College News & Events
Bumpmag's April Expert - Renee Adair / 03 Apr 2008
April Bump Panel Expert
Question 1 – How do I choose the right Doula for me?
Choosing the right Doula to take into your personal birth experience is of the upmost importance. You need to get along with your Doula, trust her and feel comfortable around her. After all, she will be with you at a time when women/couples usually feel very vulnerable. You must feel safe and at ease with their presence and their birth philosophies.
I would recommend asking yourself a couple of questions first, before you start looking for a doula. By clarifying your needs you can narrow down your options, thus assisting you in finding the right person for you.
1. What will my partner and I want from our birth experience?
2. What would be vital for us to feel relaxed and safe to give us the confidence we need to birth our baby?
3. Are we happy with a trainee or would we feel more comfortable with an experienced Doula?
4. What other modalities, if any would we like the Doula to have? eg; aromatherapy, massage, acupuncture
5. What expectations do we have, if any?
Always ask the Doula for their credentials and Interview them before committing. It is essential both of you be at the interview. Ask lots of questions and then I recommend trusting your gut instinct.
Question 2– If a Doula is not already a mum herself and hasn’t done any Midwifery or Doula College training, how can she possibly advise and support me through my labour and birth? Jessica.
Firstly, Jessica, I would like to make it clear that doulas do not offer advice. We offer impartial information and support, which assists parents to make their own informed decisions.
I, of course, strongly advocate for Doula training to be undertaken by anyone interested in working with pregnant and birthing women at this level, especially if they are charging for their services. We have many doulas that are not mothers themselves as this is not a prerequisite for being with women and their families in a supportive role.
It is of concern that occasionally there are women practicing as Doulas without any formal training. As mentioned, I would suggest you always insist on seeing someone’s credentials before hiring them.
Question 3 – My husband is worried he’ll be left out of the labour and birth process if I have a Doula present. Sarah.
Your husband is not alone, Sarah, and this is a common concern for many partners now that doulas are becoming more involved in birth.
In my experience, a professional Doula works with both the birthing woman and her partner to create a team effort. The doula can encourage your husband to be involved and assist him with comfort measures for you. In fact, a doula is a great way to keep partners drawn in and involved!
A doula also provides partners with guilt free breaks and can contribute in keeping them informed of the labour and birth process as it progresses. Couples can be left alone in the labour room for long periods of time and this can be very daunting for the partners (as well as the labouring mum to be) An unexpected and over sense of responsibility can fall on their shoulders. Partners need reassurance and guidance as well (especially the first time around) and Doulas can provide this with confidence and care.
Question 4 – can you tell me if doulas can be found all over Australia? Tanya.
Doulas can be found almost all over Australia. There has been an influx in women wanting to train in the past four years and the movement has gained a great deal of momentum.
More pregnant women are requesting doulas in general and women in country areas really need the extra support. Our organisation trains Australia wide and we have many rural doulas.
There are a variety of Doula sites and organisations in Australia now that offer training and accompanying services.
I would be happy for you to contact us in the hope we can put you in touch with a doula in your area.
Question 5 – on the recommendation of an acquaintance, I consulted a doula 3 or 4 times during my first pregnancy 6yrs ago (instead of ante-natal classes). I chose not to have her attend the birth as my husband and I wanted to keep that experience private but ended up being ill prepared for the whole birth experience and got swept away by the doctors and midwives recommendations. In all, I left disempowered and my husband was no help! Are there checks in place these days to ensure that a first time mother-to-be knows what she is up against in the labour room if she chooses not to have her doula attend the birth? Karen.
I am sorry to hear that you came away feeling disempowered with your birth experience Karen. Every woman deserves to come away feeling empowered, like she has moved through her rite of passage into motherhood with strength and dignity.
As I am not medically trained, I feel I am not able to address some of your issues or comment on the procedures of your birth. I can say though, that having a doula present may not have assisted you in avoiding those interventions. However, I would suggest that having a doula present could have minimised your feelings of being ‘swept away’ and out of control.
A good Childbirth Educator would have also prepared you for unexpected outcomes and given you some suggestions on staying on top of the birth experience, where ever that journey took you.
I would like to clarify that a Doula is not a Childbirth Educator and that these are two separate roles and qualifications. We strongly recommend seeing an independent Childbirth Educator for classes or individual sessions if you are going into birth with or without a Doula.
I sincerely hope your next birth experience is empowering for you and your partner.
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