Why Hire A Doula - Debbie's Doula Service for the complete baby service in Redditch, Worcestershire, West Midlands, Warwickshire
A Doula is a person who is trained in supporting women as they give birth. She’s familiar with the process involved in a normal, physiological birth and knows what to expect during labour. A Doula will provide physical and emotional comfort, reassurance and encouragement, natural pain management techniques and relaxation/breathing tools, and can offer suggestions for helping labour to progress, she’s familiar with routine hospital procedures, and can also help you to communicate your needs. A Doula is not a medical professional and doesn’t perform clinical tasks such as fetal monitoring.
More women than ever are choosing a Doula to support them and their partners throughout pregnancy, labour and the postnatal period. Why is this? After all, most babies are born in hospital or birth centres where there are more than enough midwives and obstetricians to take care of the mother and her needs - aren’t there?
Ideally, all women would receive continuous , one to one care throughout labour from their midwife. Their partner would give suggestions to help them manage better, and reassurance that what is happening throughout is normal. Unfortunately this is not always the case . . . . But most women only discover this when they’re already at the hospital having their baby.
The reality of birth in hospitals is that maybe you will be left alone with your partner while your midwife is attending to other labouring women in her care. It’s not the role of the medical professionals to provide labour support - so generally, a good proportion of your labour will be spent alone with your partner. Most partners have a desire to be involved in the birth, but since they aren’t called upon to support a labouring woman too many times in life, it can be hard for them to know how to help when labour becomes intense. Choosing a Doula for your birth means that you’ll never be left alone, and will be supported continuously from the onset of labour, until your baby is born - by a person who is completely focused on you and your needs. This continuity of care is difficult if not impossible to come by in our health system.
I can work with you and your partner throughout pregnancy to help you prepare for the birth, and help your partner learn the skills they’ll need to be an effective support to you. I will also be with you during labour providing reassurance, gentle encouragement and suggestions to help you feel more in control of your labour and encourage progress.
Research demonstrates that with the continuous support of a Doula from early labour can result in up to:
- 50% Reduction in ceasarean rates
- 25% Shorter labour length
- 60% Reduction in epidural requests
- 40% Reduction in oxytocin (pitocin) use
- 30% Reduction in analgesia use
- 40% Reduction in forceps delivery
(Source:- Mothering the Mother
By Kennell, Klaus & Kennell (1993))
