Why Hire a Birth Doula?
Chances are, you’ve heard of what a doula is. You probably wouldn’t have landed on this page if you hadn’t. And it can be hard to miss us if you are in the pregnancy, birth, and parenting world at all. Not only have doulas been featured (often poorly!) on popular media, doulas are all over social media. But even if you know that doulas exist, you might not be totally sure on what they do or why they might be beneficial. And that’s okay! If there is one thing doulas love to do, it is educate
Birth doulas fill a specific role in pregnancy and birth. We are there as non-medical support providers. If you were to look up the definition of a birth doula, you would probably see something along the lines of
And yes, that is what we do. But what does that actually mean????A better way to think about doulas is that we are coaches, planners, and professional best friends.
Like a coach, we know the game, the rules, and the plays. We are able to help you understand what is happening, when, as well as what things you can try to be more comfortable or move things along. That might be positioning, movement, physical comfort measures, and even helping with the environment by changing the lighting, playing music, or making the room more comfortable.
Like a planner (think wedding planner but for birth!) we are there during pregnancy to answer all your questions and help you understand what your options are. Doulas are knowledgable about not only physiologic birth, but also all the things that might come up throughout labour. We can help you to create a birth plan that focuses on the experience and ensures that your birth team is all on the same page. A just like a wedding planner, we are there on the day of with all the tricks and tips that will make you feel confident and cared for as you welcome your baby.
And, like a best friend, we are there for the highs and lows, the tears and the laughter. We’ll hold the bucket when you throw up and make sure your hair is out of the way. We’ll share resources and knowledge. We won’t judge when you need to vent. But unlike your actual best friend, we keep our personal opinions to ourselves. We know that everyone is different and we don’t approach birth with an agenda or bias that might influence your choices or preferences.
All of that sounds great, but what are the actual benefits?
According to a 2022 article from the March of Dimes, doulas can be a great benefit during pregnancy and labour. Having a doula
can reduce the risk of a caesarean birth
lowers the rate of perinatal depression and anxiety diagnoses
results in fewer interventions during labour, including medical pain management
shortens the duration of labour
improves reported birth experience
results in better communication between patients and the healthcare team
When compared to those who do not have a doula, birthing people who utilize doula support are two times less likely to experience a birth complication, four times less likely to have a low birthweight baby, and are more likely to initiate and continue breastfeeding.
Those are some pretty incredible benefits (if we do say so ourselves).
Once you have decided to hire a birth doula, the next question is who. And that question will have a different answer for every family. There truly is a doula out there for everyone. Before reaching out to local doulas, we recommend asking yourself these questions:
what are my anxieties around birth?
what is my communication style and how does that work when I am in pain or stressed?
how involved is my partner planning to be during labour?
do I want someone trained in specific modalities such as acupressure, naturopathy, Hypnobirthing, Bradley Method, etc.?
how do I want a doula to make me feel?
Once you know what you are looking for in a doula, check out the websites and social media of local doulas. Look to see if they align with your values and plans. A doula who focuses on unmedicated home births might not be the right fit for someone expecting a high risk baby with all the interventions planned. And someone who has never done a home birth before might not be the right fit for someone who is planning one!
There may also be other factors that are important to you when hiring a doula.
are they covered by your insurance (plans like Carrot often include doula support)
are their vaccinations up to date?
how many due dates do they take each month?
do they work in a primary or shared call model? (meaning, do you have one doula or two?)
do they offer postpartum support if you would like to extend your care after birth?
Hiring a birth doula is a very personal choice. You are inviting someone in during a vulnerable period, to be there for one of the most intimate things you will ever experience. It is important that you feel confident and comfortable with the people you choose to be on your support team. For some, that will mean they want their partner and no one else. For others, a doula is the perfect choice. If you would like to book a consult for birth doula support, check out our calendar here