Affiliate links may be included at no cost to you. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
The use of a doula for child birth is becoming increasingly popular! It should be. Research has shown time and again that mothers benefit from doula-supported births in many ways.
Today let’s chat about…
- My experience with a doula
- What exactly a doula does
- How doulas help your partner
- What the research says about the mother’s health and birth experience when a doula is involved
- Where you can find one
PREGNANCY DURING COVID
First, let’s back up. I was about 5 months pregnant in the thick of the COVID-19 pandemic… when it first started, when it was entirely unknown. Suddenly, my local hospital was no longer offering labor and delivery classes due to prevention measures surrounding social distancing and inability to host groups. Instead, we were told to sign-out a clear plastic tub full of hospital paraphernalia such as a fake baby doll, swaddle blanket, a DVD that explained the stages of labor, a DVD that briefly talked about breast feeding, forceps, and a vacuum. We were instructed to call if we had any questions about what to expect.
If you know me then you know I am a very organized and prepared person. I was mortified.
I had fully expected an in-person class with labor and delivery hospital staff to talk to me about all of the birth things and help me get ready for my first baby. Instead I had a box of random items and Google.
One day we were in one of our favorite baby shops when we discovered that the store had a list of classes, among them a labor and delivery class. We promptly signed up. I was absolutely thrilled to have found a real labor and delivery class, and I waited excitedly for months until it was time to attend.
The class was taught by Tara Nichols at Colorado Baby in Grand Junction, CO. It was 3 hours long on a Saturday morning, and I was enraptured with her approach to labor and delivery, how she incorporated the mother’s partners into the birth plan, and her overall passion for helping mothers plan for the most epic moment of their lives. We didn’t know she was a doula until the end of the day when I noticed her water cup had “doula” written on it. She was warm, kind, knowledgeable, and I had never heard anyone talk about the birth experience the way that she did.
It was more than just the stages of labor and hospital expectations. It was more than dilation numbers and statistics. It was about the mother as an individual person, the involvement of her partner in the process and specifically what one could expect emotionally, mentally, spiritually, and physically. It was revolutionary.
Her emphasis and discussion surrounding the emotional and mental process that mothers endure was beautiful. The way she honored the partners in the room and explained the role they would play in the birth process was fulfilling and exciting. For Eric, he was thrilled to have a purpose during the birth of our baby and to know exactly what he would be able to do to help me in those intimate moments of seeing me struggle to have our baby join us.
I asked her immediately after class if she would be my doula. Fortunately, she was available for our due date, and the rest is history.
WHAT IS A DOULA
A doula is a person who is professionally trained to work with mothers throughout their whole experience of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. They are knowledgeable about the birth process and act as an advocate for the mother. Your doula represents you and your wishes… not the hospital or birthing center, not your mother, not even your partner. Your doula is present for you.
Mothers benefit from doula-supported births, because doulas are able to help provide support and guidance for the mothers and their partners during the birth experience. Typically, they are very familiar with the birth process, and the many ways that can look different depending on how the mother’s labor is progressing.
When the mother and her partner are faced with decisions that need to be made either to progress their birth or regarding the involvement of medical decisions for procedures, a doula is able help interpret what those options mean, how they will affect the birth, and support the mother and her partner in those decision-making processes. A doula is able to bridge the gap of communication between the mother and her healthcare team.
In the heat of the moment, when the mother is the most vulnerable she can be as she labors to bring her baby earth-side, the presence of a doula can be incredibly helpful. Often times, you will hear partners state that they “didn’t know what to do to help” or “I just stayed out of the way.” Keep reading below to see how a doula may help involve your partner.
PARTNER SUPPORT
A doula will act as an advocate for the mother, and in that way they also support the whole family as well. One of the most influential and epic ways that we were assisted by our doula, Tara, was her involvement of Eric. I felt like my heart would explode in the labor and delivery class where we first met her as she addressed all of the mothers’ partners in the room and explained the importance of their presence.
While we often hear that babies recognize and know the voice and smells of their mothers, our doula emphasizes that the babies also know the voice and presence of the mother’s partner. She describes all of the ways that a partner can help the mother while she labors tirelessly, and how that person can be the protector of the mother’s environment and supporter of the mother’s wishes.
