Five things friday: why you should hire a doula
Have you ever wondered why you should hire a doula for your birth? No? Well, maybe you SHOULD think about it! Here is a short list of 5 reasons I think you should hire a doula to help support you during your birth experience.
5. Doulas are (usually, and should be) trained professionals. They know all about birth physiology. They understand how babies need to descend and rotate through the pelvis to come earth side. They know how to find the answers to questions they DON’T know (it’s always okay to say “I’m not sure,” as long as it’s followed up by, “but I can find out!”) They are a wealth of knowledge, which frees up some of your own brain power and space for making the important decisions you need to make. I’m not saying don’t be prepared - by all means, preparation is a HUGE part of an empowered birth experience - but what I am saying is that, you don’t need to know ALL THE THINGS, or even where to find all the things - that’s what your doula is for!
4. Having a doula at your birth means you have a personal motivational coach, cheerleader, and trained labor coach. Your doula will remind you to breathe (believe it or not, this is an important one!) and give you space to move the way your body naturally guides you to move, offering suggestions on positions that may help. Doulas massage, apply counter pressure, perform hip squeezes, give you a cool cloth for your forehead, hold your hand, hold your hair when you vomit, get you a sip of water or a sandwich, and generally help you achieve a supported, empowered birth experience.
3. Having a dedicated support person at your birth (a doula!) allows your partner to just be that: a partner. They don’t have to worry about tracking how long you’ve been in a certain position and if it’s time to move, they don’t have to remember those Lamaze breathing strategies or which techniques you wanted to do from Hypnobirthing, or Spinning Babies - that’s what your doula is for! Bonus points - your doula can also help support your partner during the birth!
2. Studies have shown that having a doula at your birth actually reduces your risks of further interventions (like c-sections!) reduces your pain experience, increases birth satisfaction, and has many other benefits! It’s an incredible experience knowing that you have someone there purely for YOU to help guide you and support your decisions. If you’re birthing in a hospital, the nurses aren’t able to stay in the room with you throughout your entire labor - they check in, and check out. Shifts change, new nurses come on, and you may not feel comfortable or fully supported or “click” with all of them. The continuous presence of a doula that you had a chance to build a relationship with prior to your birth, and who is there throughout your labor and birth by your side is an incredible thing.
Doula support isn’t JUST for birth. Many doulas will offer prenatal appointments to help you navigate all the choices you have to make when it comes to having a baby - some focus on postpartum visits to help make sure you’re comfortable and succeeding in whatever feeding method you’re pursuing, you’re healing well, and some will even cook meals and do some light housework so you can rest! There are doulas that focus primarily on families that need support through loss, or with an IVF journey. Some doulas primarily focus on birth itself, but whatever kind of support you’re looking for, there is a doula out there for you, willing and able to hold space for you during this transformative time in your life.
