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 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 experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.
3. Does a birth doula replace nursing staff?
No. Doulas do not replace nurses or other medical staff. 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, while respecting a woman’s decisions.
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.
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 as one of the doulas in Kamloops, I have developed a few different options to make it more feasible for you. Please contact me to discuss options.
7. Are there any First Nations subsidies available?
If you are aboriginal, you may qualify for the doula grant which is available to cover prenatal prenatal education, doula care and breastfeeding education. 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 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 experience, make more positive assessments of their babies, have fewer cesareans and requests for medical intervention, and less postpartum depression.
3. Does a birth doula replace nursing staff?
No. Doulas do not replace nurses or other medical staff. 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, while respecting a woman’s decisions.
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.
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 as one of the doulas in Kamloops, I have developed a few different options to make it more feasible for you. Please contact me to discuss options.
7. Are there any First Nations subsidies available?
If you are aboriginal, you may qualify for the doula grant which is available to cover prenatal prenatal education, doula care and breastfeeding education. www.bcaafc.com/programs/doula-support
