Your Birth People

Pregnant? Now what?

Whether you know it or not, your birth can be dramatically different depending on the caregiver you choose and place you decide to birth. Will you pick an OB or Certified Nurse Midwife and have you baby at the hospital? Or perhaps you would like to have your baby at home with a direct-entry midwife and a doula by your side.

I hope this post will help you understand the differences and debunk any myths you have about "unsafe" birth choices.

OBSTETRICIANS
OB's or OB/GYN's have completed medical school and four years of obstetric and gynecology residency. They have received specific instruction in gynecological surgery, women's health care, prenatal care, treatment for complicated pregnancies, vaginal delivery, and cesarean sections. The focus of an OB is to ensure you and your baby have come out healthy after the birth. They are not necessarily helping you to have a "birth experience". Many women choose an OB because of their high level of education and their ability to handle complications* should they arise.

*Please note that serious complications can occur due to procedures such as a medical induction, medications given during birth, and cesarean section, just to name a few.

FAMILY DOCTORS
Family doctors have also completed medical school where they learn to provide care for children, adults, and how to deliver babies. FD usually work with uncomplicated pregnancies and will consult and OB should a complication arise. Unless you live in a rural area or smaller town, you would most likely have access to an OB, but if not, a Family Doctor may be your only choice within a reasonable traveling distance.

CERTIFIED NURSE-MIDWIVES
CNM's are advanced-practice nurses who have two to three years of education in a nursing program. They have training in prenatal care, women's reproductive health, and childbirth. They care for women with uncomplicated pregnancies and will collaborate with an OB should a problem arise. Many CNM's are interested in helping women have a "birth experience" they desire. They work in hospitals or birthing centers.

CERTIFIED MIDWIVES
CM's have must pass the same national certifying exams as CNM's, but they are not nurses. They may have other medical training or a degree in a health-related field. They are for uncomplicated pregnancies and attend mostly hospital births. Only a few states recognize CM's. For more information about CM's in your state, contact your state health department.

DIRECT-ENTRY MIDWIVES
DEM's have midwifery training, but are not nurses. Their education varies and many of these midwives train with other established midwives who attend home births or work from a free standing birth center. They are familiar with the unique process of out-of-hospital births and are skilled to care for you and your baby during birth.

There are three kinds of Direct Entry Midwives:

• Licensed Midwife: attended a direct entry midwifery school and passed a state exam. Many licensed midwives will take payment from your health insurance provider. They care for uncomplicated pregnancies and attend out-of-hospital births. Many of them have a recognized relationship with a physician should a complication develop prenatally or during labor.
  
• Lay Midwife: trained by apprenticing with an experienced midwife. She attends home births and may or may not have a back up physician. She is not regulated or certified by the state, so you must do your own research into her skills and background.
• Certified Professional Midwife: is a licensed midwife and recognized nationally for her certification. She undergoes a lengthy process of establishing her experience and demonstrating her skills. She must keep her certification current by completing continuing education every three years.
  

REGISTERED NURSES
When you choose to birth at the hospital, you will be assigned a nurse for your labor. She may have one to three patients that she is monitoring at once depending on the staffing and number of patients that day. Nurses vary in their interests and experience. Some may be very supportive of natural birth and others may be more comfortable with medicating and high-tech monitoring.

DOULAS
A doula, or professional labor assistant, is trained to emotionally and physically support a laboring woman and her partner. Doulas know a variety of comfort measures such as massage, positioning for comfort, visualizations, and relaxation techniques. A doula can help you to have the "birth experience" you desire. She can also help you in understanding what may come during birth and give you the information you need to make informed choices about your birth.

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Of course, there are many other types of people that I recommend to have the ultimate pregnancy and birth you want such as: yoga instructors, childbirth educators, nutritionists, fitness instructors, chiropractors, lactation consultant, and acupuncturists.

Hoping you have a wonderful pregnancy, birth, and beyond!

What Do You Want?

Hello Friends!

I have missed you. I just returned from a DONA (Doulas of North America) conference in Atlanta. It was a packed three days of much information that I cannot wait to share with you. We had speakers who are well known to the field and are authors, educators, and professionals such as Dr. Robert Sears, Penny Simkin, Marshall and Phyllis Klaus, and many others. These amazing people have written many of the books that I now have in my library for expectant mothers.

