Frequently Asked Questions
What does doula mean?
What does a doula do?
How is a doula different from a
midwife?
Why do I need a doula? My husband,
nurse and doctor will be there.
Does having a doula mean I can't have
any pain medication?
Can't my husband be my doula?
What kind of training does a doula
have?
How much does a doula cost?
Are doula services covered by my health
insurance?
What does doula mean?
A doula
comes from the Greek, meaning a woman in the service of
another. Several studies have shown that having a doula
present at birth can make a significant difference to the
birthing experience by providing continuous attendance;
comfort, both physically and emotionally; confidence; and
reassurance to both the birthing woman and her partner.
Recent
studies indicate:
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fewer cesarean births |
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shorter labors |
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less use of oxytocin to speed up labor |
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less use of pain medications |
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fewer requests for epidural anesthesia |
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reduction in the need for forceps |
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What does a doula do?
Doulas
(also called Childbirth Assistants, Labor Support
Professionals, Birth Assistants, or Birth Companions) provide
emotional, physical and informational support during
pregnancy, labor, birth and immediate postpartum.
A Doula
does not replace the partner. Instead she helps support the
partner so that he or she can love and encourage the laboring
woman. A Doula provides continuous, uninterrupted support
throughout labor and delivery. She offers massage, suggestions
for position changes, relaxation techniques, and reminders to
stay hydrated and keep her bladder empty. She also believes in
a woman's ability to birth her baby. Throughout the ages,
women have looked to other women for support while giving
birth. This is a primal need and does not reflect on her
relationship with her partner in any way.
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How is a doula different from a
midwife?
While
midwives and doulas are similar in that women of both
professions love to work with pregnant women and both respect
the birth process, they differ in that midwives perform
clinical tasks that doulas do not, and doulas provide
continuous support that a midwife may not have time to do.
For example, a doula does not listen for fetal heart tones,
take your blood pressure, check your cervix for dilation, or
make clinical recommendations about the management of your
labor. Conversely, a midwife, especially one who practices in
a hospital or birth center setting, is not likely to be
continuously present during your labor to provide emotional
support and physical comfort. Studies show that it's the
continuous presence of doula that promotes a positive birth
experience.
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Why do I need a doula? My
husband, nurse and doctor will be there.
Women
often want their husbands to step up and assume the role of
"Husband Coach." Yet, think about the level of responsibility
and expectations this approach places on your husband. The
reality is, your husband will be having his own experience
during your labor. It is often difficult for a husband to
simultaneously deal with his own feelings and meet the needs
of his laboring wife. Is it really fair to him to expect him
to be an expert in childbirth after only a six-week class? A
doula is a childbirth professional who will support you
both. Having a doula at your birth takes some of the weight
off your husband and allows him to participate in your labor
at his comfort level. Your husband can look to your doula for
suggestions on how he can help you find comfortable positions,
for special ways to massage your back, and for a calming
presence. Your husband is probably a loving and caring guy.
But, can he hold your hand, look in your eyes and tell you
that he loves you while applying pressure to that spot in your
back?
Nurses
are generally very caring individuals and are very capable of
providing the kind of support offered by doulas. The reality
of their job is that they cannot be with you through the end
of your labor. Shift changes, changes to her day's
assignment, charting, reporting and many other
responsibilities interfere with her ability to provide
continuous labor support. Nurses just can't do it all. A
doula provides the continuous support that a nurse's job
doesn't.
More than
likely, your doctor will not be present during your labor.
Doctors rarely labor sit and generally only appear once a mom
has started to push. If you are first-time mom, your doctor
may not even enter the room until your baby is starting to
crown.
A good
doula is one that not only provides support to the laboring
couple, but she also becomes a valuable part of the maternity
care team, and, as a result, is also a help to the nurse and
the doctor.
Even if
you have a wonderful, caring partner, doctor or midwife, will
he or she:
Come to
your home and labor with you until it's time to go to the
hospital or birthing center and then stay with you until the
baby is born?
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Provide massage? |
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Provide hypnosis techniques? |
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Provide prenatal visits in your home? |
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Suggest positions to ease back labor and help with
pushing? |
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Do
the double hip squeeze or provide counter pressure? |
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Bring his or her birth ball to make your labor easier? |
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Stay by your head providing encouragement while you are
in transition and when the baby is being born? |
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Offer you cold/hot packs? |
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Mop
your brow with a cool cloth? |
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Take notes during labor and provide you with a written
record of the birth? |
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Take photographs of you and your partner with your new
baby? |
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Help you with breastfeeding? |
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If
the answer to any of these questions is, "NO," you need
(and deserve) a doula! |
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Does having a doula mean I can't have any
pain medication?
Almost
every woman reaches a point in labor when she feels she can't
go on without drugs.
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Can't my husband be my doula?
The doula
can actually bring the couple closer. By making sure that the
partner's needs are met (food, drink, occasional back rubs,
and reassurance), the woman and partner can work more closely
together. Your husband can't look in your eyes and tell you
how much he loves you while rubbing your back. The doula
allows for the partner to participate at his own comfort
level. Some partners prefer to be there only to witness the
birth of their child and to share this experience with the
woman they love. They may not want to play an active role and
do not want to be responsible for the woman's comfort and
emotional security. The doula can fill in and allow the
partner to participate as he wishes, without leaving the
woman's needs unmet. When the partner chooses to be the major
source of emotional support, the doula can supplement his or
her efforts by running errands, making suggestions for comfort
measures, and offering words of reassurance and comfort.
During a long tiring labor, she can give the partner a break
for a brief rest or change of scene.
While the doula probably knows more than the partner about
birth, hospitals, and maternity care, the partner knows more
about the woman's personality, likes and dislikes, and needs.
Moreover, he loves the woman more than anyone else there. The
combined contributions of partner and doula, along with a
competent, considerate and caring staff give the woman the
best chance of an optimal outcome.
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What kind of training does a doula
have?
There are
many ways to become a doula. Some doulas have formal
training, and some do not. Some have years of experience, and
some do not. Some are certified by national doula or
childbirth organizations, and some are not. There are many
organizations that certify doulas. Each organization has its
own set of rules and requirements. It is best that you ask
each individual doula about her training and experience and
decide what elements are important to you.
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How much does a doula cost?
Doula service fees
span a wide range from as low as FREE to as much as $2,000 in
some places. In the Heart of Illinois area, you can expect to
pay somewhere between $200 and $600. Doulas are individuals
and set their own fee structures as they see fit. In general,
doulas working on attending births as part of their
certification process may attend your birth for free, doulas
with less experience charge less, doulas with more experience
charge more. Most doulas will work with you on financial
arrangements, so don't let expenses get in the way of hiring
the doula that's right for you.
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Are doula services covered by my health
insurance?
Maybe.
People with so-called "Cafeteria Plans" may be able to use
their plan to cover the cost of a doula. You need to call
your insurance plan to find out. Your doula can provide you
with a bill with the proper medical coding for labor support
for you to submit to your insurance carrier.
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Do you work
with pregnant moms? If so, please feel free to print our
brochures to share with them:
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Page last updated:
June
25, 2005
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