Are Doulas Best For A Better Pregnancy Experience?

As an expecting mom or family, right from the moment you pee on a stick and see the positive sign glaring right back at you, your mind is filled with lots of decisions and choices to make. One of the major concerning decisions is, who will be my care provider for this period. Should I opt for an OB, Midwife, or doula? You might not be so familiar with the role of a doula so you delve into asking questions, whether online or with your friends.

You have to note that the most common misconception about doulas is that they are only necessary when a mom or family wants an unmedicated birth.

Truth be told, doulas have been proven to reduce medical intervention during childbirth, but their essence is so much more than that. In this article, we will discuss the many reasons why working with a doula might be best for your pregnancy, birth, and postpartum experience.

WHY A BIRTH DOULA?

• PRE-BIRTH PREPARATION TO RELIEVE FEAR AND BOOST CONFIDENCE And this is one of the differences between a doula and a midwife. Unlike a midwife who is usually present for the birthing experience, a birth doula sticks with the expecting mom and family right from the late pregnancy stage. Think of a doula as a therapist of sorts, to guide you through prenatal meetings. During these meetings, you and your doula will get to know each other. Your doula will learn how to support you, for instance by providing supportive referrals to ensure you have the best birth possible. It could be a chiropractor, prenatal massage therapist, acupuncture provider and so many more. All these will make you feel prepared and boost your confidence for the major experience to come.
• BEST SHOT AT HAVING A COMFORTABLE AND EASY BIRTH Truly, no child delivery is 100% predictable. In fact, childbirth is a mystery because it could take a course of its own when unfolding. However, if there is a chance to have a relaxing and easy birth experience, hiring an experienced professional doula is your best shot. Doulas offer ideas for positions and techniques that can let your labor progress go uninterrupted. As a birthing mom, your anxiety might hit the roof during delivery, but doulas serve as a soothing balm. They calm and reassure you. Even studies have proven that doulas can help reduce time spent in labor and also the rate of medical interventions like C-sections.
• ADVOCACY IS UNDERRATED One of the most critical roles your doula plays is to help advocate for you in your most vulnerable moments during labor and the immediate postpartum period. This is the essence of prenatal meetings, to get to know you and discuss what you want so that when for some reason you can’t, they will ensure your voice is heard and your preferences are honored by the medical team. However, even with such power, one thing a doula doesn’t do is to make your partner (if any) feel like a third wheel. Instead, a good doula will enhance the support of your partner and even help them relax during the birthing process.
• POSTPARTUM ASSISTANCE TO GIVE YOU A GOOD START Being a new parent is worth being celebrated, but people often neglect or ignore the fact that it could be very overwhelming as well. Most birth doulas offer immediate postpartum assistance. They help ensure your baby is latching on correctly to encourage a satisfying bonding/feeding relationship with your infant. By choice, they could debrief your birth experience to you, talk through your emotions and give answers to questions you might have. According to the service package you pay for, your birth doula could extend their postpartum care to meal preparation, newborn care, and even errands.

To conclude, whether you decide to opt for a birth doula, a postpartum doula, or a doula who juggles both, the point is, having a specially trained person at your side during one of the most important periods of your life has lots of benefits. Many people who started having doulas, almost can’t go another round without one because the benefits so much outweigh the cost. And of course, at A Mother Level Doula Services, we are happy and honored to serve you and your family to make your pregnancy, delivery, and postpartum experience a positively memorable one. Contact us now and let’s get started on the process.