I am eager to start posting all about the things I have learned. I would like your feedback on where to begin. Here are some of the topics that I am now a bit more knowledgeable on:

• SOLACE - Ongoing care and support for the mother who has had a "traumatic" birth experience
• Vaccinations - As per Dr. Robert Sears and The Vaccine Book
• Kangaroo Care - Immediate skin to skin care for preemies to full term babies
• Attachment Parenting - Attachment ideas for new families versus schedules for new babies
• Teen Mothers - Helping support pregnant and birthing teens as they become new parents
• Hospital Birthing - How to efficiently and effectively work with the hospital staff and parents. There are some great ideas for negotiating and having an amazing birth in the hospital setting.
• Seduction of Induction - Penny Simkin's talk on the lure of induction in today's society and the outcomes of such
• Attachment for the Laboring Mother - How to effectively help a mother by attuning and attaching to her during birth for better infant and maternal outcomes
• Eco-Friendly Birthing - What are we coming to by taking the natural, normal, spontaneous, birthing process away from the mothers and manipulating it into a convenient package

Ok, let's start there. Anyone want to suggest the first post from those ideas?

Battle for "Best Dad" and "Doula" Contests

Happy Father's Day, to my dad and all dads today!

I currently have two contests on my blog right now. One in honor of Father's Day today. I am eager to hear your "best dad" stories. Tell a story on a father you admire in your life. It could be your husband, father, grandfather, or friend! And, in the post below, share one for your birth experience with a doula. Tell me about how a doula helped you at your birth.

The winner of each contest will get a custom made pair of shoes made by me (like the ones below) for the special little baby boy or girl in your life!

On July 1st, I will randomly select a winner from both contests! Thanks for sharing your stories.

Hannah Reasoner, CD(DONA)

Yes, it is official, as of today, I am now certified as a birth doula through DONA!

In honor of these new credentials, I thought I would have another contest on my blog.

Obviously, I am very passionate about labor support and helping couples achieve their desired birth. I am interested in hearing your stories about the doula support you had at your birth. Why did you and your partner decide to hire a doula for your birth? How do you feel about the support she provided? Would you do it again? Have you had a doula at all your births? If not, what were the differences in your births with and without a doula present?

Thanks for your participation. I will randomly select a winner on July 1st!

Teen Pregnancy

Recently, I have been doing research on teen pregnancy. In my work at The Gladney Center for Adoption, I mentor many teens who are preparing to place their baby for adoption. But, this is only a handful of girls who will become a teen pregnancy statistic. Many others will plan to parent or have an abortion.

With teen pregnancy on the rise, I feel it is important to provide support, education, and care to these young women and their support system. Many young girls may find themselves without the support they had hoped for during their pregnancy. A doula can help provide this support to the young teenagers and help get them started on the right track into parenthood.

Doulas can help with mentoring, in-home support, making healthy pregnancy choices, preparing for labor and birth, developing a birth plan, breastfeeding support, and newborn care and preparation for the postpartum period as the teen parent(s) and their families prepare for a new baby. In addition, the doula has a network of caregivers she can refer these young women to, such as, safe housing, drug and alcohol treatment centers, counceling, lactation support, parenting support groups, and programs to assist in completing education and furthering their education if desired.

If you are a teen or the parent of a teen and desire support, please contact me for further information. Depending on your circumstances, you may be able to receive the support and help you need for little to no cost.

The following is an article I retreived from another website. Click here to connect directly to the site for more information on teen pregnancy.

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Teenage Pregnancy and Teen Abortions - Statistics and Facts

