How a certified labor companion help you through child birth.

If you are expecting, there are a few things you want to plan for during your birth. A major consideration for many pregnant women these days is wether or not they will hire a doula to help them through delivery.

I didn’t use one myself, but from what I have read and heard, doulas are a wonderful help especially for first time mothers or those who plan on having a home birth or natural delivery at the hospital. Curious about wether a doula is for you? Read more to find out.

Doula is the Greek term for women’s servant. It may seem like the doula is a recent phenomenon, but for centuries women have been “serving” fellow mothers during childbirth. Certified labor support companions have been proven to make labor and delivery easier, safer and a much more positive, memorable experience.

Many women report needing fewer medical interventions or less complications with the support of a doula. Studies have shown that when a doula assists a mother in labor, cesarean rates decrease by 50 percent, length of labor by 25 percent, the use of oxytocin by 40 percent, epidurals requests by 60 percent, forceps delivery by 40 percent. That’s a lot!

Labor companions achieve this by giving emotional support to women and helping them understand more about the natural birth process. They also use massage or touch therapy to reduce stress and anxiety during labor. When properly executed, massage can stimulate the pituitary gland to secrete natural oxytocin. When oxytocin flows into the bloodstream it promotes uterine contractions and secretes into the brain – inducing drowsiness, higher pain threshold and a sense of well-being. The magic of hormones!

Synthetic oxytocin IV (also known as pitocin) only helps with the contractions, as it does not give women that “natural high” from natural oxytocin. Many women report that oxytocin IV makes contraction more painful and harder to bear .

If you decide to get a doula, you should choose one a few months before the birth. It’s likely you will have to meet a few candidates before the big day, so look around early. Most doulas do not charge for initial consultations. You’re not just looking for qualifications, you have to find someone you trust and who you are comfortable with, so this may take some time.

Questions to ask include:

• What are her qualifications? What training has she had?
• How many years of experience? How many births assisted?
• How much does she charge?
• What is her child birth philosophy?
• Can she give references?
• What happens when she cannot make it to your time of birth?

You should also ask other mothers you know for referrals. And here are some books you might want to pick up:

• Mothering the Mother: How a Doula can help you have a shorter, easier and healthier Birth by Marshall H. Klaus, Phyllis H. Klaus, and John Kennell.
• The Doula Book by Marshall H. Klaus, John Kennell, and Phyllis H. Klaus.
• The Doula Advantage by Rachel Gurevich.

You can contact the Doulas of North America (DONA) or the Childbirth and Postpartum Professional Association (CAPPA) for good leads.

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