Below are many of the ways that your doula may serve you during your pregnancy, birth, and first few weeks postpartum. They are not intended to be exhaustive, as a doula’s role is extremely flexible and designed to change to meet each individual client’s needs.
During pregnancy, your doula can:
- Meet with you for a free interview to answer questions and determine if you are a good match.
- Tailor your prenatal visits to provide you with the information you need and desire. A doula’s prenatal visits are a mini-childbirth education course in many ways, which helps you review everything that you have already learned, sorting through and making the best choices for your family.
- Provide many sources of information for your further education, such as articles, books, websites, DVD’s, etc.
- Loan books or other items to you from her own personal collection for your use during your pregnancy.
- Communicate by phone or e-mail to answer questions and provide resources.
- Be a listening and sympathetic ear when things are not going well, you are feeling stressed, or you have received negative feedback from others.
- Help you understand what your doctor is telling you, and walk you through the process of making truly informed decisions about your care.
- Answer questions that you may not have had time to ask your doctor during your appointments.
- Assist in writing your “Birth Preferences” (Birth Plan). Your doula will explain the most common interventions that may be offered to you, talk about the risks and benefits, and encourage you and/or help you to get them written down so that everyone involved in your care will be aware of your wishes.
- Make a list of comfort measures that are most attractive to you, and practice them with you ahead of time.
- Assist you in dealing with any fears that you may have about your upcoming birth. Facing your fears and talking about them are some of the best ways to get control and not allow them to overwhelm you.
- Get to know both you and your partner so that there is a mutual trust and friendship existing that will allow you to feel completely comfortable when your doula is with you during labor.
- Answer your partner’s questions and talk about ways that he can support you during labor. Remember – a doula’s role is not to take over for the partner, but to support both Mom and Dad during this exciting time.
- Attend a prenatal visit with you so that Doula and Doctor are acquainted.
- Attend a childbirth class with you.
- Tour your chosen place of birth with you.
- Help you become prepared for newborn care, breastfeeding, etc., making sure you have the supplies you need and are going to have support during the first few weeks postpartum.
- Provide referrals to other local professionals depending on your needs. A doula is trained to recognize when additional help is needed, and has a vast collection of resources to help you obtain that help.
- Be available for you 24 hours a day starting 2 weeks before your estimated due date. You can and should call your doula anytime you have questions or are feeling uneasy about what you are experiencing. Your doula is prepared to drop everything at a moment’s notice to assist you when you go into labor.
During labor, your doula will assist you in many ways. Here are some possibilities:
Physical Comfort Techniques – Your doula is dedicated to helping your labor and birth be as comfortable as possible. Most women do have some level of pain during their births, but many of these comfort measures can greatly reduce the pain you experience and help you manage your pain so that it does not become suffering.
- Positioning techniques to help you be more comfortable and encourage baby’s correct positioning for birth.
- Encouragement to keep you moving and active as much as possible during your labor.
- Reminders to stay hydrated and also to empty your bladder regularly (you may forget some of these things during labor, so it is very helpful to have your doula there to remind you)
- Counterpressure, massage, and other forms of touch – whatever feels good to you at the time.
- Hydrotherapy – using the bathtub or shower for labor support if they are available.
- Use of heat and cold combined with other comfort measures
- Rhythmic rituals – your doula can help you find a rhythm which will help you to keep control and not lose focus during your contractions.
- Birth ball, rebozo, vibrating massager, etc.
- Awareness of tension in different parts of your body – tension increases pain and your doula can help you be aware of where you are holding tension so that you can release it.
- Vocalizations – repeating important words or phrases, singing, moaning, etc.
- Environmental comforts – your doula can do such things as making sure the lights stay dim when possible, playing relaxation or other music, showing you a special photo to look at, diffusing essential oils or using scented lotions, etc.
Emotional Comfort Techniques – Your doula may be the only continuous presence throughout your labor. Doctors, nurses, and other caregivers may come and go, many of whom you may have never met. But your doula will be with you the whole time, even laboring with you at home during early labor if you wish. She is with you for the long haul, and can support you emotionally through the whole experience in a way that other professionals cannot. Your doula’s sole focus is on you and your emotional and physical comfort.
- Your doula can protect the emotional atmosphere of your birthing room. As a professional, she can gently but firmly make sure that only the people who you are most comfortable with are allowed to be present in the room with you.
- Focal points, visualizations, distractions, mental activities, rituals, etc.
- Verbal encouragement and feedback – your doula is your cheerleader and will encourage you every step of the way.
- Your doula knows what the pain of labor feels like, and will acknowledge what you are feeling, go through every contraction with you, and encourage you that you can do it.
- Help work through fears that may come up during labor, communicating about issues (past or present) that may be causing the fear. Your doula can help you reframe your doubts and fears into positive statements that will allow you to progress and feel encouraged.
- Partner support – your doula can support your partner in many different ways. She can suggest and model ideas for your partner to use in supporting you. She can answer questions about things that are happening. During a long labor, your partner may appreciate a short break and will not need to worry about your being left alone during that time. At times you may appreciate 2 sets of hands to physically support you in moving around, massage, counterpressure, etc.
Informational Support – During labor, you may be offered various procedures and interventions by your caregivers for many different reasons. You may have already thought through these issues and have a preference for what you wish to do, or you may need to be educated about them on the spot. On the other hand, sometimes moms who are in active labor and transition can have trouble collecting their thoughts enough to thoroughly think through an option and make an informed decision. Your doula can act as an information source for you during these times, clarifying any questions you may have about the procedures that are being offered or suggested. Your doula can also help remind you of what you had previously decided, and help you remember what questions that you can ask your caregiver in order to gain the information you need to make a decision. Remember that there is almost never a situation where you do not have the time to think through your options and discuss them before making a decision. Your doula will not speak to your caregiver for you, but she may help you by whispering in your ear or asking a question to clarify an issue if she senses that you need any assistance.
Immediately after the birth, your doula can:
- Encourage immediate skin-to-skin contact and uninterrupted time during the first few minutes for bonding with the baby.
- Assist with your first breastfeeding session, helping to make sure that the position and latch of the baby are correct.
- Help you relax through any other procedures that occur, such as the delivery of the placenta or stitching the perineum.
- Take photos of the baby and new family.
- Make sure you and your partner are comfortable in every way possible.
During the postpartum weeks, your doula can:
- Visit you in your home shortly after the baby is born.
- Answer questions and give assistance with any breastfeeding issues that may arise. Your doula is not a professional lactation consultant, but she can recognize if any problems are occurring that need outside assistance.
- Talk with you about how you are feeling, and help you process your emotions about your birth.
- Answer questions about basic baby care and what to expect from a newborn.
- Answer questions about basic postpartum issues such as amount of bleeding to expect, etc. Again, your doula can recognize an abnormality and will be able to refer you to your doctor if needed.
- Write a keepsake birth story for you to include in your baby’s memorabilia.
- Assist in making sure that you are receiving enough support for the postpartum period – your doula can ask you questions to make sure that you are not doing too much and are getting plenty of rest.
- Referrals to various outside organizations – your doula can be a resource for various things such as breastfeeding support, local moms groups, postpartum issues, government assistance programs, etc.
Author: Brenda Minica, CD (CBI) – all rights reserved.
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