FAQ's
What is a doula?
A birth doula provides continuous physical and emotional support during your labor. A doula is a "known" element at your birth, unlike your OB/midwife who may or may not be on-call, or the amazing nurse who then changes shift. As your doula, I will guide you in positions and movement for optimal body balancing, labor progression, coping tools and tapping into your own birth intuition. I help you navigate the unknowns and understand your options.
What is the benefit of a doula?
Studies have shown that the support given by a birth doula decreases the likelihood of Pitocin being used to speed up the labor by 31%, the use of anesthesia by 10%, and the rate of cesarean section by 25%. Furthermore, birth doula support has been linked to higher APGAR scores for the baby and a higher rate of satisfaction reported by woman overall. The Cochrane Database Systematic Review, published in July of 2017, went so far as to say “Continuous support in labor may improve a number of outcomes for both mother and baby, and no adverse outcomes have been identified.”
How is a doula different from my midwife?
A doula is a non-medical support person who focuses on caring for you emotionally and physically, and helps you to feel informed and able to advocate for your birth preferences. A doula is attentive to the needs of the moment, helping you tap into your intuition, protecting your labor flow state, helping you explore and understand your options, and a hands-on assistant for massage, position changes and any other needed tasks, staying focused on your mental and emotional state as well as your physical comfort the whole way through. A midwife is a medical professional, meaning that the primary focus of their care is on the health and safety of you and your baby. At a birth, midwives may be found doing similar things to a doula, but their top priorities include: ensuring that you and baby's vital signs are stable, assessing you and your baby, completing cervical exams when needed, administering medication if necessary, and catching the baby you are birthing.
What kind of births do doulas support?
Answer: Your kind of birth. Doulas offer non-judgmental support for any birth, understanding that each family will have preferences and needs that require compassion, understanding and steady support. A lot of people imagine doulas supporting just home births or think doulas are only for the "crunchy" families. While that may be true for some doulas, a large majority of doulas can be found in hospitals and birth centers. I am comfortable in a variety of settings and seek to make each family I work with feel assured of my care in whatever birth situation they choose or find themselves.
When should I hire a doula?
Typically, the sooner the better as most doulas have a set amount of births they are able to take in a month. However, any time is a good time to reach out (even if you're 41+ weeks with a pending induction!) but finding the best fit for your birth is the most important factor. You deserve someone you feel an easy connection with and someone who you feel fits your personality and needs.
How does a doula work with my partner?
This is a valid question because often a spouse or partner may feel like a doula will replace their role during your birth. As your doula, I seek to uplift each couple I work with and affirm the fact that your partner knows you best; they know your fears, preferences and desires and I love to see that knowledge in action at every birth I attend. My goal is to support you BOTH as you step into your parenting adventure together! Supporting partners to relax, rest as needed, and participate in the labor & delivery to the degree they feel comfortable generally increases everyone's satisfaction with the birth experience.