From Kellie: Here's another Guest post....I couldnt wait until monday to put it up because I felt like it went perfectly with our Mother Friendly theme this week! I have another guest post for you on Monday and the Momma who wrote it said that she so wished she would have hired a Doula for the birth of her son....it could have very well changed the entire outcome of her birth and birth experience. Meet Daijeri, she is a Doula in training and services our area locally!
So
you're expecting a baby. You've thought about names, nursery themes, and
car seats. You've found a doctor, debated birth settings and maybe picked a
birth class. So what is left to consider? A doula of course!
Now, you may be thinking "a do-what?" Maybe you have heard of
doulas, or maybe you are like my husband who proudly told everyone his wife was
becoming a dow-la for weeks. (He has since figured it out, thankfully.)
A doula can be your best friend in navigating the sometimes overwhelming
world of childbirth. Before your birth, we help you write out a birth plan and
work through any anxieties and worries you may have. We also help you prepare
your body and mind for childbirth.
In labor, one of our main jobs is to provide you with information that
empowers you to have your ideal birth, and to help you reassess and navigate
those times that ideal just isn't working out. Our other main job is to
basically mother the mother. We make sure her needs are met, both big and
small. We help her manage her pain by providing massage, guided relaxation, or
distraction. We help her get into positions that she can labor the best in. We
help make sure her wishes are met the best they can be and that her voice is
heard. Maybe most importantly, we make sure she knows what an amazing rock star
she is. Birth is hard work, and no one should do it unsupported. Your doula
will stay with you from your initial "I think it's labor!" phone
call, until a few hours after you've given birth. We massage, we motivate, we
reposition, and we empower.
You may be thinking "but what about the fathers? Won't they feel
left out?" The answer is no! Doulas work to help the father support mom as
much as possible. We help fathers remember what they may have learned in
childbirth class when they just can't recall it. Dads can sometimes feel a lot
of pressure to be a super birth coach when they just aren't prepared for it. We
can take some of the pressure off. We give them breaks to eat, rest,
recuperate. We may run small errands so that they can stay with their laboring
partners. We provide them with information they may not have foreseen the need
for. So no, we don't overpower the dads, we empower them.
There are some
things that doulas don't do. We never perform medical procedures, or give
medical advice. We also can't make decisions for you. We give you all the
information you need to make your choice, and we will support whatever you
decide with no judgment.
So what about after the baby comes? Is a doula's job over? Nope! There
are also postpartum doulas who help mom and dad adjust to life with a newborn.
We can help with meal preparations, light housework, run some errands, and even
provide infant care so that mom can shower, eat, and get some rest. We
can also help mom and baby with their breastfeeding relationship and help jump
small hurdles along the way. When we can't help, we can also point mom in the
direction of an IBCLC who can.
Even after we've stopped regularly coming for postpartum visits, you can
still call or email when you have questions or concerns about your baby.
After going through something as intense and wonderful as the birth of a
baby, a bond is formed. You just might find a connection for life in your
doula.
-Daijeri
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