TheHolisticParent.ORG How A Doula Can Help

How A Doula Can Help

Doulas are quickly becoming an important part of the birthing team. Some
doulas are employed by hospitals in hospital sponsored programs, but most
doulas work independently. Families can hire independent doulas to assist
them in their birth experience.

There are many reasons to hire a doula. Doulas offer support to the woman in
labor. They are able to suggest different positions, offer therapeutic massage,
and many other things. It is very reassuring to many women to simply have
someone experienced in the area of birth letting them know their birth is going
well and the sensations they are experiencing are normal. Doulas can also help
the woman’s partner to feel more comfortable and suggest ways for the partner
to be involved. Doulas also offer encouragement, which can be much needed at
times. Doulas can help with all stages of labor and are available to come
whenever the laboring woman feels she needs her doula to be with her. Doulas
also help in deciding when it is time to go to the hospital.

Doulas who are hired by the family work exclusively for the family and do not have
any ties with a particular hospital or physician. This can be a very good thing
because the doula will be able to have an objective view. If you are having a
hospital birth, the doula acts as your advocate when you are there. She makes
sure you have truly informed consent regarding any procedures or interventions.
She makes sure nothing happens to you without your permission or knowing.
She is able to discuss with you your feelings regarding interventions or explain
and clarify them if necessary. Doulas usually make the hospital experience
much more comfortable. Doulas are not able to make decisions for you,
however. You are still in control of your choices. A doula is there to answer
questions or prompt you regarding things she knows are important to you.
Doulas cannot perform any medical interventions themselves, however, and do
not have legal responsibility for things of that nature that go on during a birth.

There is such a position called a monitrice who is a woman with advanced
training that can offer some additional things a doula cannot. She can do all the
things a doula can do, but she can also perform vaginal exams, check the baby’s
heart rate, and things of that nature, which may be desired by some women.

Contrary to some belief, doulas do not have to be certified. Certification for
doulas is somewhat controversial. What is more important is that a doula has
qualifications that meet the hiring family’s expectations. She should have a basic
knowledge of birth and interventions. She should know of ways to support a
woman in labor. Doulas should have at least some experience in the area of
birth. It certainly helps at times to have a professional involved. Many women feel
more comfortable having a doula than just a close friend or family member
because there is a professional nature involved, which can make it a bit more
comfortable. Many women take great comfort in having their doulas with them in
labor. Afterwards, many women become good friends with their doula, but this is
not an obligation.

Doulas usually provide one or two prenatal visits to get to know the woman and
her family, and one or two postpartum visits to make sure things are going well
after the baby comes. Doulas will make sure they are aware of your birth plan
and the things that are important to you.

Research has proven doulas are a great idea! Women who hire doulas has a
reduced chance of a C section by 50%, on average a shorter labor by 25%,
reduced use of pain medication, reduced use of Pitocin, and reduced use of
many other interventions. Women who use doulas report a higher satisfaction
rate regarding their birth experience. Higher rates of breastfeeding have been
reported as well as better maternal and infant bonding and reduced rates of
postpartum depression. Now, if those aren’t reason enough to hire a doula, I
don’t know what is!

Doulas fees can range anywhere from $400 to $800 depending on her services
and experience. More experienced doulas typically charge more. This can be
worth your benefit depending on the doula, though this does not mean doulas
with less experience are not exceptional at what they do. Mostly, it is just
important to find a doula that you are comfortable with and provides a good fit
with your family. Some insurance companies are now starting to reimburse for
the services of a doula. Usually it is the family’s responsibility to seek
reimbursement from the insurance company. If the insurance company does not
reimburse, the fees for a doula are the responsibility of the family. Some doulas
do offer payment plans for their fees.

Many people get the impression that a doula is not necessary because the
hospital has nurses. Let me be very clear. The job a doula performs is not the
job of a nurse, and you will not get the same kind of attention, expertise, and skill
from a nurse as you would a doula. Now, nurses can be very knowledgeable and
good at what they do and also great at offering support. The thing is you never
know which nurse you are going to get. The nurse also has other
responsibilities such as monitoring your labor progress, charting, physician
orders, making sure everything is performed safely, etc. Many nurses would like
to spend more time with their patients, but it is not always possible. Therefore,
you cannot count on the nurses to provide the same kind of labor support a
doula would. The nurse is also bound by hospital policies and a duty to maintain
her licensure, therefore her view may not be objective or she may be prevented
from being solely your advocate. There are some nurses that offer doula
services on the side however, and this is a great situation if you can find one.
Doulas who are also RN’s will know about hospitals, certain physicians, a whole
lot about any medical interventions being offered, and offer a bit more perhaps
than a typical doula, although doulas who are not RN’s can also have all this
knowledge as well. Personally, I would not walk into labor at the hospital without
a doula!

Doulas can also provide a role in homebirth and be great support there.
Sometimes though a doula is less necessary at a homebirth because the
midwife can act in the same way as a doula. Also, families typically have to pay
out of pocket for their midwife and adding doula expenses on top of that can be
quite costly, which is not practical for everyone. Therefore, doulas usually
accompany a woman to the hospital. Many times doulas are hired when a
woman has a strong desire for natural childbirth and a minimization of medical
interventions.

If you’re comtemplating hiring a doula, I hope this helped give some insight into
what doulas do and don’t do. Overall, they are a great resource. You won’t regret
hiring one!

The Holistic Parent.ORG

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