|
|
| Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is a doula?A: The word "doula" comes from the Greek word for the most important female servant in an ancient Greek household, the woman who helped the Lady of the house through her child-bearing. The word has come to refer to: "A woman experienced in childbirth who will provide continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and after childbirth".
The American Academy of Family Physicians encourages the use of doulas because they decrease the need for pain medication, which in turn increases breastfeeding success rates. The American College of Obstetrics & Gynecologists encourages the use of doulas because their use lowers caesarean section rates in hospitals.
A doula:
• Recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
• Assists the woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out the plans for birth
• Stays by the side of the labouring woman for the entire labour
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint and assists the woman in getting the information she needs to make good decisions
• Facilitates communication between the labouring woman, her partner, and clinical care providers
• Perceives her role as one who nurtures & protects the woman's memory of her birth experience
The acceptance of doulas in maternity care is growing rapidly with the recognition of their important contribution to the improved physical outcomes and emotional well being of mothers and infants.
The American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, World Health Organization, Medical Leadership Council of Washington DC, and the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada all encourage the use of doulas.
Q: Why should I hire a doula? The role of a doula is to mother the mother. Her primary objective is to nurture and protect a woman's memory of her birth experience. Doulas work alongside physicians, midwives, nurses and birth partners as well as assisting women giving birth in hospitals, birth centers, and at home.
A birth doula's purpose is to help mothers come as close as they can to having the kind of birth they desire, leaving them and their birth partner with the best possible feelings about themselves and their capabilities. They work to educate mothers and their partners about childbirth, to help mediate the stress and discomfort that can be associated with pregnancy and labor, and to provide physical and emotional support throughout the entire childbirth process. The doula offers suggestions on comfort measures, pain relief, positions, movement, breathing and relaxation. They provide constant, nurturing, helpful and objective support as well as first-hand knowledge and understanding of what you, the labouring mother, is going through.
While the outcome of birth can be unpredictable, the care you receive during your labour never should be. A doula is YOUR assistant. They do not work for the hospital or nurses. They're employed by you, and therefore have your desires, hopes, and best interest in mind.
The heart of doula care is the understanding that continuous emotional support and reassurance during labour and birth improves and enhances maternal satisfaction. Doulas specialize in non-medical skills and do not perform clinical tasks. In addition to the support, doulas are trained in non-pharmacological pain relief. This means anything non-medical such as massage, aromatherapy, visualization, situation-appropriate application of heat or cold, breathing patterns, body positioning, focal points, and relaxation techniques. Doulas do not diagnose medical conditions, offer second opinions, or give medical advice. The doula's goal is to help the woman have a safe and satisfying childbirth, as defined by each individual woman.
| |
|
|