As your Birth Coach Doula, my care and support can take on many different forms that will influence your birth. So it’s very important that you feel comfortable with me and my role in the birth in order for our partnership to be successful.
What does a Birth Coach Doula do?
As a Birth Doula, I provide families with physical, emotional and informational support throughout the last weeks of pregnancy and into those moments of newborn parenthood. My priority will be to enhance the quality of your desired birth experience by working with you to elevate the involvement you want to have in the birth process. My support will be catered to your individual needs and will reflect the following 5 core competencies:
Self-advocacy Support: Your care network is a team and it’s important that we are all supporting you in the ways you need it. It’s my goal that you always feel heard and that your are able to communicate with your care providers and others members of your care team at all times.
Knowledge of Common Medical Interventions and Procedures: We will work together to form an understanding of how these options will affect your birth vision prenatally, so if the time comes to make a decision, you can commit with confidence.
Comfort Measures: There are a variety of comfort techniques to use during childbirth, with my help we’ll explore which methods you prefer most so you are practiced and prepared to bend and flow with ease.
Continuous Support During Labor and Delivery: Unlike other care providers, I will be with you from the very moment you think you feel those early signs to when you hold your baby for the first time.
Understanding the Physiology of Childbirth: Each stage of labor is expressed through different emotional, physical and mental displays. As your Doula, I will be able to educate you about these signs, guide you through them, and integrate comfort measures that can help advance your progress with respect to your baby and body’s spatial needs.
As a Coach, I believe that you possess an intrinsic ability to make the right decision about your care. It’s my belief that a satisfying birth is one that is organic to your unique needs and circumstances. My role will be to always encourage you and keep you focused on what you can achieve in the present.
What Are the Benefits of Doula Care?
Evidence Based Birth has compiled a wonderful article on the topic of Doula care and all the juicy benefits that come with it. To put it into numbers, having continuous care by a Doula offers you these odds:
- 39% decrease in the risk of Caesarean
- 15% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth
- 10% decrease in the use of any medications for pain relief
- Shorter labors by 41 minutes on average
- 38% decrease in the baby’s risk of a low five minute Apgar score
- 31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience
What doesn’t a Birth Coach and Doula do?
It’s important for you to understand that I cannot – and do not – guarantee a specific outcome for your birth. My goal is to help you have a satisfying birth as you define it. I am not a medical professional and I do not perform medical tasks such as blood pressure, fetal heart checks, or vaginal exams. My role is one of support and nonintervention. I cannot make decisions for you, nor will I take over any role of another member of your birth team like your partner or your care provider.