Teenage pregnancy is an issue that is rampant throughout the world and is a major concern due to the ill effects associated with teenagers bearing children. Here is an attempt to fathom all the possible reasons that lead to teenage pregnancy as well as the effects of teenage pregnancy and teen abortions. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics One of the surveys conducted by a leading international organization called Save the Children stated that annually 13 million children are born to women under the age of twenty, more that 90% in developing countries. It also said that the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the world was found in sub-Saharan Africa. The United States has the highest teenage birth rate and a very high teenage abortion rate as well. Until 2006, there had been a declining trend in the teenage pregnancy numbers, especially since the early nineties. The Guttmacher Institute conducted a research, which stated that the decline was owing to successful promotion of abstinence and effective use of contraceptives amongst teenagers. However, as of 2007 the teenage pregnancy rates have begun to rise again reversing the positive trends seen in the previous years. Causes of Teenage Pregnancy While discussing the issue of teenage pregnancy it is very important to think about the possible reasons that are responsible for this phenomenon. One of the most important reasons for teen pregnancies is the way in which adolescents are looking at sex. For a majority of teenagers, lack of appropriate sex education, and the portrayal of sex through the mass media results in an inappropriate and a rather careless approach about the phenomenon of sex in general which leads to the fact that teenagers look at sex very differently. Most of the teenagers lack the maturity and sound understanding about the phenomenon of sex and often get carried away in the moment. The practice of unprotected sex leads to teen pregnancies and further to teen abortions. Although some of the teens decide to give birth to the child, the process of raising a child at a teenage is extremely difficult and hampers many factors like the education of the teen, the financial concerns, and of course the psychological stress associated with the process. Teen pregnancies can also result from sexual abuse of teenage girls. Instances of teen pregnancies resulting from sexual abuse by sexual predators, or even date rapes have been on the rise. Dealing with a teenage pregnancy can be even more difficult in such cases, due to the emotional as well as physical trauma. The Internet might have been a great source of communication, but has emerged as an easy option for sexual predators to lure and victimize teenage girls. In some countries child marriage is practiced which leads to teenage girls being forced into motherhood at a very young age at which the girl is not ready for motherhood both physically and emotionally. Impact of Teenage Pregnancies and Teen Abortions Most of the people put a lot of thought and planning before they decide they want to have children, since raising a child is an extremely difficult task, which requires a lot of psychological, physical as well financial strength. The first and most important thing about teenage pregnancies is that teenage is a very tender age, and hence teenagers lack the physical as well as psychological maturity required for conceiving children. Teenage pregnancies can very extremely difficult to deal with not only for the teen, but the entire family and might have an effect on the younger siblings of the teenager. Continuing education becomes very difficult for teenage mothers, which again leads to an unstable future without education and proper employment opportunities. This affects the quality of living of both the mother as well as the child. The risks associated with childbirth are higher for girls under the age of fourteen years. An underdeveloped pelvis often leads to complications during childbirth. The Caesarean section option can be used for dealing with obstructed labor, however, in developing regions where medical services might be unavailable, it can lead to obstetric fistula, eclampsia, infant mortality, or even maternal death.

It's hard to raise a child when you're still a child ~ Anonymous

Do You Need a Doula?

Even with a caring partner, family support, and the care of a doctor or midwife, will he or she:

• Come to your home and labor with you until it's time to go to the hospital or birthing center and then stay with you continuously until the baby is born?
• Provide advanced labor techniques such as massage or acupressure?
• Provide several prenatal visits in your home?
• Help you develop a "birth plan"?
• Provide the encouragement you need while you are in transition and when the baby is being born?
• Take notes during labor and provide you with a written record of birth?
• Take photographs of you and your support person(s) during the labor and with your new baby?
• Help you with breastfeeding?

The Purpose and Value of Labor Support

A doula a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth. She understands the physiology of birth and the needs of a laboring woman.

The role of the birth doula greatly depends on the woman and family for whom she is providing care. The doula’s main purpose is to be a friend, a mentor, and a helper to the mother, as well as a support to her partner and/or family. If the mother chooses a doula in the early stages of pregnancy, the doula can help to provide information and education for several months leading up to the birth. This can also help the mother and family build an established, comfortable, and trusting relationship with the doula. The doula will usually have one to three prenatal consultations with the mother and family prior to the birth. These sessions may include meeting with other caregivers, answering questions for the parents-to-be, providing referrals when necessary, and massage and other pregnancy comfort measures. Throughout the pregnancy, the doula assists by listening to the mother’s desires, helping her have a comfortable, nourishing pregnancy, helping her to create the plan for the birth she desires, providing factual and unbiased information to enable her to make choices she can feel good about, keeping her comfortable during the birth while doing all she can to ensure the birth outcome the mother wants, advocating on her behalf, encouraging her in her birth decisions, and even providing lactation consulting after birth to help create a breastfeeding relationship. She has no agenda and has nothing to gain by convincing the mother to make certain choices.

