How Birth Doulas Support New Moms

Whether a woman is having her first baby or she is already an experienced mom, each pregnancy requires new decisions and brings new opportunities.  Where will the baby be born?  Which doctor or midwife will she choose?  Does she plan to use pain medication, and if so, what kind?  Will she be breastfeeding? One choice many women are now making is to engage a Doula to support them through pregnancy, birth and the postpartum period.

“Doula” is a Greek word used to describe women who provide care to other women.  Birth Doulas work with women through pregnancy and birth, and stay to help during the first hours following the birth.  There are also Postpartum Doulas who assist women at home following the birth.

In generations past, new mothers were most often attended by women within their families or community.  These women had been present at many births, and shared their experience and support with the laboring mother.  In today’s mobile society, many women do not have family members close by.  When they do, those family members may not have experience supporting women in birth.  The modern Doula fills that role.

A Doula is not a medical professional.  She does not take the place of or interfere with the work of a doctor, midwife or nurse.  Her job is to provide information and emotional and physical support during pregnancy, labor and delivery, and for the first few weeks after the baby is born.

Women who are supported by a Birth Doula frequently report a significant decrease in the length of labor, the perception of pain, and the need for anesthesia or analgesia, as well as fewer emergency caesarian section deliveries.  These woman and their partners also express a high level of satisfaction with their experience, and an enhanced relationship as partners and parents.

Penny Simkin, a Doula who has attended more than 300 births, has written extensively about supporting women in labor.  According to her, the ideal birth attendant is familiar with the physical process of labor and birth, and with commonly employed procedures and interventions.  She knows when these procedures are necessary and when they are optional.

She also understands the emotional needs of women during labor, and the pattern of emotions women often experience as labor progresses.  She possesses a wealth of practical knowledge of how to help in various situations, and she is able to adapt to the mother’s changing needs during labor.  Simkin calls this “leading by following…how you help, and how much you help, is determined by the mother’s needs and responses at the time.”

An advantage of working with a Birth Doula is that a woman and her husband or partner can choose the birth experience they desire.  Some couples want the father to be the primary coach during labor.  In those cases, the Doula will provide an experienced female presence for the couple, and act as backup when the dad needs a break.  Other couples prefer the Doula to act as primary coach, while the father provides loving emotional support. In cases where the father is not present, the Doula can act as primary support person, and work with a friend or family member the mother designates.

When a woman is giving birth, there is no substitute for the presence of a loved one. However, the person who is emotionally closest to the mom may not have the experience to know when things are progressing normally or not.  Having a Doula present assures there is someone there with the perspective to evaluate and encourage when things are going well, and to be available to help the couple understand what is happening when they are not and intervention may be needed.

There are a number of advantages to selecting a Doula early in pregnancy.  A Doula can assist the mother in researching answers to any questions she may have.  If a woman chooses, the Doula can help her develop a Birth Plan, which is a written guide for the mother’s medical team outlining her preferences.

If a woman decides to have an epidural, the Doula can be invaluable.  Even with an epidural, labor is not always pain free, and an epidural does not change the wide range of emotions that come with labor and birth.  The Doula will focus on the woman’s feelings and offer the comfort and reassurance she may need.  Helping the woman cope with pain in only a small part of what a Doula does.  She will also hold the mother’s hand, explain what is happening, bring ice chips, help insure the birth plan is being followed, and provide company when the mother’s partner needs a break

In the case of a c-section, the Doula will stay by the mother’s side in the operating room (dependent upon hospital policy).  This assures that if the mother’s partner has to go to the nursery with the baby, she will not be left alone.  After the birth, the Doula can help the mother with comfort measures and establishing breastfeeding.

The Doula’s philosophy is one of complete respect for each woman’s personal choices.  Whether a woman chooses to give birth in a hospital, a birth center or at home, with medication or without, the Doula will support her in having the birth she desires.  The Doula is committed to helping every mother have a peaceful, relaxed and joyous birth experience, just the way that woman wants it to be.

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About the Author:

Allison Coleman is a Birth Doula in Austin, Texas. Her website is www.SupportingMom.com.  Allison is a proud member of the Central Texas Doula Association (http://www.centxdoulas.org/ ).

Jillian Wheeler is an Austin-based writer and consultant (and Allison’s mother).  This article is published with permission from Austin Family Magazine, Austin, TX.