Between managing your symptoms, making sure Baby is healthy, and preparing for their arrival, all while still going about the rest of your life, you’ve got so much on your plate that it’s only natural you might want a little help along the way. Doulas are labor coaches who will help prepare you for delivery, and guide you through it.
What is a doula?
A doula is a professional labor coach who will help you prepare for delivery, both mentally and physically. Doulas are trained birthing experts that pregnant women can hire to help them get ready for their child’s arrival. A doula can be a great resource for you, as they will be able to answer any questions you have about delivery, and can provide excellent advice and emotional support as your journey to Baby winds down.
How does a doula help?
Because knowing about every facet of labor is the job, doulas can be a huge help when it comes to planning and practicing for delivery. Doulas will help you create a birth plan, and can explain everything that happens during labor, right down to the last contingency. Oftentimes, a doula will actually join you in the delivery room, as their knowledge and experience can be a huge resource for you, your partner, and the medical staff, and make the whole delivery process a much smoother one.
Even second or third time moms can benefit from a doula, because every pregnancy, and delivery is different. A doula can be an excellent resource to help prepare you for labor, but it’s important to note that they are not doctors, and have no specific OB-GYN training, and so may not be knowledgable about high-risk or complicated pregnancies. Anybody who is interested should do a bit of digging, and see if a doula may be right for them!
Read more
- Birth plans: delivery environment, pain management, and more
- Second time parents: twice around the block
Sources
- Rebecca Dekker. “The Evidence for Doulas.” Evidence Based Birth. Evidence Based Birth, 3/27/2013. Web.
- Yvonne Butler Tobah. “What are the benefits of having a doula?” Mayo Clinic. Mayo Clinic, 1/15/2016. Web.
