Birth Doula Services
Whether you are considering giving birth in a hospital or at home, the presence of a doula can be vital and can influence considerably your experience of birthing your baby with respect and joy; a doula can also offer support on many levels: physical, psychological/emotional, practical, as well as informational.
If you have planned a hospital birth and wish to have a doula accompany you, please discuss it with your health practitioner. Your wishes and knowledge are the means to bring forth the personal and social changes that we deserve as parents and citizens!
The international bibliography has now many scientifically proven studies showing many positive effects on all levels when a mother is accompanied by a doula:
The National Center for Biotechnology Information
To ensure a good collaboration with your chosen doula, you may want to discuss some of the following points:
- Ideally a few prenatal meetings during pregnancy to ensure a good contact between the doula and the expecting mother and her family (partner, other children, etc) {Special Note: Nevertheless, tt can happen that a strong bond is created between a birthing mother and a doula even if they meet for the first time during the birth!}
- Personal /phone communication, depending on the mother’s needs
- Arrival at home until transfer to hospital, if mother wishes so
- Arrival at the hospital from the onset of labour, or according to mother’s needs
- Discreet presence/care during labour and birth - suggestions on alternatives for the labour progress, comfort measures such as breathing, relaxation, movement and positioning, hands-on work, as well as caring for and protecting the mother’s birthing environment, etc
- Discreet support for partner and other family members, depending on the occasion
- Support in the first hours after birth
- Support/assistance with the first hours of breastfeeding
Especially if you plan to have a homebirth, you may need to discuss some extra options with your doula:
- Car ride available, in case of emergency
- preparation of home space for the birth
- Cleaning/tidying the home after a homebirth
- Food for the mother and other family members right after the birth
- Communication with the outer world (neighbours, phones, visitors, etc)