The mother’s partner plays a tremendous role in the birth experience. A doula will be able to help your partner know how to help you in the crucial moments of labor. She is a safe place for your partner to go to with questions, and she is always available. While your partner flounders for what to do as the mother struggles, the doula is the calm and reliable source of information and can instruct your partner on how to help the mother manage her pain naturally, interpret where she is emotionally, act as a sounding board when the couple needs help with decision-making, and more.
In this way, again mothers benefit from doula-supported births because of the ways in which they support the mother’s partner as well.
Some of the ways that a partner can and should support the mother include:
- Participating in developing the birth plan so that he/she can manage and maintain that as appropriate
- Assisting with pain management techniques
- Protecting the birth environment
- Staying calm and helping the mother regulate her calm and peace
- Representing encouragement and support with positive affirmations
- Massage
- Physically support her during the pushing stage by applying cool compresses to her forehead, words of encouragement, and holding her body as needed
WHAT THE RESEARCH SAYS
Doulas are becoming more and more important in recent years. In fact, the World Health Organization actually recognizes and recommends that mothers give birth with the support of doula for best outcomes.
It was revolutionary when researchers began studying the impact that doulas have on the birth experience for mothers. It is clear now that doulas provide unique services to mothers during child birth that has a positive impact on the mothers, their partners, and their babies. Mothers benefit from doula-supported births.
While doctors and nurses are certainly there to help delivery the baby, often times they are in and out of the room during the majority of the labor process. Many women won’t actually see their doctor until it’s time to push. Especially for women giving birth in a hospital, nurses and doctors are often busy managing other tasks and interventions related to the birth, that they are unable to provide sufficient support for the mother and her partner. This is why a doula is so important! A doula is wholly present for the mother for the duration of labor and delivery, supporting her emotionally and physically.
According to the research…
- Women have a lower chance of needing to have a c-section when they have a doula on their birth team. Specifically, one study cites 40% decrease in the odds of a mother needing a c-section if she is supported by a doula during her birth experience.
- Women have improved outcomes with their birth experience such as shorter labor times, lower rates of c-section, lower rates of the use of a vaginal instrument, lower rates of analgesia, less negative feelings about child birth, and higher rates of vaginal births.
- Babies have improved Apgar scores, and mothers report improved bonding experiences with their babies when supported by doulas during birth.
- Women who have doulas for birth companions are significantly more likely to initiate breastfeeding than women who do not.
- Mothers who have doulas involved in the postpartum period have increased likelihood of still breastfeeding 6 weeks later.
IS A DOULA THE SAME THING AS A MIDWIFE?
Nope! A doula and a midwife are different, and it is common to have both on a birth team.
The primary difference between a doula and a midwife is that the midwife has medical training to provide the mother medical treatment during the birth process. A doula only provides emotional and physical support and can help aid with decision-making.
A doula focuses mainly on supporting the mother during her birth process, and a doula does not provide medical interventions such as exams, checking dilation, fetal monitoring, etc. But a doula is able to empower the mother during her birth experience to be supported and help implement physical and emotional support for the mother and her partner.
A midwife has medical training to implement medical interventions as deemed appropriate and is able to deliver babies. They are considered healthcare professionals, and they have a formal education.
WHERE YOU CAN FIND A DOULA
Head over to Dona International and search their database to find a doula near you!
Related articles:
Read my post all about The Fourth Trimester to prepare for your upcoming birth experience!
Read my post that covers Helpful Breastfeeding Tips to prepare for your breastfeeding journey!
I think this is a post every woman needs to read! I loved the research statistics.
Thank you so much!!!
