10 Reasons to Hire a Doula
- Birth Doulas empower women to make educated and informed choices
- Birth Doulas decrease your chance of the unnecessary use of forceps by 41% and cesarean birth by 28%
- Birth and Postpartum doulas help increase your chances of reaching your breastfeeding goals
- Birth Doulas decrease the incidence of postpartum depression and increase birth experience satisfaction by 33%
- Birth Doulas provide an objective third party at the birth
- Birth Doulas allow partners to be as involved as they wish
- Birth & Postpartum Doulas help support breastfeeding and mother/baby bonding while increasing confidence levels of mother
- Postpartum Doulas help the new mother find her own parenting style while promoting a healthy family dynamic
- Postpartum Doulas help the household to smoothly make the transition integrating the new family member
- Postpartum Doulas help provide a buffer to extended family’s expectations
10 Natural Pain Management Techniques
- Counter Pressure – in the area of the back/sacrum where discomfort is most intense
- Ambiance – low lighting, comfortable room temperature, soft blankets and pillows, and music can all help to promote physical relaxation through relaxing the senses
- Breathing Techniques – deep abdominal breaths help to keep you calm, relaxed and focused, which helps to alleviate pain
- Water – Immersing in warm water has shown to be a natural pain reliever
- Birthing Aids – such as birthing balls, hot rice sock, ribozos, and aromatherapy
- Vocalization – in low tones gives mother the ability to respond to the pain while still staying relaxed
- Visualization – allows you to fill your mind with positive images that allow you to relax
- Self-Hypnosis – removes tension and fear, which allows for complete emotional, mental, and physical relaxation
- Position Changes – changing position helps to allow your body remain relaxed and open, minimizing discomfort
- Emotional Support – of a trusted partner, friend or family member
10 Labor Positions
- Standing — allows you to sway and move, alleviating pain
- Walking — activity helps the baby to descend
- Sitting — allows gravity to assist in bringing the baby down
- Sitting on toilet — helps you to relax the pelvic floor muscles which are crucial in allowing baby to descend down through the birth canal
- Semi-sitting — sitting while reclining
- Side-lying — can easily rest in between contractions
- Leaning forward — on a wall, on to a partner, etc., helps relieve back pressure
- Kneeling (leaning forward with support) — helps alleviate back pressure, allows your hips to be unrestricted and able to move and sway with contractions
- Squatting — assists the pelvis in opening by as much as 30%
- Hands and knees — great position when having back labor, also to help a posterior baby to rotate to the correct position
10 Questions to Ask Your OB
- What is your surgical birth rate?
- Do you support VBACs and how?
- If you cannot attend my birth, who will, and can I meet them?
- What percentage of your patients are induced? How long do you let your patients go before you recommend induction and how long do you let a mom labor before you suggest interventions?
- What is your policy on ruptured membranes?
- What do you think of doulas?
- How open are you to alternative birthing positions, including squatting, standing, and all-fours?
- What are your policies on episiotomies and do you require continuous monitoring?
- Do you encourage your patients to labor at home before coming to the hospital?
- How open are you to delaying cord clamping and cutting?