Comprehensive Guide to Birth Doula Support and Benefits
Understanding Birth Doula Support and Its Benefits
What is a Birth Doula?
A birth doula is an understanding and compassionate professional who provides continuous emotional and physical support to women during labor, birth, and the immediate postpartum period. At Fertile Optimism, we highlight the many benefits of having support by a birth doula, ensuring doulas work within their scope of practice without giving medical advice or assuming the role of a physician or licensed medical professional. The primary role of a birth doula is to empower and support the birthing mother by offering non-medical assistance to enhance her experience. The aim is to ensure a healthy, safe and satisfying birth, whether it is a vaginal birth or a cesarean section, through the unique and valuable support of a birth companion.
What Does a Birth Doula Do?
As an advocate and support for the mother-in-labor, typically the birth-doula will remain with the birthing mother throughout labor and the immediate postpartum, with minimal breaks in-between to care for her own needs or for periods of absence that may be requested by the birthing mother. The birth-doula can help to explain processes related to the labor, and if the birth-doula is skilled in other modalities, like aromatherapy, massage, or reflexology – can provide holistic relief from discomfort and pain as well as provide relaxation techniques.
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Benefits of a Birth Doula
Often times as an aide, the laboring-mother will be accompanied by the father, her own mother or another family member or friend. These loved ones, more than likely have an emotional bond to the mother, so being that it may be difficult for these persons to remain continually objective, composed and to not feed upon the mother’s fears and anxiety, they need not feel as though they have no place when there is a doula. The birth-doula is not there to take away from others but helps to act as a coach and facilitator of the birthing-mothers entire “team”.
Given this it is vital for a woman in labor to have not just the father or designated support person(s) but also a compassionate and nurturing doula that can bring to the birth her experience to help calm and reassure the birthing-mother.
Your doula is not there to take over and control your laboring experience or replace the presence or actions of your husband, or designated support person, like your mother, sister or friend.
Your Doula is simply present to provide tranquil reassurance to you and your husband and to assist you in your birthing experience, knowing that the memory of your birth is something that you will carry for the rest of your lives.
Where to Find a Birth Doula
Whether you are looking for a birth-doula, postpartum-doula, or another specialized doula type, it is imperative that you seek out a doula of notable background and experience. Often times this may call for a certified doula, but not always and certification may not be a requirement in all cities, counties, States, and jurisdictions. Many doulas have their own websites, so doing a Google search of doulas within your area and then visiting and reviewing their website may act as a good starting point. If you are a person that uses the services of an acupuncture, chiropractor, or licensed massage therapist; often these professionals may have in their contacts the names and contact information of doulas and midwives. Also, consider some of the well-known doula websites, as they have a director of qualified certified birth doulas. Some to consider are: CAPPA, Childbirth International, Dona International, and International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA).
RESOURCES
International Childbirth Education Association (ICEA)
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