DOULA SERVICES

What is a Doula?

The word "doula" comes from ancient Greek.  It is now used to refer to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and immediately after childbirth."  A doula becomes part of a childbirth "team", assisting the mother and father/partner to participate with confidence.

Why use a Doula?

    Recent studies indicate better outcomes for babies and their mothers; shorter labors; fewer interventions and complications; decreased use of medications; and a greater maternal satisfaction when a labor support person is present.  Doulas work with couples in many birth situations including non-medicated or medicated births, cesarean births, adoptive births and single-parent births.

What does a Doula do?

• Meets with the woman (and her partner) during pregnancy, assisting with preparing their birth plan and answering any questions they might have.

• Stays by the side of the laboring woman through the entire labor, providing emotional support and offering practical suggestions for comfort and pain management.

• Facilitates communication between laboring woman, her partner, and clinical care providers.

• Contracts directly with the birthing mother (couple) and is not directly associated with a physician or hospital.

Laboring in the tub  -  Phoebe and Sean

Concerns couples have when considering Doula care:

• Why have a doula when the woman and partner have been through childbirth classes?
• Medical professionals will be in and out attending to other patients, while the doula is there to assist the couple continuously through every shift change and every stage of labor.  With her special training she will help the couple coordinate and remember the things they learned in class in order to use them most effectively.  The doula brings knowledge and experience to bear in helping the couple have the best birth possible for them.  She can help direct other family members that might be at the birth so that each has something useful to do and they work as a team with the woman's well-being as the first priority.

• The doula will "take over", displacing the partner and interfering with the couple's intimate experience.
• The doula can actually bring the couple closer together.  She can meet some of the physical needs of the mother (food, drink, massage, etc.) leaving the mother and partner to work more closely together.  Just having someone with birth experience continuously present can free the partner from the psychological pressure of having to remember all he learned in childbirth class and of needing to apply that information in a new and demanding situation.  The doula and partner act as a team.  The one has more birthing experience - the other knows and understands the needs, likes and dislikes of the mother as no else can.

• The doula has her own agenda for the birth and might impose it on the couple.
• The doula's only agenda is to see that, as much as is medically possible, the couple's birth plan is acknowledged and followed.  During the labor she can help to remind them of what their expectations and desires for the birth are, especially when labor is intense.  Sometimes, if a birth plan is not followed, the couple looks back later with regret or disappointment.  The doula only makes suggestions and reminders; she never makes decisions for the couple, nor interferes with their interaction with the medical staff.

Phoebe and Faith moments after birth

    I am a member of a four-doula group called BirthLink which consists of the following:

    Brenda Walters

A massage therapist since 1992 who brings whole body wellness to the laboring mother.  In addition to pregnancy massage, her specialties are low back, neck and shoulder massage - all useful to the laboring mother.  She is also a Certified Infant Massage Instructor who teaches parents to massage their babies.

    Royce Anderson

A Certified Lactation Consultant and former labor and delivery nurse, Royce has worked extensively with laboring women and newborns.  Royce is also an experienced labor and delivery photographer.

    Ottie Baumgardner

Ottie is a Certified Lactation Consultant and Childbirth Educator.  She has experience as a postpartum nurse.  She has been a doula since 1996 and has worked with many different types of families.

    Jessica Garrett

A two-time mother herself, Jessica has experience with long labors, pain management techniques and interpersonal communication.

The BirthLink group allows backup capabilities so that our clients can have round-the-clock coverage.  As you can see we have a wide range of experience and skills to offer to our clients.

Some personal thoughts from the associates and clients of BirthLink:

"I felt so blessed to know that Brenda was there, offering her support, her warm and wise presence, and her training and experience to help them through what turned out to be a long day and night of labor.  Her being there helped me relax - not an easy feat for a mom whose daughter is having a baby."

Martha Baldwin Beveridge, M.S.S.W.
                                                                                      Grandmother of Robert Canon Reece

"When our first child was born, we had no idea what to expect.  I really appreciated having someone who was with us in a personal capacity, yet had the knowledge and experience of a professional.  She was 100% on our side, keeping our wishes in mind.  When hour 5 turned into hour 28, she was still right with us, keeping us calm and in control."

Lance Garrett
                                                                                        Father

"Doulas have provided a strong support for my patients.  The doula stays with the patient, assisting her with every contraction.  They are a great addition to the labor team."

John Fuller, M.D.

                                                                                Obstetrician

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