What value does a doula bring to a birth?
What value would you put on a product that could shorten your labor, provide a more positive outlook on your birth and the postpartum period, and substantially lower your chance of having a cesarean that isn’t medically necessary?
What if I told you there is a way to have all those things and more, and it will change your life forever? What if I told you it’s as simple as hiring a doula?
In a Cochrane review from 2013 women with doulas were shown to:
- Be more likely to give birth spontaneously, i.e. give birth without cesarean, vacuum, or forceps
- Be less likely to use pain medications
- Be more likely to be satisfied with their birth and the days immediately postpartum
- Have shorter labors
- Have babies that were less likely to have low five-minute Apgar scores
Interestingly, the Cochrane review found that hiring a doula had no harmful effects.
A doula is not just another member of your birth team. A doula’s sole purpose is to form a relationship with you and your partner in order to better support you throughout your pregnancy, labor and delivery, and the early postpartum period. Nurses and doctors provide wonderful medical care; however, they have multiple patients and cannot be by your side through your entire labor. Your doula will be by your side the moment you need her, whether that is at your home or hospital, and through the duration of your labor. The value of hiring someone who is there for you from start to finish is immeasurable.
Our doulas operate in a team model so you never have to worry about them being distracted or called away by another client. When they are there for you, they are fully present. Your needs want, and desires come first. They are there to cheer you on, support your decisions, ensure you have someone to lean on, provide security, and help research information. They are there to help your partner connect with you deeper so that he/she can support you more fully.
Our doulas are invaluable, as they truly are unbiased. They will strive to provide you support with the birth you desire, no matter what it looks like. Our doulas have worked hard to facilitate professional, supportive relationships with the care providers in our community and when we step into a labor room, the nurses and doctors we work with can rest assured that we are there as a complementary aspect of your birth team. When you hire a doula, you are hiring someone who has dedicated their lives to learning about the care and support of birthing individuals and their families. You are hiring someone who is knowledgeable, certified, and experienced in this field of expertise and that is priceless.
Author: Morningstar Middleton