As labor and birth are imminent, the doula is experienced in providing comfort measures and relaxations tools. This may include visualization and meditation techniques, preparing cool clothes, utilizing the birth ball, positions to enhance labor, counter pressure massage, aromatherapy, encouraging the mother stay hydrated and energized, and, providing relaxing music. Some doulas may also be skilled in other modalities such as massage therapy, acupuncture, Reiki, and reflexology to help facilitate labor in a positive manner. These techniques can be used in such a way to allow the woman to have a natural, unmedicated birth. And, in some cases, these techniques have been known to help labor and birth progress more timely and efficiently. Or, if the mother chooses or needs to labor with the help of medications, these methods can also help facilitate the labor and birth. These techniques may help reduce the need for prolonged analgesic drugs or augmentation medications. The doula is one of the only birth attendants that does not leave the side of the mother as she labors. This may be several of hours, but she stays near and helps the mother feel empowered during the birth. The doula ensures that the mother’s needs are being met and that her birth plan is carried out in the best possible way without intervening or interfering with the process. She provides guidance and reassurance to the mother and reminds her of her progress and power when labor becomes more difficult.

Statistics show that women who utilize a trained doula are 50% less likely to have a cesarean. They typically have a 25% shorter labor. Additional figures suggest there is a 60% decrease in the number of women who request an epidural, a 40% decrease in her chances of receiving Pitocin, and a 30% reduction in the use of analgesic drugs. Furthermore, the risk of having a forceps or a vacuum delivery is lessened by 40%. Doulas can make a woman feel more empowered and prepared to make good choices during their delivery, and they even can provide encouragement for the expectant fathers and help them to have a more active, supportive role in the birth.

Following the birth, the doula can provide initial breastfeeding support as well as newborn care. A doula will usually follow up the birth with one to two postpartum visits with the mother and family to ensure baby and mother and family are getting appropriately acclimated to their new roles at home. In-home postpartum visits may also include light cooking and housekeeping as the family adjusts into parenthood. In addition, new parents may benefit from education on bonding, attachment, and coping skills

Whether she is a new mother or has had many experiences in childbirth, a mother can always benefit from the care, love, support, and encouragement that comes from the loving heart of a birth doula.

A Birth Story

One great reason to hire a doula is for the birth story you get after your baby is born. So many things happen during labor and the birth of your precious new baby, that you can't always remember them all. A birth story is a great way to capture the memory of that. I have written a story below of a recent birth I attended.

"In the days leading up to your birth, there were many people anticipating your arrival. As the birth doula for your mommy and daddy, I helped your mommy with some pressure points on her feet. This was just one of many things they tried to get you here. You were anticipated to be a big baby, so an induction was scheduled after you didn’t come on your “due date”.

On Friday, February 6, 2009, your parents went into Baylor Medical Center in downtown Fort Worth for the induction. At 8:13 am, you mommy called me to let me know they had gotten all checked in and that I could head that way. I arrived at the hospital at 8:40. When I arrived, your nurse, Sally, and student nurse, Stephanie, were going over questions with your mommy and daddy. They had already put the fetal monitors on your mommy to see how you and she were doing. At 9:05, they put a heplock on your mommy just in case they needed to start an IV. At 9:12, Sue, the midwife, came in to break your bag of water and to work to open your mommy’s cervix. Your fluid was clear (a good thing) and your mommy was dilated to 3 cm, 80% effaced, and -2 station. We waited 20 minutes after the water was broken to get up and start moving around. We only had two hours to make progress before they were to start the Pitosin.

At 9:40, your mommy got out of bed. Mommy, Daddy, and I all walked the halls for about half an hour. Then, we went back into the room to check your heart tones again and your mommy sat on the bed doing some rocking of the hips. The nurses had brought in two balls for your mommy to use as well. Your mommy was beginning to have contractions that were 30-40 seconds long. She was a little hungry so she ate an apple. The midwife came back in at 11:00am to check the cervix. She explained to your mommy and daddy that she wanted to place an internal fetal monitor next to you and start the Pitosin. Mommy and Daddy wanted a chance to talk about it. The decision was made to go ahead and place the monitor so that if labor went past 5:00pm that the midwife could give a report to the Dr. on call that evening, just in case he had to take over for any reason. The idea was to avoid a Cesarean section for you and your mommy.

