Common Questions
1. What is a birth doula?
A birth doula is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational birth support/labour support to the mother and birth partner, before, during and just after childbirth.
2. What effects does the presence of a birth doula have on the mother?
When a doula is present during and after childbirth, women report greater satisfaction with their birth jouney, have fewer cesareans, medical interventions, or postpartum complications.
3. If I have a midwife already, why would I need a doula also?
It is a personal choice. The best way I can describe it, is that a midwife works from the waist down and is mainly responsible for all things medical for you and baby (with a douse of motherly love) and a doula works from the waist up, mothering the mother if you will. Providing not only informational support, but physical comfort measures and position suggestions to help get baby into an optimal position to aid in a more efficient labour.
3. Does a birth doula replace nursing staff?
No. Doulas do not replace nurses or other medical staff. I see the nurses and care provider as other members of your birth team. We all work together for the families we serve. Doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. They are there to comfort and support the mother and to enhance communication between the mother and medical professionals.
4. Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
A doula does not make decisions for clients or intervene in their clinical care. She provides informational and emotional support, in order for families to feel confident in making informed choices during the labour and birth
5. Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?
No, a doula is supportive to both the mother and her partner, and plays a crucial role in helping a partner become involved in the birth to the extent he/she feels comfortable. More often than not, a doula makes your partner look better. :)
6. What if I can't afford a doula but really want labour support?
It is my philosophy that anyone who wants a doula should have one, so I have developed a few different options to make it more feasible for you. Please contact me to discuss
7. Are there any subsidies or grants available for doulas?
If you identify as aboriginal, you may be eligible for the doula grant which is available to cover a portion of birth doula care www.bcaafc.com/programs/doula-support
A birth doula is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational birth support/labour support to the mother and birth partner, before, during and just after childbirth.
2. What effects does the presence of a birth doula have on the mother?
When a doula is present during and after childbirth, women report greater satisfaction with their birth jouney, have fewer cesareans, medical interventions, or postpartum complications.
3. If I have a midwife already, why would I need a doula also?
It is a personal choice. The best way I can describe it, is that a midwife works from the waist down and is mainly responsible for all things medical for you and baby (with a douse of motherly love) and a doula works from the waist up, mothering the mother if you will. Providing not only informational support, but physical comfort measures and position suggestions to help get baby into an optimal position to aid in a more efficient labour.
3. Does a birth doula replace nursing staff?
No. Doulas do not replace nurses or other medical staff. I see the nurses and care provider as other members of your birth team. We all work together for the families we serve. Doulas do not perform clinical or medical tasks such as taking blood pressure or temperature, monitoring fetal heart rate, doing vaginal examinations or providing postpartum clinical care. They are there to comfort and support the mother and to enhance communication between the mother and medical professionals.
4. Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
A doula does not make decisions for clients or intervene in their clinical care. She provides informational and emotional support, in order for families to feel confident in making informed choices during the labour and birth
5. Will a doula make my partner feel unnecessary?
No, a doula is supportive to both the mother and her partner, and plays a crucial role in helping a partner become involved in the birth to the extent he/she feels comfortable. More often than not, a doula makes your partner look better. :)
6. What if I can't afford a doula but really want labour support?
It is my philosophy that anyone who wants a doula should have one, so I have developed a few different options to make it more feasible for you. Please contact me to discuss
7. Are there any subsidies or grants available for doulas?
If you identify as aboriginal, you may be eligible for the doula grant which is available to cover a portion of birth doula care www.bcaafc.com/programs/doula-support
