What are the benefits of hiring a birth doula?
There are many benefits when it comes to having a doula present throughout your labour and birth. Birth doulas are trained professionals who provide emotional, physical, and informational support to families during pregnancy, labour, and the immediate postpartum period. In Calgary, the use of birth doulas has been growing in popularity, and for good reason! There are many benefits to having a doula present during the birthing process, including shorter labours, a reduction in the use of pain medication, partners feeling more confident and involved, increased overall satisfaction with the birth experience, and more! Let’s take a deeper look at these benefits:
More confidence going into labour.
Doulas work with families throughout pregnancy. They will get to know you and your preferences for birth. They can provide resources to help inform you of the options that are available in your unique situation. Doulas are familiar with the local hospitals and birth centres, as well as home birth and can offer valuable, practical advice to help you prepare for the big day. Many families say that their doula played key role in their birth preparations and that her support helped them go into their labour feeling confident and prepared.
Shorter Labours.
Studies have shown that families who have doulas present during labor tend to have shorter labours by an average of 40 minutes than those who do not. This could be attributed to the comfort measures provided by doulas, such as massage and relaxation techniques, which can help manage pain and promote relaxation during labour.
Reduction in the use of pain medication.
When doulas are present during labour, the use of pain medication drops by 10%. Birth doulas provide non-medical comfort measures that can help decrease pain without the use of medication. Through experience, they know how and when to use massage, positioning, comfort items like cool cloths, and have all the tips and tricks to make labour more manageable. Your doula will guide your partner, showing them the best ways to help during labour and ensuring that you are working as a team.
Increased satisfaction with the birth experience.
Among the many other benefits, doulas can help support the families birth preferences with the goal of helping them achieve the birth experience they desire. They provide continuous emotional support which many families say is one of the biggest benefits of having their doula present. A familiar face that remains the same throughout the entire process can help reduce anxiety and help you relax. Doulas bring an array of knowledge that you can lean into as your birth unfolds and they will be there to ensure that you and your partner are feeling confident and supported the entire time. Studies show this often leads to a more positive and satisfying birth experience overall.
Birth doulas help partners feel more involved in the birth process.
Doulas are not just for the person who is giving birth. Many partners feel anxious about the unknowns of labour or feel intimidated by the idea of supporting their partner through something they haven’t had much experience in. Doulas understand how important it can be to both the birthing person and the partner to feel that they laboured as a team. Doulas facilitate this by offering suggestions to the partner for how they can best help. Doulas can demonstrate positions or massage techniques, or offer tools that the partner can use to increase comfort. Doulas can also help normalize the birth experience which can reduce anxiety and increase calmness and confidence for everyone. Overall, having a doula present can help partners feel more involved and confident in their role during the birth process.
Immediate postpartum support.
Your doula will remain with your family during the time immediately after your baby is born to ensure that you are adjusting well. They can assist with the first latch if you are breastfeeding, take those first family photos and offer that amazing post-birth snack.
Other benefits.
Studies have shown many other benefits to continuous doula support such as:
39% decrease in the risk of Cesarean.
15% increase in the likelihood of a spontaneous vaginal birth
38% decrease in the baby’s risk of a low five minute Apgar score.
31% decrease in the risk of being dissatisfied with the birth experience.
There are lots of perks when it comes to hiring a Calgary birth doula. If you have questions, please reach out to us. We are happy to help!
Welcome Baby Co. is a Calgary-based company. We are happy to support all kinds of families through all kinds of birth and postpartum. Our goal is to prepare you for any scenario that may arise so that you can feel confident and empowered as you enter parenthood.
If you have any questions about Calgary birth doulas, Calgary postpartum doulas, or our Prenatal classes in Calgary, please contact us.