After being placed on the IV of Pitosin and the internal fetal monitor was put in place, your mommy was still able to move around. At this point she was 4cm dilated, 80-90% effaced, and -2 station. Sue was glad your head didn’t bounce away from her when checked you, meaning that you were fully engaged and not moving back up. But, your mommy did have a few uncomfortable contractions while being checked. After that, your mommy decided to do some work on the birth ball while I talked through some visualizations with her. Daddy was watching over us. Mommy also tried some different positions on the ball as your daddy and I helped her, but she was having a bit of a hard time finding something comfortable for her. She was wanting to rest and was feeling weak.

By 1:00pm the contractions were coming more often and a lot stronger. Your daddy was sitting by her side helping her through each one. Mommy didn’t particularly like it when he rubbed her hand with his thumb though. She liked it when he was still and held her hand. At 1:50pm, the nurses came in to check the progress again. Mommy was 5cm dilated, 90% effaced, and -1 station. She was making progress and you were coming. The next hour was pretty rough for you mommy. She was feeling a lot of pressure and feeling the pain of child birth. She was very uncomfortable and no position seemed to relieve the discomfort. At that time, the nurse had come into the room and discovered a puddle of liquid on the floor under the IV pole. It was the Pitosin running out from the bag onto the floor. It had never gotten hooked up to your mommy at all. Your mommy had done all that work on her very own. The nurse attached the Pitosin back to the IV on your mommy’s arm. The nurse had told your mommy that the contractions she was seeing on the monitor were not strong enough to have you and she was going to have to have more contractions to get you out. This was very discouraging to your mommy because she was feeling as though she was working so hard and it was disheartening to hear she would have to work even harder. Come to find out, you were coming, it just wasn’t picking up on the monitors.

By 2:50pm, your mommy was very tired and worn out. Even though she had your daddy and me there for support, she felt as though she could no longer do it on her own without pain relieving medication. She was feeling bad that she needed some help, but also thinking she was not strong enough to finish. Your daddy was hesitant to do it and was stalling. He knew to stall from the Bradley child birth classes your parents had taken. Your daddy and I tried to encourage her that she was very strong and she could do it, but she decided to get some relief. I encouraged her that she was not a failure and that sometimes it turns out this way (at the time, we didn’t know your mommy was actually in transition). Finally, your daddy called for help and the nurse and midwife came in to see what kind of relief she wanted. She had been working so hard, but said she was feeling scared and didn’t think she could do it. As the epidural was being ordered, your daddy and I stayed in the room with your mommy. Your mommy began to feel the urge to push you out. I told your daddy to call the nurse to get someone back into the room. They were just outside the door. The midwife came in to check your mommy again and said that she could push if she wanted to. Just as she said that, the anesthesiologist came through the door and then left as quickly as he had come. Your mommy decided that she could do it after all. A few good pushes and you were born just shortly there after at 3:10pm. They put you right away on your mommy’s chest so you could have skin to skin contact and begin your breastfeeding. The placenta came about five minutes later. Mommy had to have a few stitches. You were a big boy, weighing 9 lb. and 10 oz., and 21 in. long.

While I stayed with your mommy to get cleaned up, your daddy went with you as you laid on the warmer in the room. He didn’t leave your side, it was so precious. After your mommy was finished, you got to eat right away. You started out being a great eater and I didn’t have to help out much with that part. I left you to bond with your mommy and daddy for a while before I left. You were expecting your grandparents and big sister to come and visit.

Thanks for letting me be a part of your birth. I enjoyed being there as you came into the world."

Written by Hannah Reasoner, Birth Doula

Get Support - Hire a Doula

Yesterday I was very excited to learn that www.naturalchildbirth.org had picked up my previous blog on the home birth and posted it on their blog! I have recently become a registered member of their organization (at no cost). It is a great website and forum for all aspects of pregnancy and birth. What a great way to network with other professionals as well as expectant mothers. Get ideas and support from a wide variety of people. Check out the site.

It all goes along with my belief that women need support and encouragement in every stage of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Women have been helping other women for thousands of years. There is no shame in asking for help or support. I believe that more women would choose to have a natural birth if they could have an advocate, such as a doula, there to encourage and comfort them. The absence of support can lead to the presence of fear or thoughts of "I cannot do this anymore".

