an epidural I will hold your hand and support your through your labor in a heartbeat. I’m not saying you should avoid meds, I’m saying that doulas change things. These stats show me that with continuous emotional and physical support you have a higher likelihood of a positive birth experience.
You will be empowered. You will be supported. You will be celebrated.
And that makes all the difference!
