Preparing For Birth |

Doulas Provide Emotional Support

Supporting Women Through Labor

Throughout history, women have always provided support and help to other women during childbirth. Today, this age-old practice of bringing comfort and reassurance to the birth mother, in effect “mothering the mother,” has re-emerged in the form of the modern “doula.” At Woman’s Hospital, doulas are seen as a patient advocate, working hand in hand with the nurses and physicians so that mother and baby are given physical and emotional support.

What is a doula?

Local resident Renee Johnson has been working as a doula even before her profession was called “doula.” Since 1980, she has been teaching childbirth classes and providing consistent reassurance, comfort, encouragement, and respect to women during childbirth. In 1992, she and business partner Karen Gazzea founded “Birth Help,” a non-profit organization committed to helping women and their partners. According to Johnson, doulas do not perform clinical tasks, such as vaginal exams or fetal heart rate monitoring, and they do not give medical advice or make medical decisions for their clients. Rather, doulas fill another important role. They provide emotional and informational support to women and their partners during childbirth to achieve a safe and satisfying experience.

To contact Birth Help, please call 225-768-7686 or visit their site at www.birthhelp.com. As certified doulas and trainers with DONA, the professionals at Birth Help teach other women to do what they do through an apprentice program, and continually work hard to protect the professional reputation they have achieved. As a nonprofit organization, they are actively pursuing grants and other avenues to ensure all women have access to a doula.

Doulas help support the family-centered care approach at Woman’s Hospital

Family-centered care means Woman’s Hospital focuses on the entire family, and that means husbands and partners, too. Today partners are simply expected to play a vital role in the birth of their baby. Yet, for a variety of reasons, including cultural or religious norms; physical ailments, such as an inability to tolerate blood; or maybe even an unexpected delay in reaching the hospital, some men

Making a difference

It’s a misunderstanding, however, to think doulas completely take the place of the husband or birth partners during childbirth.In fact, the doula and the father of the baby provide essential support for each other. Together they make the perfect team with each playing a unique role in helping the mother.

Research findings

Research gathered by DONA, Doulas of North America, a national organization that certifies, promotes and supports doulas, shows that when a doula is introduced into the labor room, the bond between mother and infant is enhanced as well as the mother’s self-esteem.

Using a doula is a personal choice that can help a patient feel better. The doula can provide an extra measure of control for a patient.

The age of the expectant mother is also a factor to consider. Doulas benefit very young patients by enhancing their knowledge about what is happening during pregnancy and what will happen during labor and delivery.

Women without partners

Women without partners also benefit from the support of a doula during childbirth. A woman who is single, or one who doesn’t have a mother, sister, or friend to take the place of her partner could gain valuable support and encouragement through childbirth by using a doula.

For more information on doulas - visit the DONA website at www.dona.com.