Birth doula FAQs
What does a birth doula do?
When it comes to birth, women have always supported women.
In the old days, when all births took place at home, women would come together to guide and care for a woman during pregnancy and support her physically and emotionally during labour and the postnatal period. All women understood the importance of this rite of passage and were familiar with the rhythms of labour and birth.
A modern birth doula is a return to this tradition, but in a professional capacity. I get to know you during pregnancy, helping you build your birth plan, learn ways to manage pain in labour, and connect with resources so you feel confident making decisions that are right for you.
During labour I:
help create an environment where you feel emotionally safe and supported so that labour can unfold as normally as possible
suggest positions to progress labour, applying hands-on comfort measures including massage and counter pressure to help you manage pain
support your partner so that they can support you to the best of their ability
advocate for you in the birth room. My role is to help you navigate the maternity system and make informed decisions, and to uphold your preferences for birth.
What are the benefits of hiring a birth doula?
The day you give birth is a day you’ll never forget. You deserve a deeply satisfying and richly rewarding experience. Surrounding yourself with support is essential.
A birth doula is someone who gets to know you and your partner during pregnancy, who knows your preferences for birth and stays with you throughout every contraction until your baby is in your arms, providing emotional and physical support.
According to a Cochrane review, women who receive continuous labour support from a trained professional are:
less likely to give birth via caesarean
more likely to give birth without vacuum or forceps
less likely to use pain medications
more likely to be more satisfied with their births
have shorter labours.
What’s the difference between a doula and a midwife?
Birth doulas are not medical providers. I do not perform any medical or clinical care. I cannot make medical decisions for you and will not speak to medical staff regarding matters where health care decisions are to be made. My role is to support you in discussions with care providers, making sure you fully understand your options and have the opportunity to voice your concerns and to ask questions before making a decision.
When should I book in?
The earlier the better, but it’s never too late.
I like to meet with you up to four times during pregnancy to work on your birth preferences, skills to manage labour pain, planning for postpartum and to help reduce any fears you may have around birth.
Does your birth doula service include birth education?
My Lamaze comfort measures and pain relief class is included in my doula service. Apart from that, my role as a doula is not birth education. Rather, it is connecting you with evidence-based information if something arises during pregnancy which you’d like to read more about.
I encourage you to attend a birth education class before our appointments so that you have a good understanding of birth and your options before we begin working together.
Postpartum doula FAQs
What does a postpartum doula do?
Postpartum doulas are all about ‘mothering the mother’. In our modern society, we live very busy, isolated lives. A postpartum doula is a return to the village way of supporting mothers and families through this important time of life, whether it’s your first child or your fourth.
I visit you regularly at home in the first six weeks after birth with a focus on caring for you so that you can rest, recover and care for your baby.
I love nurturing new mothers and families through food. I bring nutritious homemade meals and snacks to help you stay nourished and fuelled for breastfeeding.
I offer experienced hands for assisting with bub as well as helping out with light housework to ease the domestic burden, be it tidying, washing or folding. But most of all I bring encouragement, reassurance and sisterhood.
My partner has time off after birth. Isn’t a postpartum doula a bit unnecessary?
I respectfully disagree!
Of course partners can be a wonderful support, but often until you’ve had a baby, you just don’t know what you don’t know. Often new mothers are surprised by how much of the day is spent breastfeeding and cuddling your baby. It’s actually difficult to get anything done, even for partners!
The Fourth Trimester is a time where you experience the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. It’s a time of huge change and adjustment, and it’s really important to prioritise your rest and recovery and to focus on establishing breastfeeding and bonding with your new baby.
We spend lots of time planning for our birth but often nowhere near enough time planning for our postpartum. A postpartum doula is an investment in your start to motherhood. Looking after yourself is the first step to looking after your baby. You need it and you deserve it.
Lamaze education FAQs
What is Lamaze?
Established in 1960, Lamaze International is a non-profit organisation that promotes a natural, healthy and safe approach to pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting.
Lamaze education and practices are based on the best, most current medical evidence available. They can help reduce the use of unnecessary interventions and improve overall outcomes for mothers and babies.
Lamaze takes the mystery out of childbirth. It helps you better understand how your body works and what you can do to benefit yourself and your baby during the childbirth process. Lamaze helps you feel more prepared for birth, so you can achieve a safe and healthy experience.
According to Lamaze International:
Birth is normal, natural and healthy.
The experience of birth profoundly affects women and their families.
Women’s inner wisdom guides them through birth.
Women’s confidence and ability to give birth is either enhanced or diminished by the care provider and place of birth.
Women have the right to give birth free from routine medical interventions.
Birth can safely take place in homes, birth centres and hospitals
Childbirth education empowers women to make informed choices in health care, to assume responsibility for their health and to trust their inner wisdom.
What’s the Lamaze approach all about?
The Lamaze approach is based on six healthy birth practices that support normal birth:
Let labour begins on its own
Freedom of movement throughout labour
Continuous labour support
No routine interventions
Spontaneous pushing in upright or gravity-neutral positions
No separation of mother and baby after birth with unlimited opportunity for breastfeeding
What’s the difference between Lamaze and other independent education classes?
People often ask me what makes Lamaze birth education different to other classes. Great question!
Firstly, Lamaze is evidence-based education. We provide you with up to date research on birth practices and interventions so you feel confident asking your care provider questions and making decisions that are right for you.
Secondly, Lamaze classes aren’t about teaching you one particular skill or technique to ‘learn’ for labour. Rather, it’s about educating you to see your body is brilliantly designed for birth, and providing you with a variety of tools to help you manage pain and support the birthing process.
Thirdly, we don’t just stop at birth. Lamaze covers the fourth trimester, what to expect and what’s biologically normal in those first few months.
I plan on doing a hospital antenatal class. What’s the benefit of doing a Lamaze education class instead of or in addition to the hospital class?
Hospital antenatal classes are often large and don’t cater to individual requirements or allow you to easily ask questions. They’re often focused on the logistics of giving birth in that particular hospital and have a very medical approach to labour and birth, drawing on outdated medical evidence.
My classes are tailored to meet your needs and interests, and they’re one-on-one, run in the comfort of your own home, so it’s relaxed and conversational and I encourage you to interject and ask as many questions as you like.
They’re also practical and interactive, so you walk away with a range of tools to use in labour to help support the birthing process and manage pain.
Lamaze classes incorporate the latest medical evidence on birth practices and interventions, so you can really assess your options before making decisions for your birth.