With the opening of the new
birth center, Acadiana BirthHouse,
just around the corner, there is a lot of talk among Acadiana’s birthing
families about midwives. While you may know that midwifery care is very
different from physician care, if you have never experienced it, you may not really
know what to expect.
One question that is often
asked is, If I am planning to deliver
with a midwife, do I still need to hire a doula?
The short answer is… YES! (For the long answer, read on!)
Midwives and doulas have
very different roles in childbirth, and each allows the other to perform their
respective roles to the best of their abilities. We often say,”A midwife helps
you have a safe birth, and a doula helps you have a great birth!”
A midwife is a healthcare
provider, just like an OB is a healthcare provider. They are responsible for
ensuring the safety and well-being of you and your baby. Midwives are highly
trained in providing healthy, low-risk
women with the same level of care as an OB, but using a model of care that
emphasizes wellness, the normalcy of birth, and the importance of
individualized care.
A doula is a professional
support person who specializes in providing you with emotional, physical, and
informational support during your pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum
period. Doulas generally follow the midwifery model of care, in that they see
childbirth as a normal life event, rather than an illness or emergency.
While midwives are excellent
at providing this type of support to their clients, and often do, having a
doula available complements the support your midwife provides and allows her to
focus more on the wellness aspect of your care.
During your pregnancy, your
doula can point you in the right direction for finding information about
various topics, and can bring up topics you may not have thought of. She is
also available to answer questions and listen to concerns that you may not want
to bother your midwife with (although most midwives would not be bothered by
them!)
When labor starts, your
doula can help you decide whether it is “the real thing,” and when to contact
your midwife. Often, laboring moms need support long before it is time to head
to the birth center. If that is the case for you, your doula can labor with you
at home and help you decide when it’s time to go. This takes a lot of pressure
off of your midwife, and allows her to rest well knowing you are in good hands.
Your doula can also help keep your midwife updated on your labor progress, one
less thing for you to worry about!
Once you arrive at the birth
center, your midwife and her assistants will be focused on getting things
ready, reviewing your medical records, and monitoring your and your baby’s well-being. While all of this is going on, your doula will be there to focus
only on you and your comfort. Supporting a laboring woman is a very demanding
job, and having a doula there allows your midwife to be well rested and
mentally sharp for her very important job of ensuring the safety of you and
your little one.
Midwives are very good at
providing excellent postpartum care and support, but, since your doula was with
you throughout your labor, at home and at the birth center, it often helps to
be able to go over the whole experience with her. Also, who ever heard of a new
mom having “too much support”? Having one more person checking in on you, one
more person to ask advice of, one more shoulder to cry on, can help make for a
very peaceful transition to parenting.
There are other situations
in which having a doula in addition to your midwife can be uniquely beneficial.
What if your midwife has
another client in labor at the same time as you? In this case, your doula can
be especially helpful in taking pressure off of the midwife and allowing her to
focus on caring for two moms and two babies. She may need to eat, rest, and
shower between deliveries, and having your doula there ensures that you are
never without the support you need.
What if you need to be
transferred to a physician either before or during labor? In this case, your
midwife will still be very closely involved in your care, but will likely not
be able to be with you throughout your labor. In this situation, a doula can
help ease the transition from midwifery care to physician care, and can help
you navigate what could possibly be a very stressful situation. She will
accompany you at the hospital and stay with you until after your baby is born
and you are settled in and resting comfortably.
Midwifery care is an
excellent option for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies, and doulas are a
great complement to the care provided by a midwife. Since your doula is
directly employed by YOU, she is with you throughout your childbirth journey,
regardless of the twists and turns it may take!
No comments:
Post a Comment