 Rachel is a Bradley Method® instructor and
birth doula in downtown Phoenix. Her next Bradley Method® series will be offered on Tuesday evenings from January 10, 2012 through April 3, 2012. To
contact Rachel, please visit www.birthandearth.com. Pictured above is a momma laboring in a birth tub. Dad is in the water with momma doing back massage, while the doula is rubbing mom's shoulders and encouraging her verbally. To the left is the midwife watching mom's progress. Baby was born a few minutes after this picture was taken. What Is (and Isn’t!) a Doula? A birth doula is
a professional who is trained to continuous provide physical, emotional, and
informational support to a woman in labor, and her partner. The word “doula” is a Greek word meaning
servant, and that is truly what a doula does! During a hospital
birth, the nurse will visit the mom intermittently to check vital signs,
conduct vaginal exams, monitor the baby, and conduct other medical needs. During her shift, the nurse will be caring
for other patients, completing paperwork, and communicating with the doctor or
nurse midwife, so she will not be able to stay with the laboring mother to
provide comfort measures. Come shift
change, the nurse will leave and a new nurse will come to check on the couple. An expectant mother very rarely meets her nurses
prior to her arrival at the hospital. On the other
hand, a doula stays with the couple continuously. It is optimal to have the doula join the
laboring mom at her home so the mom can labor in a familiar and comfortable
environment as long as possible. The
doula will travel to the hospital with the couple and will stay with them for
the duration of the labor and birth. The
medical procedures are left to the staff at the hospital, and the doula does
the rest. Doula will assist the mom and
her chosen coach as they utilize relaxation, position changes, massage,
tub/shower, and other natural pain management techniques. She will get food and drink for the mom and
her partner, gather tools such as pillows and towels, use the birth ball, and
even take pictures. As mentioned, a
doula is truly a servant for the laboring mother and her partner. In The Bradley
Method®, we teach that the partner (husband or otherwise) is the primary coach
for the mother. A doula, therefore, is
considered to be an assistant coach.
When I attend births as a doula, I like to remind myself to “make the
dad look good.” I grab the tools and
make the suggestions he needs to provide the best support for his wife or
partner. Benefits of Doulas Research has
indicated that the support of a doula often results in: - Shorter labors - Fewer
complications - Fewer
instances of medical augmentation - More positive
feelings about the birth experience - Fewer requests
for medical pain management - Fewer
instances of postpartum depression - Mothers with
more confidence in their abilities - Greater
success with breastfeeding Finding a Doula So, how do you
find one of these amazing women? Here
are some ideas: - Visit the DONA
website to find a doula certified through an
international organization. - Visit
DoulaMatch to search for doulas near you. - Ask your
childbirth educator, prenatal yoga instructor, or care provider. - Attend a local
birth circle meeting and inquire about doulas. - Ask your
friends, family, and other moms that you know. Interviewing a Doula DONA has a
wonderful list of recommended interview questions for doulas.
I can’t emphasize enough the last two lines on that website: “The way that you feel with a doula is more
important than the number of births that they have attended or how many new
families they have nurtured. You may want to interview more than one doula and
make comparisons before choosing your doula.” I always suggest
that the Coach lead the interview because he will be working very closely with
the doula and I feel that his opinion is just as important as the mom’s. Watch how the doula interacts with the Coach. Does she honor his opinions and speak as if
she were his assistant? Or does she
disregard his thoughts and direct her remarks to the mom? Her personality during the interview is a
great indicator of how she’ll be during the birth. The top two
reasons I have heard for not hiring a doula are: cost and concerns that the
Coach’s role will be diminished. Please
don’t let either of these hold you back from the labor support you need! If cost is a concern then clarify your budget
with the doula prospects and search for someone in your price range. Ask expensive doulas to refer you to low-cost
doulas. There are even doulas who are
providing their services for free as they work on their certification. Ask around!
As far as the Coach’s role, almost all doulas will work very hard to
assist and honor the Coach as the mom’s primary labor support. If you would like to learn more, I recommend
the Dads and Doulas document on the DONA website (http://www.dona.org/PDF/DadsandDoulas.pdf). Working with a Doula Most birth
doulas will meet with a couple at least twice during the pregnancy. Prenatal visits may be done in your home or
in a public place, depending on your preference. Typically these prenatal
visits involve discussions of your birth preferences, practicing comfort
measures, discussing your fears or concerns, and a little childbirth
education. Most doulas are
well-connected in the local birth community and will assist you in finding additional
services (chiropractors, lactation consultants, etc.) if needed. If you would like, you can ask your doula to
come along with you on a prenatal visit so you can introduce her to your care
provider. As a doula, I feel that it is
important for one of the prenatal visits to be conducted in the couple’s home
so I know how to find them in the middle of the night, we can practice labor
positions in their space, they can show me where important supplies are, and so
we can discuss other home-related topics that always seem to come up while we
are sitting there. When the big day
arrives, I recommend contacting your doula as soon as you think you are in
labor. She won’t rush over to you right
away (unless your birth is progressing quickly), but the “heads up” enables her
to adjust her plans for the day, take a nap, and be in a better position to
serve you. I was on my way to visit a
farm with my family when I received a text message from a doula client that her
water broke a couple weeks before her due date.
