Can A Doula Improve A Pregnancy?

Being pregnant is an exciting time of life and comes with many wonderful experiences and many uncomfortable times as well. The birth process is an unexplainable experience that hits a woman with a ton of emotions. There is something that can help to calm the new mother and make her experience more relaxing. Women can have a doula standing by during a pregnancy.

What does the term doula mean?

Doula is apart of Greek terminology meaning a woman’s servant. They are trained to help with the emotional and physical aspects of the pregnancy while properly informing women on the procedure. They can be essential to positive pregnancies and have been used for many years. Post-natal and labor care is assisted by a doula. Their whole purpose is to enhance and enrich the whole pregnancy experience so that the new mother has nothing but positive memories of the whole process.

The Job of a Doula

The first duty is to build a relationship of trust and comfort between her mother-to-be and herself. They should work on their bond with the women significantly before the birth. Expectant mothers have a lot of concerns, fears and questions that a professional can answer for them that will give the new mother confidence and comfort. Creating a plan for the birth is part of her job. A lot of conversations take place via telephone.

Medical care is not provided by doulas. They are educated on the process of prenatal, postnatal and labor care, but are not nurses. Pregnancy complications are also known by doulas. Vital symptoms are strictly taken by nurses even with a doula present.

Location of a Doula when Birthing

While the expectant mother is going through the birthing process she is close by and keeping constant check on her charge. Her job is to provide a sense of security and well being that takes the anxiety or fear out of the delivery. She may relax and position the mother and help her breath while providing massages at the mother’s request. Supporting and encouraging mother’s is her primary job.

Pros to Using a Doula

Safely and positively creating a well planned labor process is what she is there for. C-sections or natural births both utilize them in the same way. Having an expert present can make a patient less frightened.

Breastfeeding can be very stressful to new mothers. Breastfeeding assistance can be provided by them too. She may even assist in the bonding that needs to take place between the family members and the infant.

Statistics show that having the assistant of a doula can lessen the chance of an unexpected c-section. Also, the use of an epidural is decreased by sixty percent and the use of oxytocin by forty percent.

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