What is a doula?

What is a doula?

by Meredith Hocking, Birth Doula (Womb Within has its very own doula)

Since the dawn of time, bearing children was a rite of passage, a coming-of-age, and – as such – women have attended women in childbirth. Her sisters, mothers, and girlfriends would gather to provide support – physical, mental, and emotional – during her labor, delivery, and “lying-in” (postpartum).

In early labor, they would help keep the laboring woman distracted, with stories, cooking, and walking. Later, as her labor intensified, they would stroke her, soothe her, and apply comfort techniques handed down for generations. After the baby arrived, they would ensure she ate, had a clean bed, and her other family members were taken care of. They would continue checking in to ensure she was recovering, eating, and assimilating the baby into her daily routine, providing support and encouragement.

The word “doula” comes from the Greek, and literally means “servant.” This term came into favor fairly recently, after birth had moved into the hospital and became a medical event, rather than a social rite of passage in the home. But women recognized that even as technology changed the way they gave birth, it didn’t address their psychosocial needs – the need to have a familiar face who has traveled this road before, who could assure them that they, too, would make it to the other side.

Although husbands were attending childbirth preparation classes with their wives, many women still did not feel they were supported in the way they needed. Husbands are wonderful, yes, but men tend to want to “fix” things. A woman in normal labor does not need “fixing”, but rather a soft touch, a steady voice, and the energy of all the women who have gone before her to help her find her own way on the journey.

A doula is a “servant to the mother”, using her heart and hands to support and guide a woman on her labor journey. We teach fathers and partners how to be involved in the experience, reassuring them about what’s “normal”, modeling techniques so they can be hands-on, and providing emotional support. We know it’s difficult to see a loved one struggle through a difficult task. During labor, we massage tirelessly, provide counter pressure for hours, hold the barf bucket, assist with getting to the bathroom, suggest alternatives when one coping method seems to stop working, encourage hydration and movement, and hold her as she cries. It is not glamorous work. It is long, tiring, and sometimes seemingly endless. But we know the value and long-lasting effects of these tasks, and it is worth it.

Don’t forget to come back for the next installment when Meredith discusses what birth doulas offer and their training.

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