Reasons to Have a Doula

There’s a lot of planning that goes into having a baby. If you’re a mom, especially for the first time, then you probably spend much of your pregnancy focusing on what to pack for the hospital, how to aid in your labor, and which interventions you’re going to forego. Another important consideration is whether or not you’re going to have a doula present during your labor and delivery. Many people think of doulas as an old-fashioned way of birth support and have images from Call the Midwife dancing in their head. But a doula can actually be especially vital during labor. A doula’s role is to support, coach, and advocate for the mom, baby, and dad. The doula is there as an extra set of hands that can be put to work during the, well, laborious moments of labor. This post explores the reasons to have a doula and why it can dramatically effect the outcome of your birth!

“So what’s a doula? Why do I need one? Isn’t that my partner’s role?

Doula. It’s Ancient Greek for “female servant.” No, I’m not one, so yes, this is an unbiased post on the necessity of having a birth support person beyond your partner. Consider her a birth support person for both you AND your partner. And your baby.

Every person for whom I’ve recommended a doula (now 4) said it was a lifesaver. She was invaluable. Their husband made a complete turn-around and went from suspicion to converting other partners. This is really a great addition to your birth team!

I’ll make my case for a doula in two parts (the bifurcated approach, thanks lawyerly instincts for teaching me to think in outline form):

1) She knows what’s going on.

She’s been here before, knows what comes next, and can help you make decisions as labor is full of unknowns and you may have to change your birth plan mid-stream. We had a few instances of needing to change our battle plan when SweetPea was on her way {Birth of Our Sweet Baby Girl}, once when I found out I was GSB positive at 5am after my water broke, and again when no labor had started 12 hours after said water breakage, to cite a few.

Also, there will most likely come a point during your labor, medicated or unmedicated {Unmedicated Birth: You Can Do It!–my story with SuperBoy}, wherein you experience fear, pain, and want someone who’s been with you all through your pregnancy to reassure you. A doula is your support pillar when you reach the feeling of not being able to continue. There’s a level of female-to-female trust that’s necessary.”