My name’s Kalcey, I’ve been working for 7 years as a doula, and in my opinion every new mum – regardless of background, age or economic situation – should be assigned a doula.
Read our other blog: What is a doula and how do I employ one?
But Why Do I Believe This and What Is A Doula?
A doula isn’t just a birthing partner. A doula is an extra set of hands, ears and eyes all the way from a few months before giving birth, through your time in labour, to up to a year after giving birth.
As a doula, I provide emotional and physical support to new mums.
I believe that doulas help women when they are at their most vulnerable and help advocate for their rights and needs.
How I Support Parents Before Baby Arrives
I help prepare parents and mothers for the birth – through advising on what baby equipment they need, to helping with birth plans and what to expect from labour and birth. As a doula, I can help parents manage expectations by working together on two or three different birth plans for different scenarios.
This helps first-time mothers walk into birth feeling confident, because they have the knowledge about birth during pregnancy to plan how they would like their experience of labour to happen.
Some doulas may offer antenatal prep classes before birth. These classes also help partners to feel involved and bond with baby, so partners can understand their role in labour and prepare for this. This can be similar to NCT childbirth classes.
How I Can Help During Labour And Birth
As a doula, I am there to help make the birthing process happen naturally wherever possible.
Doulas bridge the communication between healthcare professionals and expectant mothers. We can help advocate for the mother and speak up so her preferences are respected.
Doulas listen to mothers and follow mothers as they follow their bodies transcending into birth. Because we attentively listen to all her needs, we can help ensure that if the mother feels like something is not right. We make sure she is listened to by professionals and her rights are upheld throughout the labouring experience.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends continuous support for women during childbirth. There is a lot of medical evidence now which indicates there is less intervention and trauma in birth with a doula present.
According to studies, women are more likely to feel satisfied with their birthing experience. Having an uncomplicated birth helps mothers to bond with babies and produce milk.
What About After Birth?
As doulas, we look after the mother when everyone else is looking after the baby. For example, we help them rest, wash and shower straight after the birth and help with feeding. Postnatally mothers are well-supported, so mentally and physically they recover quicker from birth and feel empowered for the challenges of parenthood ahead of them.
We are here to cushion the bumpy rollercoaster ride of emotions during the early days of parenthood. We can provide information and signpost parents to services which can offer further support in other developmental stages. This is similar to what a traditional health visitor used to do.
We can help with how to use baby items and equipment, understanding safety advice for babies and scheduling and understanding information from appointments. We are there to help make parenting easier by being on the rollercoaster ride as well until the age of 5 or 6 months!
Why Might I Need A Doula If I Already Have A Midwife?
Although all women are allocated a midwife during pregnancy, the continuity of this role will vary depending on your circumstances and where you live. Some women may only meet their midwife once or twice before birth, others more, some maybe never. Also it’s unlikely that the same midwife will attend your birth as they work in the community.
I believe that the local authority should allocate all mothers, especially vulnerable or new mothers, a doula and a midwife as it’s clinically proven to reduce trauma. Together as professionals we can offer expectant mothers wrap-around care which brings humanity back to the front of the caregiver.
How Do Doulas And Midwives Work Together?
It’s a holistic approach.
Doulas are very wise around the natural physiological aspects of birth. Midwives are well-educated in the clinical complications which can arise in birth. However we are both caring professionals who are there to support a mother and baby. So we both have the same interest at heart – the safe arrival of baby, and a healthy mother post-birth.
It is essential that midwives and doulas work well together and support each other’s roles in order to support the mother well. In the birthing room, doulas support midwives. We are also looking for risk and making sure process and legality are being followed. If the midwife suggests something which the mother does not want, but the baby is at risk, we support the midwife by providing evidence-based factors about the recommendations made by the midwife.
We encourage mothers to make informed decisions around the care of their babies especially when risks to baby may occur.
How Hands-On Is A Doula?
