Freebirth - Your Doula's Role

[BreithCuidiu]

I would like to know your thoughts on a Doula's role in freebirth. What would be your expectations? And what do you assume she would do for you?

[Lillynix]

I'd just want her to be there to support me in the sense of being encouraging, a massage or two, bringing things to me, food, blankets, whatever else I may ask for. To help entertain older children if they are present, nothing more than that kind of support.

However, if I knew that my doula was extremely well knowledged in the physiological aspect of birth and very experienced (like a lay midwife) and I needed help with something relating to the birth or my baby, I would ask for her help, of course still putting sole responsibility on myself if something were to happen, afterall it is my choice to freebirth and I am knowingly asking for assistance from a non-qualified woman.

[kymmy]

I doubt I would need one. (Personal reasons)
I had my husband and all I expected from him was to fill the pool, take photos, cut the cord, and change nappies in the first day or so! Also clean the pool.
So I guess most of those things a doula would do?

[AM]

Great question!

She's going to be my slave!! :laughing: How often in this day and age could you say you have a slave? ;)

OK...seriously...

My doula will support and encourage me during labour, she will most likely keep an eye on birth pool temp and help dp with keeping it to the optimal temp (cripes, I realised just now I have no idea what that temp is..anyone care to enlighten me???)

Some lower back massage if I want/need it.

She'd be with me if I decide to transfer to hospy for any reason, keeping all medicos at bay ;) :laughing:

After the birth she is going to prepare the placenta for me as I want to freeze pieces of it to eat to help minimise the chances of a pnd recurrence.

She will most likely take some pics if she has time, dp is going to be focussing on the children, so she will be able to concentrate on me :D (My dp is a nervous wreck at births, so he's going to be kind of in the background, he'd love to be at the pub actually...:rolleyes:)

She'll kind of just 'be there' really. I would LOVE my mum to be at this birth, but as she has a phobia of flying, and lives in NZ, it is not going to happen, thus my feeling of wanting a doula as support.

I'm sure she would not be adverse to whipping me up a sandwich after the birth as well. lol

And I have been talking to her lately about my great fears about PND coming back again, and she has assured me that I am quite welcome to call her days, weeks, or even months after the birth if necessary for support anytime if I feel I need it.

So lovely...

[kymmy]

(cripes, I realised just now I have no idea what that temp is..anyone care to enlighten me???)





About 37 degrees.
J was just waiting for the water to get to that. !!!

[AM]

Thanks :)

[Tam-I-Am]

About 37 degrees.

:iagree: 36 to 37 degrees is optimum - body temperature, basically, so there's little-to-no difference between inside and outside for bub, and they don't take a breath before you bring them to the surface :)

[SaraJ]

(cripes, I realised just now I have no idea what that temp is..anyone care to enlighten me???)

Dr Sarah J Buckley qutoes in her book Gentle Birth, Gentle Mothering:



One recommendation was that pool temperature should be below 35 degrees in the first stage of labour, and 35 to 37 degrees at the time of birth. The labouring woman's body temperature should be checked regularly.


HTH!

[Freya]

I agree with everything AM said!

Plus she is bringing all the oils, scales and a homeopath kit.

She's preparing the placenta aswell...

Plus she is giving me alot of emotional support and will continue to do so throughout my pregnancy.