Birth Labor Support
A birth doula is a person trained and experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth.
- Where does the word “doula” come from?
The word “doula” comes from ancient Greek, meaning “Woman’s servant.” Throughout history and in much of the world today, a cadre of women support a woman through labor and birth, giving back rubs and providing continuous emotional support. Like their historical counterparts, today's birth doulas know how to help a woman in labor feel better. However, modern-day doulas are much more diverse than their predecessors.
- How does using a doula effect my partner?
My goal as a birth doula is to help you achieve the birth
YOU want - I will work with you and your partner to come to this...I offer my life experience and training in various techniques to comfort and help you experience your labor as a process. I am looking forward to meeting with you & your partner to discuss your birth. I offer several pre-natal visits (phone or in person) and support and will be in constant contant when labor begins. I will stay with you during all of your active labor, delivery and I will be there after the birth...
- What effects does the presence of a doula have on birth outcomes?
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth:
- tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications
- reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience
- reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction
- reduces the requests for pain medication and epidurals, as well as the incidence of cesareans.
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What is Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC)?
VBAC comes in many forms. At its most basic, VBAC is simply the vaginal birth of a child after a previous cesarean. For some mothers, this is listed as a "procedure" and for others it takes the form of HBAC (Home Birth After Cesarean), WBAC (Water Birth After Cesarean) and VBAmC (Vaginal Birth after Multiple Cesarean) and on and on. And for some mothers, their plannned VBAC will become a CBAC.
The point is simple. Only you have the right to choose whether or not to use your vagina. Vaginal birth is not a dirty word nor a procedure. Vaginal birth is the normal biological consequence of pregnancy, whether or not the mother has a prior cesarean. You deserve complete information about the risks of vaginal birth and elective cesarean so that you can make the healthiest choice possible for you and your baby. We’re not here to make your choices for you. We’re here to make sure that you understand that you HAVE the choice. After all, it’s still your body, your baby, your vagina and your uterus involved. Who else is better qualified to weigh the research and evidence and determine it’s importance in your life? - from ICAN.org website
Please CLICK on the arrow for an amazing VBAC birth of one of my clients - it was truly a wonderful experience - thank you for sharing it!!!!
