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 How Should You Exercise During Pregnancy?
Exercise not only keeps women fitter and happier during pregnancy, but also makes labor easier and lessens the recovery time after delivery.
Learn more about staying fit, healthy, and how to lose weight after having a baby with aerobic exercise during and after pregnancy.
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You are here: Baby Care Center >
Child Birth and Labor >
Doula Role: Prenatal Support |
Doula Support Services for Women During Pregnancy, Labor, and Delivery
When you’re about to become a mother, the process of
childbirth can be eased and smoothed by the services of a
labor support person, called a doula. A doula is not a
doctor, nurse or midwife. She performs no medical procedures
or obstetrics, but research has found that the presence of a
doula at delivery results in easier, quicker labor, lessened
need for pain medication and other medical interventions,
fewer fetal problems at delivery and healthier babies. Women
who hire a doula for labor or postpartum support tend to
breastfeed their babies easier and longer, experience fewer
negative emotional effects after childbirth and bond better
with their babies.
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Training and Education for Your Labor Coach
There is no rigid certification process for doulas, but there
are training programs: your doula should have studied the
physiology and emotional needs of pregnancy, childbirth and the
post-partum period. Labor or childbirth doulas will meet with
you at least once when you’re expecting: the number of prenatal
meetings you have will vary widely by the professional you hire.
Some doulas will even provide postnatal services for up to a
year.
Emotional Support During Childbirth
During labor, a doula will provide the emotional and practical
support that most women can’t expect from the nurses or
obstetricians, and that partners may not be in a position to
provide throughout the labor. Your doula may give you a massage,
practice reflexology or aromatherapy to ease contractions, and
suggest alternative positions for coping with labor pains. Your
doula may also be able to help you get what you want from
medical practitioners: you’ll have an ally if you want to
request (demand) or refuse an epidural, someone to stand by you
if the obstetrician decides to induce labor, and a hand to hold
during labor induction.
If your partner is stressed by the labor, the doula takes the
heat off. If your partner really comes unglued during delivery,
you still have someone who can assist you in creating a happy
childbirth experience—and coach new dads on baby care and mom
support that can positively impact the whole family. A good
doula will help Dad so as much as he’s comfortable with, and can
pick up the slack when he needs a break.
Postpartum Support
Doulas also provide help around the house after the baby comes,
providing parent education, information about nursing and
natural and home remedies. If you have problems breastfeeding,
your doula may be able to suggest different strategies to
comfort both mom and baby. Some doulas also help siblings cope
with the new addition, so your baby doesn’t remain a “little
stranger” to his brothers and sisters.
The services provided by your doula will affect the cost: some
hospitals even provide volunteer doulas. Doula philosophies
vary: some doulas specialize in helping lesbian couples; others
help older mothers or mothers of children with special needs.
Christian doula organizations provide religiously based
childcare services, often in conjunction with private Christian
hospitals.
Finding a Doula
Finding the right doula requires some questions. You’ll want to
know about her training, her philosophy and her experience. Most
of all, you want someone who makes you feel comfortable and
inspires confidence. After all, you’re taking on a big task: you
want a partner you can trust.
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