Intuitive Doula is a website where you can apply to take doula training sessions. After taking this course you can contact Carla Stange, a registered midwife to become a doula in association with her self and Marilyn Lemos, a certified childbirth educator and birth assistant with a BA in Psychology. On her website she gives a definition of what a doula does and what the job entails. “A doula offers continuous presence and emotional care, comfort measures and an understanding of the laboring woman's desires for her birth. Beside her partner there may be no other person to provide a continuous presence, and the doula, unlike a doctor, a nurse, or a midwife, has no other obligation during labor other than the woman in labor. A doula's ability to remain calm and objective may prove invaluable.”
This website includes a short autobiography of Laura Gigantino, a certified Doula. She begins by giving her background story and the reason why she became a Doula. “When I was thirteen, I helped a family friend with her newborn while she worked from home part time. I loved spending time with the baby, watching him grow and learning all the little joys of infancy. The same friend became pregnant two more times in the next few years. I continued to spend a lot of my time with her and her growing family and felt honored to be a part of such an amazing thing - the family unit! Observing all of the smiles, tears, ups and downs made me realize how amazing life is. This wonderful experience, among others, sparked my interest in human and family development.”
What is a doula?
The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.
A Birth Doula
· Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
· Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
· Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
· Stays with the woman throughout the labor
· Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decision
· Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers
· Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience
· Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level
A birth doula certified by DONA International is designated by the initials CD(DONA).Research evidence shows that the quality services of a postpartum doula can ease the transition that comes with the addition of a baby to a family, improve parental satisfaction and reduce the risk of mood disorders.
A Postpartum Doula
· Offers education, companionship and nonjudgmental support during the postpartum fourth trimester
· Assists with newborn care, family adjustment, meal preparation and light household tidying
· Offers evidence-based information on infant feeding, emotional and physical recovery from birth, infant soothing and coping skills for new parents and makes appropriate referrals when necessary
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/havingadoula.html
What are the benefits of having a doula?
What about the father's role when using a doula?
Are doulas only useful if planning an un-medicated birth?
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/labornbirth/havingadoula.html
What are the benefits of having a doula?
Numerous studies have revealed the benefits of having a doula present during labor. A recent Cochrane Review, Continuous Support for Women During Childbirth, revealed a very high number of positive birth outcomes when a doula was present. When a doula was present, women were less likely to have pain relief medications administered, less likely to have a cesarean birth, and reported having a more positive childbirth experience1. Find a Doula Now.
Other studies have shown that having a doula as part of the birth team decreases the overall cesarean rate by 50%, the length of labor by 25%, the use of oxytocin by 40% and the request for an epidural by 60%2.
Doulas often use the power of touch and massage to reduce stress and anxiety during labor. According to physicians Marshal Klaus and John Kennell, massage helps stimulate the production of natural oxytocin. The pituitary gland secretes natural oxytocin to the bloodstream which causes uterine contractions and also secretes it to the brain, which results in a feeling of well being, drowsiness and a raised pain threshold. Synthetic IV oxytocin cannot cross into the blood stream and brain, so it increases contractions without the positive psychological effects of natural oxytocin.
What about the father's role when using a doula?
The role of the doula is never to take the place of the husband or partner in labor, but to compliment and enhance their experience. Today, many husbands are taking a more active role in the birth process, but some partners feel that this is a huge expectation and would rather be able to enjoy the delivery without having to stand in as labor coach. With a doula as a part of the birth team, a father can do whatever he feels comfortable with at each moment. Doulas can encourage the father to use comfort measures and can step in when he needs a break. Having a doula allows the father to be able to support his partner emotionally during labor and birth and also enjoy it himself without the pressure to remember everything he learned in childbirth class!
Are doulas only useful if planning an un-medicated birth?
The presence of a doula can be beneficial no matter what type of birth you are planning. Many women do report needing fewer interventions when they have a doula, but the role of the doula is to help you have a safe and pleasant birth, not to choose your type of birth. For women who know they want a medicated birth, the doula still provides emotional support, informational support and comfort measures to help the women through labor and the administration of medications. Doulas can work alongside medication by helping mom deal with possible side effects and filling in the gap that medication may not cover; rarely does medication take all discomfort away.
For a mother who faces a cesarean, a doula can be helpful by providing constant support and encouragement. Often a cesarean is an unexpected situation and moms are left feeling unprepared, disappointed and lonely. A doula can be with the mother at all times throughout a cesarean, explaining what is going on throughout the procedure while the partner is able to attend to the baby and accompany the newborn to the nursery if problems arise.
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