What is a doula???????

[peaches]

I have read a few threads here refering to doula but i do not know what it is???? :idea:

[bigglet]

Basically a doula is a labor and birth professional (usually a woman) who provides emotional and physical support to you during labor/birth.
They will help guide you and support you, help you with your birth plan and is the go-between your family and hospital staff.

A lot of people use a doula to help them have a natural birth.

[annsam]

..........Not to mention the medical and emotional benefits of good prenatal, postnatal and labour support for mum, dad and baby that has been proven in many studies around the world some of those being reduced c/s rates, higher VBAC rates, less forcep & vacuum extractions, less narcotics used, shorter labours, less time in special care nurseries, higher success rates bf, longer bf, mums reporting more satisfaction with babies and partners after birth, lower rates of PND and many many more.

You dont have to want a natural birth to have a doula, most women who hire one are aiming for a natural birth but a doula will help you prepare for and support you through what ever birth you are planning or hoping for.

Its not for everyone but those who do use them, love them.

[Loving_mumma]

Does it cost anything to have one?

[annsam]

Usually free for a student other than out of pocket costs and between $400 - $1000 for a qualified one depending on experience, training, location and expectations of the family.

[Fitmumma]

I have read a few threads here refering to doula but i do not know what it is???? :idea:

I am glad to have found this thread as I was wondering the same thing:smiliedance:
What sort of training/study is involved in becoming a doula?

[1+1=5]

i would love to have a doula but i could never afford one. its a great idea though!

[shed]

I had the best doula in the whole universe and it didn't cost me a cent.

I got a trainee. She was unreal, so enthusiastic and fully trained. They have to do three free births as part of their training, and I was number three.

[ImSethsMum]

Thanks for this thread. I thought I was totally stupid as Id never heard of a doula and Im from a rather large family and no one else in the family had either. After a horrific experience having my son - I wish Id know about doulas beforehand - would have been a big help to me emotionally and physically. I dont plan on having any more after that experience but if there were ever an 'accident' I think I will be hiring a doula - whether we can afford it or not!
Thanks,
Kelly

[lilpearl]

The training involved in becoming a doula can depend on the course. When interviewing doulas, be sure to ask them who they trained through, as there have been cases of people calling themselves a 'doula' without any real/legit training. A doula is trained in normal physiological birth (she has a very in-depth knowledge of how the brain and hormones work during labour and will help you to understand your body and the process, enabling you to let go of any fears you may have surrounding birth, {due to conditioning through media or the "horror stories" that some like to share in the belief that birth is something to be endured for the sake of having children}). Most people who employ a doula end up loving the birth process, because they are empowered with knowledge of their bodies true abilities, they have a lot less fear, they are encouraged to stay active, and all these things lead to far less pain, far less intervention, and quicker, more satisfying labours in general.

A doula is also trained to have a sound knowledge of interventions that may take place, including caesarean section, monitoring, induction, and pain medication, so that she can give un-biased, balanced information to enable you to make informed choices during pregnancy and birth.

A doula is qualified to offer optimal physical and emotional support suring labour. She will know positions that encourage good progression of labour, and positons and interventions that may slow labour down or have other consequences.

A doula cannot act in any medical way, as she has no medical training. A doula offers physical, informational and emotional support to a mother and her other support people during pregnancy, labour and post-birth. Most doulas offer a package so that you catch up with them at least three or four time before the birth to have a great chat, get to know one another, answer questions, and help construct a birth plan, as well as practice any relaxation strategies you may want to use during labour itself.

Considering the months of training a doula goes through (which costs her a lot of money), the time, effort, passion she puts into her work, the fact she is on-call to a mother 24/7 from 38 weeks to 42 weeks gestation, the fact she remains with you throughout labour, continuously, and all the information she'll give, books she will lend, and masses of photo-copied material she'll supply, a doula is a bargain at around $900 for a package. Remember too, a doula can't take on more than a client or two per month, as she is on-call to one at a time, so her fee certainly doesn't make her enough money to live on). However, if one can't afford this, student doula's are always looking for their student birth, and will come armed with enthusiasm and passion, and most doulas are mothers themselves. It's a combination of knowledge and instinct that makes a doula really special.

[ImSethsMum]

Thank you for that info! Wish I had known all of this before I had my son :)
Luv Kel