Birth Doulas: Giving Support and Comfort to Mothers-to-Be

The New York Times published an article in September 2005 that stated the following:

"Part mentor, part coach, all-around hand-holder and advocate, doulas are an increasingly popular childbirth accessory, with the leading organization counting 5,000 registered professionals in 2004".

More and more researchers and medical professionals are pointing to the benefits of having continuous labor support from an experienced female.

Doula, a Greek term, has been defined as many things form "women help women," to "woman servant," to "wise woman of birth." All of these definitions describe the position of a labor assistant who, preferably, meets with the woman prior to birth and then remains with her throughout labor, providing her with comfort and encouragement on how to make birth the best transition possible to parenthood. Most doulas charge between $200 and $1,000, depending on their location and the level of care they give.

There is a saying that says, "Hugs before drugs," which has been seen on bumper stickers. Though the use of pain medication is completely the choice of the laboring woman, there is a good basis for this statement, since physical touch, such as hugging, causes the release of endorphins in the woman. This can be as pain relieving as drugs. Other pain relieving techniques include changing positions, walking, swinging your hips, squatting, focused relaxation, and moaning. All of these help to reduce your pain and at the same time help to move your baby downward through your pelvis and increase the effectiveness of your contractions. By responding to these sensations as you would to most any other type of pain, you will be helping yourself to give birth. All of these things can be down without a labor assistant, but as Penny Simpkin put it, "It helps to have reassurance from experts who can help you relate to the intense physical sensations and emotions of labor to what you know intellectually. Nurses, midwives and doctors can offer some guidance, but they may be limited by their clinical duties and the needs of other laboring women in their care" ("A Doula at Your Side", Lamaze Parents Magazine, 2005 edition).

I will leave you with this thought. An investigation was made as to the long term memories women had of their birth experiences. According to Penny Simpkin, "The women's satisfaction was not associated with the length or difficulty of their labors or the need for intervention or pain medications. It was associated more with how they were treated by their doctors and nurses, which seemed to have a greater impact on their sense of accomplishment and control and their self-esteem" ("A Day You'll Never Forget", Lamaze Parents Magazine, 2005 edition). I believe that if the study were repeated, they would find that doulas have made just as significant an impact.

Here is what a few of Birth Miracle's clients have to say about our doula service: "I would recommend a doula to anyone!" - "Having a doula made me more comfortable." - "I didn't realize how much I would appreciate having someone there." - "I will always have a doula [for my future births]." - "The support and guidance was key to making our experience a good one." "I have used a doula and would definitely use one again!".