During most births I’ve attended, mothers become completely reliant on their doula. They look at their doula for advice when midwives and doctors are using technical terms or jargon they don’t understand. They look towards the doula to advocate for their needs if they feel they aren’t being listened to by healthcare professionals.
Throughout labour I am always physically hands on with clients which is something we discuss with in the service agreement as not all mothers wish to be held, hugged, rubbed etc. during labour. Midwives aren’t able to offer physical support in the way a doula does.
As we can offer that physical and physiological support, we can also help the mothers to produce additional oxytocin, which helps speed up labour and helps the mothers’ natural pain receptors start working. Oxytocin is an essential hormone for birth. It helps the mother to relax and the cervix to dilate.
What’s It Like With A Doula And A Birth Partner Or Partner In The Delivery Room?
As doulas we provide birthing partners with the tools and aids to support the mother during labour.
Doulas assist partners to help produce more oxytocin during birthing so they can be a part of facilitating a safe birth for the mother as well.
When working with mothers and partners, we provide an inclusive space where everyone feels comfortable and a part of the journey to birth.
This is so important as often partners don’t know how to help in this process, which can make them feel inadequate in the birthing room. We want everyone to feel involved in supporting the mother, so mother can feel like a lioness ready to birth.
Are Doulas Just For First-time Mothers?
No – they are for everyone! Even if you are on baby number four I believe you deserve a doula present at your birth.
Birth to me is about love. Everyone deserves to be cared for in a loving manner during their most vulnerable stage of life – labour. To me there is nothing more sacred. All mothers should be treated with delicate loving care during this phase of their life as motherhood is a fragile process. If we aren’t supported and loved right in the early days we may not be as resilient in the later days. Everyone deserves to be cared for and doulas provide more than just care.
How Do Doulas Work With Vulnerable Mothers?
Doulas help mothers feel safe in labour. That’s why I feel it is essential that all vulnerable mothers who do not have a support system should be offered a doula.
If a woman has experienced something like sexual abuse in the past, this can all unravel in the delivery room, so it’s important to understand everything about a woman holistically to help them have the safest and most relaxed birth possible.
I am working currently for Elayos which is a charity set up to support highly vulnerable women who are usually referred by midwives, social workers, support workers or GPs. You can make self-referrals too.
With the support of Elayos we can offer free baby equipment and useful items so mothers have essentials. Some mothers – like asylum seekers – only have £300 a month to cover food, rent, bills and transport. So Elayos also does a lot of work supplying mothers with what they need. Elayos’ Doula service is wrap-around care supporting mothers emotionally, physically and financially throughout pregnancy and the postnatal period.
I believe that mothers who have experienced trauma during previous births should also be assigned a doula. Doulas are experienced in birth, understanding how birth can psychologically affect mothers and their babies afterwards.
How Do I Get A Doula?
If you are vulnerable or without support, you may be offered a doula by your local authority through a charity.
Doulas are available privately for families who do not meet the criteria for a free doula but wish to have the experience of a doula.
As a private doula the role is a lot different. You are being paid for a service one-to-one.
This level of care is tailored around the client’s requirements whilst managing the client’s expectations of birth. As a private doula you are able to build tailored care services for each individual client to ensure they are feeling empowered by the services you are offering to gain the most out of birth to shape their future as parents.
However, there is a gap between those who are assigned them for free and those who can afford to pay for a private doula. As I said before, I think all mums should be allocated a doula regardless of background for all the reasons I have explained above.
Want to get out and about, have fun with your baby or toddler, and meet other parents?
Search Happity to find everything that’s happening for the under-5’s in your local area – from music and singing classes, to messy play, arts and crafts, baby massage, gymnastics and more. Simply enter your postcode and child’s age to search, and then book your spot in a few taps. Enjoy dedicated fun time with your little one, watch their skills develop, and make friends at the same time. Mums, dads, grandparents and carers will all find something to love!
If You Found This Post Useful, You May Also Like:
When to Tell Your Employer You’re Pregnant -Five Tips for Mums-to-Be
0 Comments