With this notice, I knew to send my family along and I stayed home and
ate a good meal and rested while I waited for the couple to call and ask me to
join them. Keep in touch with your doula
throughout your labor. Clients always
ask me, “When will we know that it is time for you to come over?” My answer, “There’s no magic time. You’ll just know.” And you will! If you are
planning a hospital birth then I advise you having the doula meet you at home
before you go to the hospital. (Of
course, if things are going quickly or there is an emergency then the doula
will meet you there.) By having the
doula come to your home you are likely to spend more time laboring in your own
comfortable space and be further along when you arrive at the hospital. Also, the doula can assist you with the drive
to the hospital, carry your bag, etc. During your
birth, the doula will be with you the entire time. She will be anticipating your needs for food,
drink, position changes, bathroom, etc., but don’t hesitate to ask for
anything. Some moms have expressed
concern about seeming bossy or hurting feelings – no worries. Remember the doula is there to serve you! She will provide Mom and Coach with
consistent and continuous support. Remember that a
doula should not practice medicine.
Don’t ask her, or allow her, to make a diagnosis or tell you what
decisions you should make. Her role is
to provide information and answer your questions. For the sake of liability, all medical
matters need to be handled by you and your care provider. After the baby
arrives, your doula will stay with you until your family is settled in and
breastfeeding is off to a good start.
(Usually this is a couple hours.)
When I serve as a doula, I like to help clear the space and take any
unnecessary items (labor tools) to the couple’s car. Most doulas will check in with you throughout
the first couple weeks and will come for a postpartum visit around a week
out. The purpose of the postpartum visit
is to see how you are recovering and if have any additional needs, and also to
help process your birth experience. For
my son’s birth, I was in a “labor land” haze during active labor so I really
relied on our doula’s feedback to help put my birth story together. If a family is
in need of additional support after the baby’s birth (i.e. cooking, cleaning,
baby care, etc.) then they should search for a postpartum doula. Check-in and read Friday's post this week to learn more about postpartum doula care from Jaqueline Norris, owner of Sweet Blessings Doula Services. What criteria was important for you when
you were seeking a doula? Local Bradley® Doulas Here is an
alphabetical listing of local Bradley Method® instructors who also serve as doulas: - Victoria Calleja -
623.234.4767 - victoriacalleja@yahoo.com - Rachel Davis - 480.330.3070 -
birthandearth@gmail.com - Klarissa Jones - 480.993.4834
- klarissa@firststepsbirthservices.com - Crystal Magnuson -
602.320.9999 - Laura Nyman - 801.528.1295 -
lilypad49@hotmail.com - Zabrina Pell - 602.743.9890 -
zabpell@gmail.com Recommended Reading The Doula Book: How A Trained Labor Companion Can Help You
Have A Shorter, Easier, And Healthier Birth by Marshall
Klaus The Birth Partner: A Complete Guide to
Childbirth for Dads, Doulas, and All Other Labor Companions by Penny Simkin Assistant Coach’s Manual published by the American Academy of
Husband Coached Childbirth. (Contact
your Bradley Method® instructor to purchase or borrow a copy.) This is a great resource for friends and
family who will be attending your birth! About the author:  Rachel Davis is the mother of two joyful children, a son
born naturally in the hospital and a daughter born in the water at home. She is also a Bradley Method® instructor and
birth doula in downtown Phoenix. Her next Bradley Method® series will be offered on Tuesday evenings from January 10, 2012 through April 3, 2012.To
contact Rachel, please visit www.birthandearth.com. Disclaimer: The
material included on this site is for informational purposes only.
It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional
medical
advice. The reader should always consult her or his healthcare provider
to
determine the appropriateness of the information for their own
situation. This blog contains information about our classes available in
Chandler, AZ and Payson, AZ and is not the official website of The
Bradley Method®. The views contained on this blog do not necessarily
reflect those of The Bradley Method® or the American Academy
of Husband-Coached Childbirth®.  Now enrolling for our Winter Series December 5, 2011 to February 20, 2012 Mondays @ 6:30 pm Call 602-684-6567 or email us at krystyna@sweetpeabirths.com |
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