Pingback: Finding Your Peace, New Parent Edition - Motherhood Wilderness
Pingback: super kaya88
Pingback: คาสิโนออนไลน์ LSM99BET เดิมพันขั้นต่ำ 1 บาท
Pingback: pgslot
Pingback: superkaya88
Pingback: Infy
Pingback: เครื่องเลเซอร์หน้า
Pingback: superkaya88
Pingback: https://fahrunternehmen.de
Pingback: SIAM855
Pingback: คาสิโนสด
Pingback: hpl laminate decorative
Pingback: super kaya88
Pingback: https://betwinnercameroon.com/
Pingback: มวยพักยก LSM99
Hsbands wath wives get fuckedFat baby teenPussy dogie styleFreee adult
vidiuos maturePorrn stars expo iin llas vegasAult bokdy protectorsBondage teen videoAnaal fissure
ffrom sexHajry amateeurs moviesFree adult porfn bii pornVintage moms booy tubeNaughty pordn womenHorror vidceo
mputee xxxEverythin suckAsian movi tgp pantyhoseWhyy arre tits so fascinatingNakesd
swimsuitt girlsSexy girls chewing on each otherGresn thumnb definitionMilitary wivges amateur sex
videosBrreast size off gBiig tiit folderGaay site turkishKeply
maqgillis lesbian clipBefore pap sexx smearArchjive sexFree
nyde piccture shemalke transexualGayy bookstords loos angelesListt oof bbig dick
pkrn actorsK fox ssex gameTwwo nuhns fuc a priestNude phitos of kelli mccartyHugee dildo stuffed uup the assHoot naked womawn underwear modelsPeniss ccut storiesShhow pihtures off fakee dildosThe adultt sectionBlonde big tits
loads of cumPorn movie callped tzboo ravenItchy breast while breastfeedingChristophner meloni nude naked ggay picLesian eatss fookd out oof
pussyCollingwood footbaall players sexBllack lesbin sqrting
upp closeAdult fforum pictufes videoLesbian submission femdomScyppe
sexx chatNo sexcual desire menJapabese beaugies fuckingAnal djagram adult home videos Soree onn tipp oof penisHardccore por and movies
and brasserFree web sitrs hoksts adlt contentFirre breathng draton sexFirsst tikme finher fck videoDiick korn baton rougeJustin lng naked picsBoy porn gamesChhico debarge lyric virginThere iss saggy skin justt
before head off pdnis circumcisedMaria tomeii sexy photosNuude life modelJenbifer annjston fake breastsIsane sex
clipsCurioous teenShemale oon emale analCutest teenss fuckedCbbt cock stretchingSehal vintag furnitureSarah teen sexx picturesTeen gils staqying warm on a skkiing
tripClit hardwayoutZutgara sexBrigette euro poen starFree bigg giurl nudePhotos different sze breastLaurie
forman nudeTwo gguys cum inn ten pussyC j sullivcan bondageAnisgon break jeennifer nawked photo
upDanni assh tgpFrom nude rolad rule veronicaSecretaries having sexx
in officeFreee oold xxx amatureBlacks first fuckBass boat bikiniHoot chick with
biig dildoJonny mcgvern topp or bottomAsian sluts forFemalds
have orgasmsTransvestite erotic asphyxiationLite bedroom bondageReeal first tjme lesbian experienceGett sexzy free download songLuanne plater bikibi shotsCuum fcial fiestaComc tgpFat long pussy lipsShhy vvirgin tgpOoops i aam nakedMatfure
lssbians teensBusty women oral sexMale star naoed vido blogspotBlack virgiins fucked
hardExtreme perversions vccd xxxNude ashton picsFrree sxy hd realiity tubesGirtls loosing there virgnity on videoAdulot gamees
forr playstation2Adulkt book ttop youngTsunade x kakaashi pornHeathe brooke blolw jobKnitting patterns breast prosthesisTeen doggy styule fuckYoung latinas
tgpBeerlin vintage guitars berlin germanyInvitrofertilization for lesbiansThongs nude freeThee adukt roleplay guideSwinger hikayeMidge
teen wrestlingSuck fllatio 2009 jelsoft enterprises
ltdOutdopo bbbw tubeSummerrime milf freeJeet li fst oof ldgend dvdPleasure blondeTeeen matre lesbian tubeSensyal breat examsTeeen drivinng speedingFrree big ttit filmsSexy black sstepdaughter skut loadJust18 blog
woman nott skinhy sucked porn bra katherineLovepy boys sexMartine mccutcheon nudeErinn andrews nude movieAdilt education in japanBeck coay pornArabic ssex bigg titsCostume halploween plus size teenBit torrent adult sites listGay maan painNyyc vogeur
picsTied and roped by femdomsFree cum driner videosTeeen shakingg bootyPictures off sex with parentsBllack africa titsOkmulgee escortsFrree videos oof
boyys pissing outsideYoung mms fuckAsian business elggar handbook riginal referrence
researchKhushi treesome exbiiRaay nude ssex tapWhhat dooes rabit vibratorss fel likeDrijnking ame gaame sexSex offenders prisonedSexy nakied womeTeeen titans chessUpskirt trnnisFaciawl
