A Birth Doula:
- Helps a mother and her partner become informed about various birth choices
- Provides non-judgmental emotional support
- Uses comfort measures - breathing, relaxation, movement, positioning - to assist a mother during labour
- Continuously reassures and comforts the mother
- Helps facilitate communication between the mother, her partner and care providers
- Looks after the partner as well, so that he/she can optimally support the labouring mother
According to the 2017 Cochrane Systematic Review Update on Continuous Support for Women, women who received continuous support during labour and birth seemed more likely to have spontaneous vaginal births and shorter labours. They were less likely to have analgesic pain medication, vacuum or forceps-assisted births, cesarean births and negative feelings about their birth experience.
"Thank you so much for caring for us through a very memorable time. We are grateful for your teachings as well as friendship. We would not be off the the start we are on without you." - Carla & George
As your birth doula, my support for you includes:
- meeting with you before your baby arrives ·
- listening to you and gaining an understanding of your preferences and needs
- helping you figure out what is important to you in your birth (and what's not)
- helping you find the information about those choices, so you go into your birth with as much knowledge as possible
- being on call for you two weeks before your due date, 24/7
- when labour commences, being with you from the time you request until after your baby arrives
- taking photographs, if requested
- staying with you for the first hours after your baby’s arrival and assisting with breastfeeding (if desired)
- visiting you and your baby at home, to answer any questions and assist as needed
Thank you so much for your guidance and support before and after little K made his way. We credit our breastfeeding success to the private lessons we received from you on his first day in the world.
Melinda & Ben
Melinda & Ben