Think back to when you were a child. Remember when you would fall on the sidewalk while you were playing outside and cry like the world was ending? Who was there to comfort your boo boo? Most likely it was your mother. She would kiss it and instantly you would be out running and playing again or getting back up on that bicycle. Mom was there to assure you that it was okay and if it happened again she would be right there to pick you up. This is how I view my role as a doula. I am there to encourage you and support you in your birth when you think or feel as though you "can't go on", because you CAN!

A Home Birth Story

Yesterday morning at about 2:00am I got the call. It was the call I had been waiting for for about two weeks. She said "Hannah, my water just broke and I am having really strong contractions." I said, "ok, I will be right over. She was having a home birth and lives about 25 minutes away. Surprisingly, I was not nervous or anxious despite the fact that this was only my second "natural birth" and the other one I had attended was not truly "natural" (that story is for another time). I had been praying a lot that I would have the instincts to know what to do for her when the time came. I had also been praying very specifically that I would be able to attend all of her birth and that the baby would not come at a time that I could not get to her immediately due to other obligations.

I arrived at their home at about 2:4oam. She was still in first stage labor and dealing very well with her contractions. We tried several different positions for her to be comfortable. I did some massaging on her back to ease her contractions as well. Ultimately she found the bathtub filled with warm water to be most comforting. She had prepared for this birth which The Bradley Method (taught by my friend Donna) and with hypnobirthing techniques. While in the tub, she became very peaceful and allowed her body to work for her not against her. So much so, that none of the midwives, nor I, could really tell when she was having contractions. Although extremely tired, she was very relaxed and trusted her body at that point. As she got close to second stage (pushing) she wanted to be out of the bathtub. As it was being drained for her to safely get out, she began to have the strong urge to push. It seemed as though she wasn't going to be getting out of the tub and that the birth was going to take place right there. With her husband and I at her head coaching her along, she had one midwife at her bottom and one midwife at her side. With several pushes a baby girl was born at 5:22am. Mother and baby bonded right away. After immediately nursing, mother and baby enjoyed an herbal bath together. Dad did an awesome job in his support roll for her. It isn't always easy to fully understand the needs of a laboring woman and, in my opinion, we worked together well to achieve the mothers needs. I stayed for about two hours postpartum to ensure mother, family and baby were doing well. The midwives were going to stay for a few hours as well. I will be visiting her at least one postpartum depending on her needs.

I feel very honored to have been a part of the birth. It is such an intimate experience for the family and to be asked to attend is such a wonderful feeling. I enjoy working along side women who desire to have an amazing and memorable birth experience. I know that having support and comfort during that time means a lot to moms..... and dads too!

And, I highly recommend the midwives at The Cleburne Birthing Center in Cleburne, TX. They were amazing!

Complimentary Doula Services

Before 2009 starts to get away from me before it is even here, I have decided to ensure I attend the births required for certification with DONA (Doulas of North America) early in 2009. I am offering complimentary birth doula services to the first four clients that sign a service agreement and who will be having their baby by April 2009. Let me know if you or anyone you know is interested in having a Birth Doula. I would love to share in your birth experience.

I will provide the following:

• Free initial consultation
  
• One prenatal visit
• Attend the entire birth, providing emotional and physical comfort measures, massage, and encouragement for mother and partner
  
• One postpartum visit
• Postpartum emails and phone follow-up

I may be reached at 817-386-3355 or (c)214-783-3668.

What is a doula?

Since beginning my training and certification as a doula, I have had a lot of people say to me "what is a doula"? I have been describing it as a birth coach, but it is so much more than that. So, I decided to get the definition down in writing for those who are interested.

A doula...

Is a woman who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during, and just after childbirth.

• Recognizes birth as a key life experience that the mother will remember all her life...
• Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor...
• Assists the woman and her partner in preparing for and carrying out their plans for the birth...
• Stays by the side of the laboring woman throughout the entire labor...
• Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures, an objective viewpoint and assistance to the woman in getting the information she needs to make good decisions...
• Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and clinical care providers...
• Perceives her role as one who nurtures and protects the woman's memory of her birth experience.

The acceptance of doulas in maternity care is growing rapidly with the recognition of their important contribution to the improved physical outcomes and emotional well-being of mothers and infants.

PostPartum doulas offer support at home in the weeks following the birth. This may range from anything to breastfeeding support, newborn care, cooking, light cleaning and more.