healthy living
Support for your childbirth
Doulas provide emotional, physical and educational support LEA HANSON
U
ntil recently people tended to associate having a doula as a part of your childbirth experience to be outside of the norm. But, that sentiment is changing quickly and this once-considered-alternative approach to childbirth is being seen as more and more normal. WHAT IS A DOULA? First, a doula does not deliver your baby. A doula is a professional trained in childbirth who provides emotional, physical, and educational support to a mother who is expecting, is experiencing labor, or has recently given birth. The doula’s purpose is to help women have a safe, memorable, and empowering birthing experience. The goal of a doula is to help the mother experience a positive and safe birth, whether an un-medicated birth or a cesarean. After the birth, many labor doulas will spend time helping mothers begin the breastfeeding process and encouraging bonding between the new baby and other family members. A doula acts as an advocate for the mother, encouraging and helping her fulfill specific desires she might have for her birth. Whether this includes assisting with relaxation techniques, reassuring the mother through a long and painful labor, or simply providing the constant support a laboring woman needs. We know today that with the support of a doula, women are less likely to have pain-relief medications administered and less likely to have a cesarean birth. Women also reported having a more positive childbirth experience. THE FOURTH TRIMESTER Most often, the term doula refers to the birth doula, or labor support companion. However, there are also
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antepartum doulas and postpartum doulas. Most of the following information relates to the labor doula. One local professional doula, Julianne Curtis (www.juliannecurtis.com), says this about postpartum (or as she refers to it: “the fourth trimester”), “The fourth trimester will likely be one of the most challenging times of your life. The more prepared the new parents are the best chance for a smoother transition to parenthood.” Curtis says, “The fourth trimester is a where your old life intersects with your new life. This clearly doesn’t happen overnight. The first several weeks of the fourth trimester are crucial. It’s a time where mom’s body needs to rest, heal, and recover.” During the resting and healing stage, new parents are also getting to know their new baby (or babies) as well as learning and getting used to a slew of new responsibilities. Curtis says, “This time is difficult for
many because they are discovering their new baby while often simultaneously maintaining all the demands of their regular lives.” This is a lot of change for new parents and a postpartum doula can be just the support they need to get through it. FINDING A DOULA In some ways, finding a good doula is as simple as shopping around. It’s essential to find the right fit; the person you select will be with you during some of the most vulnerable and intimate moments in your life. Finding someone you feel comfortable with and someone whom you trust is essential. The Northern Colorado Doula Association (www. nocodoulas.com) is a good place to start if you’re thinking about having doula support for your upcoming childbirth experience. Almost any doula will be happy to meet with you to learn about her practice and establish a fit.