The Value of Doula Support

Caring, Comforting and Empowering By Debbie RedWine, CD (DONA), CLD

As science and technology rapidly develop, the human body and spirit are pushed to the side. Natural pregnancy and birth are seen as a waste of the latest and greatest methods of producing a perfect outcome, another notch in the belt for our increasingly technical medical society. During this process, mothers are forgotten. They are streamlined and pushed through the efficient practice of “prenatal” care.

Extended Contact
The average contact with an obstetrician/gynecologist is approximately six minutes during a visit. Mothers are left to their own resources to inform and prepare. The overwhelming amount of information available only makes this process more confusing. If they are lucky and informed, moms-to-be will use a midwife. But even now, not all midwives can spend longer periods of time with individual moms.

This is when a doula is most valuable. A doula serves. She serves as a filter for the avalanche of questions and answers an expectant mother and family may have. She serves as an anchor to help the family learn their choices and to remain firm in their decisions and beliefs. She serves as a confidant, allowing the family to express concerns, fears and expectations without judgment. She serves as a muse, hoping to inspire the family to make empowering choices. She serves as an advocate for mother and child during times when strength may waver. She serves as a woman, with her heart and hands – her most important tools. This is her most important role.

Just as those before her have experienced the power women create during birth, the doula passes this strength to others. By providing physical and emotional support during labor and birth, the doula brings the spirit of mothers past into the soul of the mother, giving her the strength and courage to trust in herself and her baby.

Experience and Support
Labor support provides many different levels of care. It can be as simple as sitting quietly while a laboring mother sleeps. Just the presence of an experienced woman reduces stress, reassures family during labor and gives mothers peace of mind.

Mothers without a support system or an unsure partner can experience fear and tension. This can greatly affect her labor progress. Fear increases the intensity of pain. A doula can help by working with the mother and family prior to labor. Expelling myths and providing accurate, non-biased information are of extreme importance. With increased levels of knowledge, a mother begins to take back her natural rights to birth without intervention or interference. She takes back control.

Hands-on Comfort
Along with the knowledge the doula brings, there is physical care. Physical touch has been proven in hundreds of studies to decrease pain, lower blood pressure and lessen the risk of health complications. Touch has been used in the care of preterm infants for years. It has been shown to increase growth and physical healing and decrease the length of hospitalization. Massage during labor stimulates natural pain chemicals within the laboring mother’s body, allowing her to cope without the need for medical intervention.

A simple back rub provides not only pain relief, but also a rhythm for the mother to follow. Rocking, swaying and rocking again provide a natural rhythm for the mother to follow. As a team, the mother, doula and partner create a circle of strength. Constant presence, touch and reassurance bind the circle until it is almost impenetrable. It is the doula’s role to keep this circle strong from the beginning of labor and beyond.

She is responsible for absolute and unquestioning support of the mother. She is connected only to this laboring family. By making the commitment to this family at that moment, the doula ensures no conflict of interest. This allows a mother to completely trust in the care provided. It is the doula’s responsibility to be trustworthy and consistent.

Returning to the birth journey of our ancestral sisters, the doula brings the whispers of these mothers past to strengthen, give courage and confirm ability to the laboring mother. The greatest accomplishment of the doula is helping to give the family joyous and fulfilling birth memories. By doing this, she adds the new mother’s whisper of encouragement to the next birthing mother.

Want to see more?

• Why Hire a Doula?
• Choosing a Childbirth Educator
• How to Become a Certified Doula
• Talk about it!

About the Author: Debbie RedWine is a certified doula and childbirth educator who assists births in the Metro Atlanta, Ga., area. She owns and operates Nurturing Arms Doula Services.