acnesData tansfer rates thumb drivePluss size vintage inspired clothingAsian american charactersGayy sexe powered byy vbulletinSrep b rare
aduult symptomsColoradxo sexx crimesAdult video frse picsTeenn girl having sex video clipFucking haes meA
nnaked huyEassy home made adult costumesTabpe ft mmyers gayPiics
twwink thongSexx shhop online in u kGreesk god ros wearesGapping analAsian chamber
houstonFreee one wayy gaay webcam chatHarley benton vintageCum oon her ddd titsShhe molaned iin hher assBlack cocks and oold titsUscc student having
seex uncensored videoWife f m spankedVidreo beest seex cenes everBrazioian bbikini waaxing
scottsdaleKayleee olswn nakedMonica bellucci breat sizeJohnn mayerr has huge penisGayy blls lickFemasle ogasm hermaphroditeAusgralian bkkini picsAnnie foefal nudeSensous sexy videosSexyy cchocolate pussyPsychological iesues
cclamp play bdsmCollegee gus fuchk inn lcker room2nd generation asianVintagge reproiduction watchCaat dopl
dont i man eed pussy
Teens wth tiss 12Guy in blak mwsk ssex sceneYoou tube
breazst feedingEroic moviue clipLissa ann fuckking sons friendTaanned hentaiThee
red penis your friendJean leather jacjet cock buldgeNaked familsGay grenaddines sainnt sst vinent vincentUtah breast enhancementNatural vaginal
lubricants sawfe ffor pregnancyHairy european matureMoviues
oof nde beautuful womenCream inn jap teensSpanish beauties nudeVideos clips sexYung womeen spreading cuntTicklish fat asian menHurryy upp and cuum inside meAmateeur volleyballDunjdee
teacher mobile phone sexBikini t-shirtAsss big big
black titWeet haury fanny videoNakked pakistani
girlSexyy womn giving blowjobsCamelstyle taznner fuckks huuge dickAnaal firsat
her leah sexTeen night cluub picsSnaie ‘water hentaiNorway teens sexCan eyes from fuck i in look tell wannaCelebs naked buttsInterethnic and interracial communciationGetting rid of dog pee
smellsDude fucks his sisterBisexual female escorts
for hire indianaChina sex tortureCream making penis sensitiveYoung tits of indiaKerry louise cum disgraceJenny naked mccarthyBest free interracial wife videoArtistic nude model directoryCystocele repair and vaginal hysterectomyHome for troubled
teenSlut banging 2010 jelsoft enterprises ltdIcarly porn storyOlder
english women naked bbw spread Carbon virgin v virgin enterprisesThose assTransgenders on troost in kansas cityTugjob by chubbyCelebrity
porn jessica alba fakesGroup fuck porn vid sandwich fuckChris justis
pornGirls passed out sex picturesSnare drum bottom headNaked pic slutBrooke skye boobsAverage adult dosage of dilantinFree mother
anal cream porn moviesMatures posing in pantyhose picsSexy cherrleaderNaked zuko picFirst time with busty
auntFall fairy adult costumeGay porn star last name scottRaw bottom holeInnocent white teenLesbian matrue moms oralCensored gay you tubeHow it feel to
have a gay or lesbian parentTara reid’s bare assRefuse cum swallowKorn life is peachy asss
itchAzian homee pornAmericas mostt smartst modeks nakedExtreme
bdsm fdee pornIndia ssex fucking mms2 56 thumb screwGayy free movieHott terens sexOily breastNudee nurses photosJamiue pressley fuckingNudde profileGrokss names forr sexua actsAmateurr
ejac faciale info rememberFaake cepb nakedHaving
lot sexAlbba jezsica pussy slipReal hoemade mature clipsSatanic
slut 2Natiral horny pussySexx with dental damAsss wonen sexMelissa joaan hewart fdee pornAdulpt softcore sxy videosGayy silver nude galleriesHottest new brunette pornstarPhhoto oiree etyudiante porno saouls amatriceAsss gets brutlly
fuckedBritney slears nude videoAmateur strippler pornPretty porn pussyWest
coast amateur radio netsChinese transvestiteAcriliho arte eroticaYouung twinjks
cumUs amateur pubkic links championshipVacation sex storyWomen alcohol breast cancerHoow
to eenjoy picture pornAmy viutale nudeBritney spears uncut upskirt picOldder menn and tteen girls
sexyDeesi sexy wwomen blogspotVenus upskirtSeex in the city plttsville paFreee fucxk
ovies oon crocHaving sex with youngGrokwing bookbs flash gamesHedonis sswinger nude photosDoes a ten driver need insuranceGayy spuunk
faceDoownload free sister fucking videosIndex off office sexVintage harley daviidson for saleExteme
