In many cultures throughout history women have been attended and supported in childbirth by other women. Recent scientific controlled studies show that when a professional labor support doula is with the mother, she and her baby have a better birth experience. Women are more comfortable, have shorter labors, experience fewer complications, have less need for pain medications, have a lowered cesarean birth rate, achieve greater maternal satisfaction, and improved bonding with , and mothering of her infant after birth, when given the continuous one-on-one presence and support of a labor support doula. Kairos Holistic Healing Arts Birth Support Services operates as a professional, high quality birth support service, working in cooperation and partnership with labor nurses, doctors and midwives, to add to and enhance the quality of maternity care , with the addition of physical, emotional, psychosocial and educational support. A doula or childbirth assistant is a healthcare professional who helps to promote a healthy pregnancy by offering non-medical support and care through education, guidance, and counseling during pregnancy, labor and birth. She is available to the pregnant patient to answer questions about her pregnancy and upcoming labor, to assist her to prepare for her birth, and to clarify issues that may arise at her obstetric visits or as her pregnancy progresses. A doula can help to maintain open communication with the woman’s caregiver, and work to enhance their relationship and assist in forging a bond of trust, which will help during labor, allowing the woman to relax and surrender to the birth process. A doula advocates for active participation in pregnancy and labor, and offers continuous one-on-one physical and emotional support throughout the entirety of a woman’s labor. The doula arranges prenatal visits with the mother and father/partner to discuss any past pregnancies, births, pregnancy complications, miscarriages,medical issues or conditions, medication allergies or sensitivities, that may impact the labor. Fears, concerns, misconceptions about birth are also discussed in an effort to alleviate fears prior to labor, allowing the mother to let go of fear and embrace the joys of her upcoming birth. The mother and father’s wishes and preferences for how they wish their birth to progress are discussed and a birth preference outline is created for the upcoming birth. Personalized comfort measures and relaxations techniques tailored to the woman’s individual needs and coping methods are also discussed and outlined. The birth preference outline is shared with the woman’s obstetrician or midwife prior to her birth so that he/she may approve of and discuss the patients choices . The outline is also brought to the birth and shared with the labor nurses who have not met the patient previously and do not know of her needs or desires for her birth.
The roles of all support persons are defined and a plan is made for how the father and the doula will work together to best support the laboring mother. The importance of the father is stressed and the couple is reminded that this is the glorious birth of a baby, but also the birth of a mother, a father and a family , and therefore a huge life transition for all involved. A doula brings professional expertise to the birth, and the father brings a loving intimate knowledge of and deep love for his mate, together creating a complete birthing team who will support the mother. In labor, the doulas first obligation is to the laboring mother, but she is also
there to serve and help the father as well. It can be very challenging to see someone you love in pain and to not know what to do to alleviate that pain. The doula is there ready with suggestions for how the father can provide the appropriate support at the right time, and to work with the father to support his wife. She will also watch to be sure the father is resting, drinking, eating and caring for himself, as fathers tend not to realize how emotionally tiring the labor process is for them also. During labor the doula will employ methods such as massage, heat and cold therapy, change of laboring positions, use of a birth ball and other labor tools, hydrotherapy, music therapy, movement, and constant educational and emotional support and encouragement for the laboring patient. Doulas are not medical caregivers and do not replace labor nurses, rather they work alongside the nurse and doctor to enhance their medical care with physical and emotional support. The benefits and limitations of a doula are explained to the family, and it is stated that a doula performs no medical tasks, clinical exams or procedures, nor does a doula make medical decisions for her clients. The doula can help to explain procedures and progress, clarify why things are being done, apprise the mother of options and alternatives available to her, and help ask questions of the medical staff to assist the mother to make decisions regarding her health care and that of her baby. The doula respects the importance and authority of the medical caregiver , and will step aside to allow the patient and her obstetrician or midwife to talk and make decisions. Medical decisions are made between the caregiver and the patient, and the doula is there to offer knowledge, educational guidance and to assist as a liason between herself and the medical staff , to ask questions that will help to clarify issues and decisions. The doula is also there as an extra pair of eyes, ready to alert medical staff if she sees anything that points to a possible emergency situation which requires the care of the medical staff. During long births, the doula is a constant presence of love, support and comfort, who remains with the mother/couple through nurse and doctor shift changes, never leaving the mothers side.
A doula is neither pro medicated, nor pro unmedicated childbirth, but rather pro safety and support for mother and baby. A doula understands that each woman, just like each labor and birth are different and unique, and what works for one mother, may not work for another. Each woman has different pain tolerances and different sets of coping skills and relaxation techniques. While one mother may be able to sail through her entire labor without the use of pain medications, it does not mean no medications is the right choice for all women. Some mothers choose to labor without pain medications if possible, but due to never having experienced childbirth before, and the unknowns of labor, retain the right to change their mind and use pain medications if they feel they have a need for them. Some women, due to various factors and/or pregnancy and birth complications or conditions, may choose from the outset, to make use of pain medications as soon as their medical caregiver says they may do so. Each of these decisions is the right one for each individual woman. Pain is a subjective experience and can be very different for each person. What is painful to one person may not feel painful at all to another. Pain is what each patient perceives and interprets it to be for herself, and only the laboring woman can make that determination and the decision to use or not to use pain medications, and the doula is there to help educate the mother about her choices, and to support them.
Contact is maintained with our clients by phone after the initial prenatal conference. The doula is available to answer questions and to obtain information the client may need. The doula checks in with her client after obstetrical appointments to keep apprised of the progression of her pregnancy, and to continue to build and maintain a bond of trust and care in preparation for the very intimate and personal time they will spend together during her labor and birth. When the mother goes into labor she calls her doula to let her know her labor has begun, and to make plans to meet at the hospital. The decision about when to leave for the hospital is made by the woman and her medical caregiver. Although a doula is trained to recognize signs and symptoms of labor, and can offer information and guidance, the ultimate decision to go to the hospital or to remain home longer, is made by the clients doctor or midwife. At the hospital the doula will provide constant one-on-one support and care throughout her client’s entire labor, helping the woman to believe in her ability to make it through, to encourage and praise her efforts and successes, and to stand beside her, believing in her strength and abilities, even when she herself may grow weary, fearful or forget the goal and the plans they made for achieving it. After the birth of the baby, the doula can assist the mother in establishing her first breastfeeding session, if she chooses to breast feed. Being mindful of the intimacy , sacredness and importance of the moments after the birth of a child, the doula does not overstay her welcome ,and soon after the birth and breastfeeding session, the doula gives hugs all around and says her goodbyes. Sharing this very significant time in a woman’s life is quite a blessing and a bonding experience between women, and joyful tears are not unusual to see after the birth. Labor support doulas feel awed by the miracle and sacredness of each birth, humbled by the strength of every mother, and the beauty of the love between mother, father and their new baby, and deeply honored to be able to serve women and families on the most sacred day in the life of a woman, the day she becomes a mother.
