Birth Doula FAQ
What is a birth doula?
A doula is a professional labor support person. Her role is to help parents prepare for birth and the postpartum period, and to provide continuous emotional, physical, and informational support to the pregnant parent and family through late pregnancy, during birth, and into the first few weeks postpartum. In my practice, I emphasize preparation and developing a collaborative relationship with your care provider. Studies have shown that mothers with birth doulas experience shorter labors, reduced interventions, and greater birth satisfaction.
What types of births do you attend?
I support families having babies, regardless of where or how the birth happens: home births, birth center births, hospital births; medicated births and unmedicated births; vaginal births, Cesearean births; births attend by doctors or midwives. Because of my personal experiences and prior advocacy work, I do not work with adoption or surrogacy because I don't feel I can be unbiased.
What are the duties of a doula?
Birth doulas provide a variety of services throughout labor; the primary focus being on comforting and supporting the laboring mother. It varies: every birth experience is unique and every mother has individual needs. During labor, I advise on positioning and techniques to encourage labor progress, comfort and relax the mother, and mediate dialogue between the parents and medical personnel. Before birth, I get to know the parents and what's important to them in the birth experience. I work with the mother's support team so we all understand the mother's concerns and what techniques are comforting to her, and help navigate medical choices. Postpartum, I visit the family at home and am available 24/ 7 by phone and email to assist with infant feeding, newborn care, emotional and physical recovery from birth, and coping skills for new parents. I make appropriate referrals when necessary.
What about dads, friends, and family as support?
A doula's job is not to replace your loved ones, but to be part of a support team - a doula can help partners and family members know how to help you. A doula has knowledge and experience with birth that loved ones usually do not have, and can help everyone understand what to expect and to find a role that is comfortable for them.
Won't my nurse/doctor/midwife do everything I need?
Your care providers are responsible for the clinical care you receive. While many are supportive of natural birth, it is not their role to provide continuous comfort. A doula provides continuous, personalized, compassionate physical and emotional support during labor. Conversely, doulas do not perform medical tasks such as taking blood pressure, monitoring fetal heart rate, vaginal exams or providing postpartum clinical care. Nurses, doctors, and midwives are usually happy to have doula as part of the care team.
Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
Absolutely not! My intention is to provide informational support, while respecting and advocating for your decisions. I believe that parents' autonomy in decision making is fundamental to a positive birth experience. My form of "advocacy" involves encouraging dialogue and holding space for you and your partner to discuss, consider, and ask questions.
Will my private health insurance cover the cost of a doula?
Maybe. If you have private health insurance or a health care saving account, doula care may be covered. I take HSA cards but do not bill insurance, though I can provide documentation for you to seek reimbursement. If you are interested in this possibility, be sure to contact your insurance in advance. Sometimes a written 'prescription' for doula care from your healthcare provider, and/or a letter from your doula can help facilitate your request. I'm happy to provide any documentation you need about my services, qualifications, or an invoice.
Do you work with a back up or a partner?
I always work with a back up. The back up doula will be available to support you if I cannot attend your birth some reason, or if the birth is very long and I need someone to take over while I take a break. We provide continuous support during labor inductions which most doulas do not.
What about childcare arrangements and other problems of being on call?
Being on call is a logistical challenge, but births come first! As a yoga teacher and childbirth educator, I always have a sub in mind to step in and teach my classes. I have a childcare swap with the other members of the Eastside Doula Circle, a supportive husband who's willing to flex his schedule, and a drop in daycare just down the street. I always work with a back up doula that I trust, just in case.
A doula is a professional labor support person. Her role is to help parents prepare for birth and the postpartum period, and to provide continuous emotional, physical, and informational support to the pregnant parent and family through late pregnancy, during birth, and into the first few weeks postpartum. In my practice, I emphasize preparation and developing a collaborative relationship with your care provider. Studies have shown that mothers with birth doulas experience shorter labors, reduced interventions, and greater birth satisfaction.
What types of births do you attend?
I support families having babies, regardless of where or how the birth happens: home births, birth center births, hospital births; medicated births and unmedicated births; vaginal births, Cesearean births; births attend by doctors or midwives. Because of my personal experiences and prior advocacy work, I do not work with adoption or surrogacy because I don't feel I can be unbiased.
What are the duties of a doula?
Birth doulas provide a variety of services throughout labor; the primary focus being on comforting and supporting the laboring mother. It varies: every birth experience is unique and every mother has individual needs. During labor, I advise on positioning and techniques to encourage labor progress, comfort and relax the mother, and mediate dialogue between the parents and medical personnel. Before birth, I get to know the parents and what's important to them in the birth experience. I work with the mother's support team so we all understand the mother's concerns and what techniques are comforting to her, and help navigate medical choices. Postpartum, I visit the family at home and am available 24/ 7 by phone and email to assist with infant feeding, newborn care, emotional and physical recovery from birth, and coping skills for new parents. I make appropriate referrals when necessary.
What about dads, friends, and family as support?
A doula's job is not to replace your loved ones, but to be part of a support team - a doula can help partners and family members know how to help you. A doula has knowledge and experience with birth that loved ones usually do not have, and can help everyone understand what to expect and to find a role that is comfortable for them.
Won't my nurse/doctor/midwife do everything I need?
Your care providers are responsible for the clinical care you receive. While many are supportive of natural birth, it is not their role to provide continuous comfort. A doula provides continuous, personalized, compassionate physical and emotional support during labor. Conversely, doulas do not perform medical tasks such as taking blood pressure, monitoring fetal heart rate, vaginal exams or providing postpartum clinical care. Nurses, doctors, and midwives are usually happy to have doula as part of the care team.
Does a doula make decisions on my behalf?
Absolutely not! My intention is to provide informational support, while respecting and advocating for your decisions. I believe that parents' autonomy in decision making is fundamental to a positive birth experience. My form of "advocacy" involves encouraging dialogue and holding space for you and your partner to discuss, consider, and ask questions.
Will my private health insurance cover the cost of a doula?
Maybe. If you have private health insurance or a health care saving account, doula care may be covered. I take HSA cards but do not bill insurance, though I can provide documentation for you to seek reimbursement. If you are interested in this possibility, be sure to contact your insurance in advance. Sometimes a written 'prescription' for doula care from your healthcare provider, and/or a letter from your doula can help facilitate your request. I'm happy to provide any documentation you need about my services, qualifications, or an invoice.
Do you work with a back up or a partner?
I always work with a back up. The back up doula will be available to support you if I cannot attend your birth some reason, or if the birth is very long and I need someone to take over while I take a break. We provide continuous support during labor inductions which most doulas do not.
What about childcare arrangements and other problems of being on call?
Being on call is a logistical challenge, but births come first! As a yoga teacher and childbirth educator, I always have a sub in mind to step in and teach my classes. I have a childcare swap with the other members of the Eastside Doula Circle, a supportive husband who's willing to flex his schedule, and a drop in daycare just down the street. I always work with a back up doula that I trust, just in case.