The Benefits of Having a Doula During labor.
The journey of childbirth is a transformative experience, and every parent deserves the best possible support during this significant event, while healthcare providers focus on the medial aspects, a doula offers personalized emotional, physical, and informational support. Here’s why having a doula during labor can make a world of difference:
Continuous Support Throughout Labor
Labor can be a long, unpredictable process. Doulas provide continuous care, staying by your side from early labor until your baby is born. Unlike some medical staff who may have shifts or other responsibilities, your doula’s sole focus is you, ensuring you feel supported every step of the way.
2. Reduced Medical Interventions
Research shows that having a doula present during labor can lead to fewer medical interventions. Including reduced rates of:
Cesarean sections
Epidural usage
Induction of labor
Doulas help create a calming environment, which can encourage the natural progression of labor and minimize the need for interventions.
3. Emotional Support for you and Your Partner
Labor can bring up a range of emotions- excitement, fear, and uncertainty. A doula provides reassurance, helping you feel empowered and informed. They also support your partner, guiding them on how to best assist you and alleviating their stress so they can be fully present.
4. Personalized Comfort Measures
Doulas are skilled in various comfort technique, including:
Breathing exercises
Massage
Position changes
Use of birthing tools like a birthing ball or rebozo
These techniques can reduce pain and increase your comfort, helping you stay focused and calm.
5. Advocacy and Informed Decision- Making
In the intensity of labor, it can be challenging to process medical information. Doulas helps you advocate, and ensures your preferences are respected and helping you understand your options. They do not make decisions for you but empower you to make choices that align with your birth plan/preferences.
6. Enhanced Birth Satisfaction
Studies have shown that people who have doulas report greater satisfaction with their birth experience. A doula’s presence fosters a sense of control, emotional safety, and overall positivity during this life-changing moment.
7. Postpartum Transition
Some doulas extend their support into the postpartum period (hint hint me 😀), helping you navigate breastfeeding, newborn care, and the emotional adjustments of parenthood. This continuity of care can be incredibly reassuring.
Is a Doula Right For You?
If you value personalized support and are looking for someone to walk with you through the physical and emotional aspects of labor, a doula can be an invaluable part of your birth team.
No matter the type of birth you’re planning–hospital, home, or birth center– doulas can adapt to your needs and preferences, ensuring you feel supported, informed, and cared for.
Are you considering hiring a doula?
Let’s chat about how I can support you in creating a positive and empowering birth experience!
What Does a Doulas Do? Facts and Myths
When it comes to pregnancy, childbirth, and postpartum care, the role of a doula often sparks curiosity and sometimes misconceptions. So, what exactly does a doula do, and how can we support you during this transformative journey? Let’s dive into the facts and debunk some common myths.
What is a doula?
A doula is a trained professional who provides physical, emotional and informational support to families before, during and after childbirth. Doulas are not medical professionals but are an integral part of the birth team. We work alongside healthcare providers to ensure that the birthing person feels empowered, informed and cared for.
Facts about Doulas
Emotional Support
Doulas provide continuous emotional support tailored to your needs. Whether it’s words of encouragement during labor or a listening ear during postpartum, our goal is to make you feel heard and understood.
2: Physical Support
During labor, doulas can help with comfort measures like massage, breathing techniques, and positioning to manage pain and facilitate progress.
3. Information Support
Doulas provide evidence- based information to help you make informed decisions. From creating a birth plan to understanding newborn care, our guidance is rooted in your goals and values.
4: Advocacy
While doulas don’t speak for you, we can help you voice your preferences and ensure your concerns are addressed by your care team.
5. Postpartum
Postpartum doulas assist families after birth with newborn care, location support, meal preparation, and emotional reassurance, helping to ease the transition into parenthood.
Common Myths About Doulas
Myth 1:Doulas only support Natural Births
Fact: Doulas support all types of births, whether it’s unmedicated, medicated, induced, or c-section. Our role is to support your choices, whatever they may be.
Myth 2: Doulas Replace Partners
Fact: A doula enhances that role of a partner by offering guidance and ensuring they feel confident and involved. We work as a team to support the birthing person.
Myth 3: Doulas Make Medical Decisions
Fact: Doulas do not provide medical care or make decisions for you. Instead, we offer information and tools to help you make your own choices.
