THE VERY BEST FOR YOUR NEWBORN
Doulas
What is a doula and how can they help you?
To many people, the word doula is a new one, but at Doc & Doula, we believe that doulas play a vital role in changing and improving women’s healthcare. A Birth Doula is a non-clinical trained professional who supports a birthing person during labor, birth, and the immediate postpartum period. Birth doulas provide continuous, one-on-one care, physical, educational and emotional support to birthing families. When we look at the research one thing is clear, doulas mean improved outcomes!
According to research, people who received continuous support during their labor and delivery were more likely to have spontaneous vaginal births, less likely to use pain medication or epidurals, and less likely to experience vacuum or forceps-assisted births and Cesareans. Additionally, labors were shorter, babies were less likely to have low Apgar scores at birth and women were less likely to report negative feelings about childbirth.
For information about the benefits of doula support, we suggest checking out this article from the website Evidence Based Birth.
Ready to learn more?
LET’S, BUST SOME MYTHS ABOUT DOULA SUPPORT…
MYTH: Doulas are only for people having unmedicated or homebirths…
Doulas support and provide value to people in a variety of different birthing styles and environments! Doulas are trained to provide support and care to those seeking birth at home or in hospital whether unmedicated or medicated. Doulas also support families having cesarean births as well as vaginal. Doulas bring value and improved outcomes to types of births!
MYTH: I don’t need a doula because my partner will be there to help me and I don’t want them to feel replaced…
A doulas role is not meant to replace your partner, but to enhance and aid their support! Doulas work hard to make sure your partner is supported on their emotional labor journey and helps to build their confidence to support you in the best way possible.
Additionally, doulas have a wide breadth of knowledge about the labor process, medical procedures, and comfort measures that many partners do not. Doulas help birthing families to self-advocate by arming them with this important knowledge.
A 2008 study by McGrath and Kennell found that when a partner and doula work together to support the laboring person the mother’s risk of cesarean was significantly lowered in comparison to just the partner’s support alone.
MYTH: If I have a doula I don’t need a midwife or doctor…
Doulas play a non-clinical role in birth support. This means that a doula cannot deliver your baby, check your cervix, listen to the baby’s heart rate, check your blood pressure or provide any other medical procedure.
