Pregnancy: Discovering Doulas
By Michele Blandino
The word doula, according to Dictionary.com, has its origins in the Greek language where it means “slave or servant.” In modern English, a doula is a woman who provides emotional support to another woman and her family before, during and after childbirth.
Essentially, a doula is someone that will stay with you during the entire labor and birthing process. She is there to offer words of support and encouragement, provide comfort and to help bridge the gap between you, your partner and the hospital staff or mid-wife. Unlike labor or delivery nurses, the doula is there for you and you alone, which means she can see to your every need. If you have prepared a birth plan for your child’s delivery, the doula will help make sure you follow that plan.
What a Doula Does
At the same time, it’s important to point out that doulas cannot direct hospital personnel on your behalf or make any decisions for you regarding your care, nor can she actually deliver your child. While a doula is not a trained medical professional, most doulas complete a labor support certification program which includes a multi-day workshop, required reading, attendance at a specified number of births, completion of childbirth and CPR classes and the passing of a comprehensive written examination.
Doulas are not meant to take the place of your partner during the child’s birth; rather the doula’s role is to help your partner whether it is in providing comfort to you, letting you know what to expect next, or explaining your options should additional intervention be needed.
Is a Doula right for You?
Whether or not you would benefit from a doula is really a matter of personal choice. Some women, particularly those who have definite ideas about how they want their childbirth experience to go, find comfort in knowing that there is someone there who shares their vision. There are even some studies that indicate the doula-attended births have lower rates of medical intervention (labor inducing drugs, cesarean section births, pain reducing drugs). Other women may feel uncomfortable having someone so focused on them during this particularly vulnerable time or prefer to only share it with their partner.
To Learn More
The Internet has a number of excellent resources which can help you learn more about doulas. Some even have interactive message boards where you can chat directly with people who have used a doula. Some of these resources are listed below. No matter what your final decision is, taking the time to make a well-informed choice will go a long way toward helping to create a memorable birth experience.
