What Does A Doula REALLY Do?

If you’ve been researching doulas and what they can offer during childbirth, you’ve probably read something like the following on a so many different  websites:

“Doulas offer resources and education during prenatal and postpartum visits,  provide emotional and physical support as comfort measures during birth,and advocate for your birth choices”

But what does a doula do during the actual birth process? What does doula support really look like on the big day or days of birthing?

1) A doula will help you track your birthing sensations and help you decide when to call your midwife or head to the hospital:

… when you’re in the birth process, it can be really helpful to just do your thing and not get caught up in clock-watching. A watched-pot and all that. Whether you are having a home birth or a hospital birth, a doula can support you before your midwife arrives or before you go to the hospital by helping you be as comfortable as possible, reassuring you that everything is normal, and helping you keep an eye on the pattern of sensations so you can focus on birthing!

2) A doula will get your birthing pool set up…

(if you’re having a home water-birth):

…if you are planning a home water birth, a birth pool is an amazing thing to have on hand.

A doula will help you get settled in at the hospital

(if you are having a hospital birth):

…if you are having a hospital birth, a doula can help you on the move from home to hospital. It is ideal to stay home for as long as possible, and a doula can make this easier to accomplish by helping you feel more comfortable and supported at home, supporting you in the car ride, and making sure you know where to go and what to do upon arriving at the hospital. 

A doula will work with your partner to help you get comfortable:

…doulas and partners make really good teams. While your partner provided lots of love and a sense of familiar safety.  Partners and Doula take turns refilling the birthing person’s water glass and getting her cool cloths. Them and doulas are usually very good friends by the end of a birth… your partner will text or call during early birthing to keep your doula posted and get tips for how to best support you, and they will work together to help you feel relaxed and comfortable.

A doula will wipe your brow & remind you to breathe

…often the things clients appreciate the most about doula support are the little things. A cool cloth appearing on your forehead at just the right moment. A calm smile and someone who will simply breathe with you. Passing your partner a glass of water to hold up to your lips between sensations. Sitting with a lot of different birthing people during birth allows your doula to pick up on what you want without you needing to come out of “labour-land” to ask for it, often before you even realize you want it.

They squeeze your hips or not (depending on position of the baby and your midwifes approval…) trust me, it feels GOOD!

… I keep talking about the hip-squeeze. Birthing people REALLY seem to like it. Your doula can also show your partner how to do it, so they can take credit for giving you some awesome comfort, and so the everyone’s biceps get a break (it’s harder to sustain than it looks!)

They help your partner feel confident:

…feeling at ease in the birth room is often much easier for dads if there is a doula present.

Your doula will tidy up post-home-birth…

You’ll never know you birthed in your living room if you have a home birth.  We can even whisk away your placenta and encapsulate it if you like.

…after a home birth, I will try to toss in a load of laundry (birth takes a lot of towels!), load the dishwasher, and just do a general tidy-up so you and your partner can focus on your new baby. Most doulas will disassemble the birth pool if you were using one.

A doula supports you with words of encouragement (and her arms and shoulders):

…sometimes, all you need is someone to whisper “just like that”, “the sensations are only as strong as you are”, or guide you through relaxing your body between sensations. Other times, what you’ll want is someone to support your leg or a shoulder to prop your foot up on. Sometimes, you want all three at once while your partner holds your hand.

They guide you through your first round of chest-feeding:

… the first moments of chest feeding are bonding time for you and baby. A little nuzzle at your chest gets your baby a few drops of colostrum and stimulates oxytocin and milk production. Your doula can help you feel confident and comfortable as you play with breastfeeding for the first time.

They will share in your emotion:

In addition to what is listed here, doulas do a so much more. They do a lot of behind-the-scenes work, like making sure everyone is fed and hydrated, giving the partner a well-deserved rest periodically, getting medical staff copies of your birth plan and reminding staff of your priorities.

If circumstances change during the birth and new options are presented to you, your doula will help you ask important informed consent questions to make sure you feel like you understand your choices and can make informed decisions.

What’s the moral of the story?

Get a doula. Add a birth photographer. Have a gentle and informed birth, and remember it with photos you will always treasure.

Explore further details about my doula services, or call 601-341-5835 to set up a free initial interview. Make sure to ask about adding a birth photographer to your team, as well!