Doula
Supporting you, as you cross the threshold to motherhood.
Since my very first doula job in 1999, I can hand on heart tell you that no two births have been the same. My longest was 52 hours and my shortest 2! Naturally the skills required were different but at the centre of each birth story is my profound belief that all mamas know how to birth their babies safely and my role is to trust in that.
Labour can be wild and is often unpredictable. It can at times feel overwhelming and so to have someone with you as well as a partner who knows your wishes, your birth beliefs and can advocate for you, can make all the difference.
The facts around having a birth doula are well known: significantly reducing the chances of interventions like pain relieving drugs, assisted birth including caesarean, as well as shortening labour and reducing negative feelings around birth. The key to this is continuous, knowledgable and compassionate support. It does seem to matter that this support person is not a health professional and not part of your social network.
Some women want lots of reassurance, massage, homeopathy/aromatherapy and hypnosis techniques as well as suggestions around positioning and breathing, whilst others just need to know that I’m sitting quietly in the corner.
Often partners are reluctant to hire a doula, concerned that I will ‘get in the way’ or ‘take their place’ when in fact the opposite is often true; having a doula present can allow you more intimacy as fear and anxiety is reduced. I may also be called upon to give another perspective when, for example, decisions are to be made about intervention. I have a deep respect for midwifery skills and have experienced working with wonderful midwives and doctors over the years.
My role as your doula is to listen, watch and trust in the birth process and to honour your role in the centre of your own story. Whether you chose to birth your baby at home or in hospital, I will be delighted to be part of your dream birth team.
