Top 3 Reasons to Hire a Doula

Doulas, doulas, doulas. Doulas help coach a mama through pregnancy, birth and postpartum. Doula actually comes from greek origin and directly translated means servant. Doulas are there to serve you and your family during this time. Women who receive continuous support by doulas have shown to have shorter labor, less pain during labor and an all around easier birth.

There are endless reasons why to hire a doula, however you always want to look that she fulfills these basic duties. From her knowledge base to her little (or big) bag of tricks, these are the top 3 reasons to hire a doula.

Support

A good doula supports you not only through the physical act of labor + birth, but also before and after. Through prenatal/postpartum meetings, text + phone support, different resources and recommendations, your doula will help you navigate the ins and outs of pregnancy and prepare your body, mind + spirit for labor, birth and parenthood. She will help you feel confident and ready instead of the lost and alone feeling many birthing people might let creep in. A good doula will also create a connection with your birth partner. She will help them gain confidence in supporting you and give them enough support so that they don’t feel alone.

Knowledge

Most doulas have an amazing knowledge base. We love birth, we love women and we believe in factual, evidence base information (which we absolutely love to share with everyone!). We work on the premise that informed birthers birth best! A good doula will never tell you what to do, but will present you with the information you need to make an informed decision. (Stay clear of doulas that are trying to push their opinions on to you- you should always feel confident in your own opinion and not be manipulated into others thoughts.) Doulas love answering your questions as well. Pictures of mucus plugs, stories about babies kicking, and discussing your fears are all things we welcome. If we don’t know something, we will make VERY sure to research it from top to bottom to make sure your decision is confident.

Comfort

Having a doula should provide you with a sense of comfort. A warm, fuzzy feeling that makes you feel comfortable in your own, growing skin. She is there to help you calm fears and anxieties and make you feel at ease. She should never make you feel more nervous or anxious. A doula wants you to feel comfortable with the changes you are going through and encourages you to accept the inevitable birth of your child. She should be an expert at holding space for you and your worries.

A good doula will always be available to you with physical and emotional support, will respect your partner, will have a large knowledge base and will provide you with comfort! While interviewing doulas remember support, knowledge, and comfort- if you don’t feel them, then she is not your doula- but when you do feel them- you will feel immediately confident in your choice!