7 things that make a doula great
Doulas provide emotional support during labor and delivery. They also offer education and guidance to new parents, helping them understand how to care for themselves and their newborn baby. If you are wondering how you are going to do it all once baby arrives, a doula is an essential addition to help you prepare yourself for this life transition.
You Don’t Need to Go Through Labor Alone.
Giving birth is one of the biggest life transitions a woman will go through. It is an experience that invokes all parts of her - mentally, emotionally, physically and spiritually. You are not on the conveyer belt of reproduction which it can sometimes feel like as you are being told to do this test, see this person without so much personalized care for you - the woman - the individual. In order to embrace this life transition in its fullest expression and reap the rewards of preparing yourself here are some reasons to add a doula to your birth team.
1.A doula provides continuity of care - meaning she is the constant in your entire pregnancy from the time you invite her in. It is proven that when a woman has continuity of care throughout, she is more likely to achieve a positive birth.
2. A doula helps you navigate the system you have chosen to birth in or sometimes assist you in changing care provider if you feel you have made the wrong choice. Their are doulas that are more experienced in different birth settings eg, homebirth, private, public, freebirth. It is a doula's role to be across the nuances of each to help provide you with priceless information to achieve the best outcome and experience.
3. A doula's role is women focused, meaning you as the birthing woman are always first to mind with anything that is occurring. This support in invaluable as you are faced with different emotions and decisions to make. Taking you as the woman into account and seeing you - not timelines, over worked systems, under staffed hospitals means you are getting women centered care.
4. A doula has many contacts within allied health that are women focused or specialize in pregnancy, birth, postpartum services. This giving you easy and trust access to the best during a time in your life where you should be getting the best care and support.
5. A doula helps you find empowerment, trust and belief in yourself and birth. We often hear more horror stories than positive ones about birth and their is limited information about life after baby and it almost is lost on a pregnanct woman to talk to her about her postpartum. A doula helps her gain understanding in her body and the physiology of labor, understanding risks and benefits to all medical procedures and most importantly imparts the tools for the birthing women and partner to do this for themselves through the work a doula will do with you in the lead up to your baby's birth day and beyond.
6. A doula is with you for your entire labor, yes your entire labor. No change of shift or arriving for the last few surges. She will be at your home during the early stages of labor if you want her there, she will transfer to the hospital with you if that is where you are birthing, she will remain with you throughout your labor and for the first few hours after birth. There is no time share, or extra fee that is charged if she is with you for a longer time than others. A doula knows each birth is different, each experience is different- all unique and perfectly designed for that woman - that Mother.
7. A doula provides a calming, confident and positive energy about birth. A doula is experienced in all facets of labor but is their to be an ear, provide physical assistance during labor, is generally pretty experienced in reading a room and making sure all environmental factors are looked after so you don't have to be 'thinking' about what you want or need during labor, or that person coming into the birthing suite that you don't know. She bridges the gap between the medical space and helps you to feel more at ease and relaxed with what lay ahead.
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