There are numerous misconceptions and misunderstandings surrounding doulas and their services offered. They are often confused with midwives or are considered naturopaths who push for natural births, but in reality a doula offers support and information helping you realize the best birthing plan for you.
So, what is a doula?
The word, doula, is an ancient Greek term which translates to “a woman who serves.” Today, however, the term points to two types of educated professionals. The first is a birth doula who provides physical, emotional, and informational support before, during, and just after birth. The second is a postpartum doula who offers emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
The Cochrane Library conducted a study in 2011 which focused on 21 controlled studies of over 15,000 women who had doula care compared to those who did not have continuous support throughout the birthing process. According to the study women were 34 percent less likely to rate their childbirth experience as being negative.
The Observer had the opportunity to sit down with Jen Balfour, a local birth and postpartum doula, to discuss what a doula does and the common misconceptions society has surrounding them.
Balfour became a doula because of her own children, “I think that’s the case with many birth workers, they find themselves on this journey through their own birth or have supported a sister or loved one during theirs.”
Balfour became a doula because of the births of her own children, “I think that’s that case with many in this field. They find themselves on this journey through their own birth or having had to support a family member or friend through theirs. When I found out I was expecting my first, I was terrified. I went on to have really great experiences and realized then just how much our culture perpetuates that fear of childbirth. There’s a quote out there that when you change the way you view birth, the way you birth will change and I couldn’t agree more.”
Learning more about what doulas do, Balfour found herself on a journey to become a trained doula; she is now both a birth and a postpartum doula.
As a birth doula, Balfour describes her services, which ultimately is to support the woman going through the birthing process and the family.
“The birthing process is an intimate and personal moment in someone’s life,” Balfour said.
It’s a moment that women will remember for the rest of their lives and a doula is there as someone who supports women through labour and early postpartum period. A doula can help the woman and her partner prepare for birth by meeting with them prenatally. You discuss birth preferences and various options, practise comfort measures for labour and learn about the physiological process of childbirth.
On her website, www.jenbalfour.ca, she describes the birth doula as someone who “Provide[s] emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as remind you of the information you learned prenatally that will help you make your own informed decisions.”
A common misconception surrounding doulas is that they replace the woman’s partner, which is not the case: “A doula simply adds to their support and makes it possible for partners to participate at their comfort level. The husband or partner is then able to focus their love and attention on the mother, freeing them to be physically and emotionally present for the birth of their child, too.”
A birth doula does not offer medical advice or interprets medical results, provide second opinions, make decisions for people, and a doula does not answer or speak on your behalf when discussing the birthing plan.
The postpartum journey can be a difficult path to navigate for women and their newborns. In this situation a postpartum doula looks to support in a nurturing and non-judgemental way. Postpartum doulas help women through the transition period, they are there to discuss the newborn’s needs with, help facilitate bonding, and postpartum doulas aid in infant care to help a parent become confident in bathing, dressing, feeding (breast feeding or bottle feeding).
“That postpartum period is not a set time,” Balfour explained. “For some women they’ll keep a doula for three or four months, there’s not a set or defined amount of time. It’s for as long or as short a time as you need.”
“If a baby has siblings a doula can entertain them for a little while, so as to encourage uninterrupted bonding time between baby and mother.”
They also help with meal preparation and light housework such as laundry, running errands, and changing bedding.
A doula is there to assist the parents in learning how to care for their baby and do not provide child care without a parent at home, any major housekeeping, psychological counselling, or transportation of any family member.
“A baby is something new and someone saying you’re doing a good job can be so helpful,” Balfour stated.
Balfour says that when finding a birth doula or a postpartum doula that it is essential to go through an interview process with doulas to find the right one for you.
“Every doula is different and you want someone whose philosophy works with what you want,” Balfour explained. “The perfect doula for one person may not be the perfect doula for another.”
“An interview is highly recommended. It’s important to make sure you’re on the same page because it is a very intimate and personal moment in a person’s life.”
Balfour says locally there are organizations including Doulas of Regina, which she is a member of, at www.doulasofregina.com. In the immediate area there is Balfour, Alicia Beaulieu, Criston White with Bundle of Love Birth Services, and Randi Fingas. Their information can be found on Facebook: Southeast Saskatchewan Doulas.
“It’s very important to interview and we all really encourage each person to find the one that’s right for them,” Balfour explained. “There is no one doula, but a doula for every woman. And every woman deserves a doula.”
