Doulas and Labor Support

©1992 Beth Weiss, Posted to misc.kids Usenet newsgroup, July 27, 1992

My Experience

A doula is a woman experienced in childbirth who acts as additional labor support for the couple.  Notice that she supports the couple, not just the mom.  I haven't posted my labor story yet (c'mon, it's only been 3 days--let's leave Tigger as the undisputed champ there :-), but I did have a doula--and it made an incredible difference, since I had a very rough time.  (The doula thought I had a rough time, and she's been a childbirth educator for 10 years)

My husband said that there was more to do than one person could handle.  Having another person there throughout my labor was really positive for him, since it meant there was someone else to help.

• Rub my back and feet
• Talk to the nurse
• Adjust my pillows
• One person could help me by breathing with me while the other watched the monitor and warned me a contraction was starting, peaking, over
• When the doula told me I was doing great, I believed her, since she had lots of experience--I didn't believe my husband
• When I responded in a different (sometimes panicked way), the doula knew what to do, and then my husband could do that the next time
• When one of them had to leave the room (toilet, get ice chips, whatever), I wasn't left alone  [this was good even if one just left my side to wet a washcloth]
• It took 2 people to help disconnect me to go the bathroom [disconnect monitors, move IV stand]
• the doula stayed with me in the bathroom--for me, that was more comfortable than having my husband with me when I was on the toilet
• The doula's level of emotional involvement was somewhere between the nurse (who'd I never met before) and my husband (who loves me dearly :-)--that really helped, since she was more detached than my husband, but she cared a lot more than the hospital's medical staff
• The doula took pictures while my husband was still right at my side
• My husband could be with the baby at the warmer and then, followed him to the nursery, and the doula was still with me so I still had some support 
• The nurse didn't hang out in our room the way she might of had I not had such great support.  I was pleased by that, since I didn't really care that much for the day-shift nurse I was assigned
• We forgot lots of stuff we learned in our childbirth class and through reading--the doula reminded us of lots of stuff, including how to breathe when pushing.

It really helped me a lot to have a doula there, and I suspect I would have had an even worse time had she not been there.

Information in General

Information provided by the Childbirth Education Associating in Tucson.

"The Doula is an age old concept which is suddenly emerging as a revolutionary way to help manage labor.  A 'Doula' is a woman experienced in childbirth who assists the laboring mother.  She is different from your coach.  Her job is to provide continuous support and comfort to both the mother and the father until the baby arrives.

"Exciting new evidence shows that while the hospital can provide high tech known-how, a Doula can give the mother the high-support nurturing she needs in labor.

"Researchers have found significant benefits [note from BW: I think was in a Houston hospital] for those women supported by a Doula as opposed to those who are not.  The impressive list of findings included reductions in cesarean section, epidural anesthesia, oxytocin augmentation, forceps deliveries, and the rates of prolonged infant hospitalization and maternal fever.

"Our Doulas are experienced women trained and certified by C.E.A. to provide emotional and physical support to you, while in no way interfering with your Doctor or the hospital staff.  She is a support person the couple has already met and feels comfortable with.  Unlike hospital personnel, she will stay with you through the duration of labor."