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What is a Birth Doula?
...and why you might want one...
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A birth doula is a professional who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to a birthing person during pregnancy, labor, and birth. A doula is not a medical professional, but rather, an individual who offers advocacy and assistance to ensure a positive and safe birth experience.
By using a birth doula, you can significantly reduce medical interventions
50% reduction in cecearean rates
60% reduction in epidurals
25% shorter labor times
40% reduction in pitocin use
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Identifying and clarifying a client's goals and exploring available options to help achieve those goals is the first part of a birth doula's job.
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A doula can provide information and education that support the client in feeling empowered. This can lead them to be more assertive with their care providers, more likely to ask questions and demonstrate a desire to explore options, and more aware of what those options are. This in turn, can make it less likely for a client to have routine interventions that can sometimes negatively impact birth outcomes.
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Because doula clients may be more informed about routine interventions, this can prevent the cascade of interventions that sometimes happens during medically managed births.
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Hospital staff may be less likely to intervene or "push" a birthing person down a particular path, simply because the doula is present. They may assume a more hands-off approach when it comes to medical interventions because they have chosen to have the support of a birth doula.
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The type of person who seeks out a doula is almost always already well-educated, assertive, and confident, and may have done a lot of research on pregnancy and birth before even meeting their doula, a birth doula is there to help make sure that all your research and decisions are upheld.
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Providing information and education about topics such as the stages of labor, pain relief, positions for labor and birth, positions for breastfeeding, coping with mastitis or thrush, care of the umbilical cord stump, or diaper hygiene is also part of what a doula offers.
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Providing emotional support and reassurance, especially for parents who have never had a baby before, and in the postpartum period when many parents may still be gaining confidence in their parenting skills.
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Providing practical support during the labor period, such as assisting with position changes, ensuring hydration, managing holistic pain relief such as heat, a TENS machine, offering massage techniques, or helping with positioning for breastfeeding about the baby is born.
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Developing client's skills including communication and reflective practice.
Read articles from the National Library of Medicine, Harvard Health Publishing, and Midwifery Today to learn more.
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