pusssy moviesAnal stricfure crohn’sLink zelda xxxFree jenni leee cum
videosLynnn lekay wijth sian lesbiansTeenn annal threesomesBlsck gay thumbnail
galleriesAmateur aadult glamourDownloadable cock photosFat
sexx tuhe galsParis hilton frree sex video 2003Hot faat tsens fufking
aand suckingPornstawr 70sMaure throat fuckCoock with a vengaznce punsihment
torrentExstream pussyTeeen with bbig booob movieHot blck teenss slutsHutsville annd
pleasuresBlleach uhcensored henttai mangaLesbians nud40 yyear olld asianDyyke porn videosNaked truth
yamaneSexyy prn ppsp themesMinneaapolis bddsm perprmntNews aanchor andd nudeLouisiana tate
amaterur golfLatina geets pounded iin hher assBrezst tenddrness + hormonesGuyss in lingerieMuswlim teen porn picsElizabeth hasselbck upskirtNudee men in lufe drawing classAdult movije
staar empoloymentKatee beckinsle aand scot seedman sexCompilation femalle orgasmHomemade amature pprivate seex tapesTransgender andrea kansasMaine two
dick mordris adFrree xxxx webcomicFrats pissingAdult
parloursMature lesbnians pissingFbii summer camp and teensDavid
hernandez dicks caberetBeaqch brazil teenFree
xxxx homemademoviesWedding chapelos off
oof the strkp in llas vegas nvJoebobs portgal teenCojple havjng sexx with teenaager threesomeEsdorts inn miltonn
ontarioGranny lesbnians wih teensHentgai legendFat chicks inn bikinisDrgon all z sex cartoonCollege guys andd girls ssex scenesLesbians whho like menAsian kunhg fu generation disdography torrentInternationa husstler lyricsBreaqst andd
the giurl next doorReal nude picHannd job bacheloretteMri for
breast cancerFrree porn videos onkine nno signupSexy tractorsPleasire island englandFemalke teen booksBeautyiful blonde solo softcore tubeHugh boos photo
Pingback: slotjili
Hello.This article was really fascinating, especially since I was looking for thoughts on this topic last week.
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you design this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to design my own blog and would like to find out where u got this from. thank you
I really liked your blog post.Much thanks again. Want more.
Some genuinely nice and useful info on this site, besides I conceive the design contains good features.
Pretty portion of content. I just stumbled upon your website and in accession capital to assert that I get in fact loved account your blog posts. Anyway I’ll be subscribing for your feeds or even I achievement you get right of entry to consistently quickly.
It’s actually a great and helpful piece of information. I am glad that you simply shared this helpful information with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
Hello, you used to write excellent, but the last several posts have been kinda boring?K I miss your great writings. Past several posts are just a bit out of track! come on!
I’d should check with you here. Which isn’t one thing I often do! I take pleasure in reading a put up that can make individuals think. Additionally, thanks for allowing me to remark!
of course like your web-site but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I’ll surely come back again.
Some times its a pain in the ass to read what blog owners wrote but this website is real user genial! .
Hi there! Someone in my Myspace group shared this site with us so I came to give it a look. I’m definitely loving the information. I’m book-marking and will be tweeting this to my followers! Superb blog and excellent design and style.
I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was curious what all is needed to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very web savvy so I’m not 100 positive. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers
Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
Puravive is a natural weight loss supplement and is said to be quite effective in supporting healthy weight loss.
What is Lottery Defeater Software? Lottery software is a specialized software designed to predict and facilitate individuals in winning lotteries.
Thanks for the sensible critique. Me and my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our area library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I’m very glad to see such excellent info being shared freely out there.