Doula
So What Is A Doula!
The role of the doula is fairly new in Ireland. However, in places such as America and England the
hiring of a doula is totally part of the pregnancy package and the question tends to be: "WHO is your doula" rather than "WHAT is a doula".
You could see your doula as your very own pregnancy companion who happens to know all about pregnancy, labour, birth and early parenthood. She is passionate about helping you to have the best pregnancy, labour, birth and bonding you possibly can and she has the skills, knowledge and experience to help that happen.
If you have a partner, my upmost priority, as a doula, is to help him be your best support possible. Very often partners absolutely want to be this best support, but do not have the knowledge or skills to be that. My role, as your doula, is to alleviate the pressure off your partner to be second guessing and worrying what to do and how to help. I find this really helps to increase everyone's calmness and overall enjoyment of labour and birth. My aim is to help him to help you in labour so that after the birth you can say - with your eyes shining - "I couldn't have done it without him!" For you to feel that your partner was a perfect support during your labour lays a beautiful foundation for you to enter into your new family together.
Initial Meeting
It is a big decision to invite someone to be part of such an intimate time of your life. I recognize and fully respect this to be the case. Therefore I arrange to meet with mothers and their partners for a completely free consultation. In this meeting I encourage parents to ask as many questions as they can think of about how I work and who I am. This is a chance to have your questions answered but more importantly a time for you to see if you feel happy and right in hiring me as your doula.
You Decide to Go Ahead With Me as Your Doula.
What Next? Before the baby arrives we meet together several times. During the meetings we look at:
- birth plans
- birth preparation
- hopes and fears
- previous labour and births
One of the main aims of these meetings is to get to know one another and establish a trusting relationship between everyone, in preparation for labour.
During Labour and Birth: I am on call 24/7 two weeks before the baby is due, and up until the baby comes. I am there during labour (whether at home or hospital) and at the birth of your baby. Due to previous meetings and my experience I am able to support both of you, both mother and father, in a fully personal way.
Sometimes mothers are under the impression that they have to choose only one birth support. I would like to stress that when in hospital it is BOTH the father and myself who are present in the labour and birth room.
As a doula I do not offer medical advice, rather, my role compliments the other professionals involved in your overall pregnancy and birth care.
After your Baby has Arrived: We meet after the birth for much talk and dissection! On-going and breast-feeding support can also be arranged.
I meet with you at 6 weeks after the birth too.
I am only ever a telephone call away!
“I was feeling apprehensive about supporting my wife through the labour. But Emily’s experience, calmness and direction let us both actually enjoy the birth of our daughter.” - (I. McG. Doula Dad)
Women who had continues labour support had a 60% decrease in epidural rate, 30% decrease in caesarean birth and experienced a 25% shorter labour. (The Cochrane Library, Issue 32004)
If you are drawn in any way to finding out more about this important ingredient of childbirth then these links could be very interesting to you:
http://nicoledeggins.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/a-great-doula/