Myth 4: Only Wealthy People Hire Doulas
Facts: Doulas services are becoming more accessible, with sliding scale fees, community programs, and some insurance plans covering our services. (Ohio medicaid covers doula services)👏
Myth 5: Doulas Judge Your Choices
Facts: Doulas we are non-judgemental, non-bias professionals who support you in making decisions that align with your values and needs.
Why Hire a Doula?
Research shows that having a doula can lead to better birth outcomes, including:
Lower rates of interventions like epidurals and c-sections
Shorter labor durations
Higher satisfaction with the birth experience.
Increased success in breastfeeding.
Doulas are more than just birth professionals; we are advocates, guides, and companions during one of the most profound experiences of your life. By separating fact from fiction, families can better understand how a doula can help make pregnancy, birth, and postpartum a more empowered and supported journey.
If you’re considering hiring a doula, let’s connect! I offer services as a labor doula, postpartum doula, and soon childbirth educator, tailored to meet your unique needs.
Have questions? Let’s talk!
Email: karissa@doulasofempowerment.com
Text/Call: (606)407-7724
The 5 S’s: The Art of Newborn Soothing
Bringing a newborn home is an exciting yet challenging time for new parents. One of the most common struggles is soothing a fussy baby. Dr. Harvey Karp, a renowned pediatrician developed the “5 S’s” method, which mimics the womb’s calming environment and helps settle newborns. Here’s how you can use the 5 S’s to soothe your baby effectively:
Swaddling
Swaddling involves wrapping your baby snugly in a lightweight blanket to recreate the cozy,secure feeling of the womb.Why It works: Newborns have a startle reflex that can wake them up or make them fussy. Swaddling helps calm this reflex by keeping their arms close to their bodies.
Tips:
Use a breathable swaddle blanket to prevent overheating
Ensure the swaddle is snug around the arms but loose at the hips to promote healthy hip development.
2. Side or Stomach Position
Holding your baby on their side or stomach can provide comfort and reliever fussiness.
Why it works: These positions help ease the discomfort of gas or colic and mimic the positions babies often take in the womb.
Tips:
Use this position only while holding your baby and ensure they are placed on their back for sleep.
Gently support your baby’s head and neck while holding them in this position.
3. Shushing
A loud, rhythmic “shhh”sound helps soothe a crying baby by mimicking the constant white noise they heard in the womb.
Why it works: Babies are accustomed to the loud whooshing sounds of blood flow and amniotic fluid. Shushing signals familiarity and safety.
Tips:
Use your own voice or a white noise machine.
Keep the sound loud enough to match your baby’s crying but not too loud to damage their hearing.
4. Sucking
Sucking is a natural reflex for newborns and a powerful way to self - soothe.
Why it works: Whether through breastfeeding, a pacifier, or a clean finger, sucking releases calming hormones that help babies relax.
Tips:
Offer a pacifier or let your baby nurse for comfort (if not overfeeding)
Ensure pacifiers and other sucking items are clean to prevent infections.
5. Swinging
Gentle, rhythmic movement mimics the motion babies felt while in the womb.
Why it works: Babies experience constant motion during pregnancy. Swinging or rocking soothes their vestibular systems, helping them feel calm.
Tips:
Rock your baby in your arms, use a baby swing, or walk with them in a carrier.
Avoid rough or jarring motions to ensure safety.
When to Seek Additional Help
While the 5 S’s can work wonders, persistent crying may indicate an underlying issue such as hunger, illness or discomfort. Always trust your instincts and consult a pediatrician if you suspect something is wrong.
We mad, you mad PMAD?
Postpartum depression can affect anyone, not just mothers but dads too. We all tend to get irritable, frustrated, and sad at times but maybe we might go a tad overboard. Even more so when hormones are all over or without enough sleep. Not only does PPD affect people directly but indirectly as well. It can put a strain on relationships because people don't know how to help or understand what exactly is going on. It can be hard to connect with your partner. All those extra hormones that were used to create life and give birth don’t disappear immediately after birth. Truthfully, it could take up to 1-2 years for your body to regulate those hormones. It is extremely important to focus on healing in the postpartum period, not just physically and emotionally too. Sometimes those cute little blessings can make a huge difference at home.
Most known as postpartum depression but it covers more it's called perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. No matter which one it is from baby blues to postpartum OCD, some last days to months, all should be taken seriously. I created a handout that highlights each PMAD to better understand. You are not alone if you experienced any of these feelings. We are here to support you and give you the resources you need.