This is the link to the Today Show piece on doulas. While the MSNBC article alongside was nice, I was really disappointed with the video segment. It portrays doulas as a luxury (expensive) and an annoyance to doctors and even the root of complications with the labor!!!! The show staff did a poor job researching doulas and neglected to give unbiased information. All of the doulas I know are furious about this!
My doula organization, PDX Doulas in Portland, Oregon, not only provides FREE doula services, but part of our mission is to foster an environment of cooperation with hospital staff. Most of the nurses and doctors, and all of the midwives LOVE walking into their patients' rooms to find one of us there. They see us as an invaluable part of the family's experience in labor and delivery.
We would never tell the doctor what the mother should or shouldn't do. When an intervention (induction, pain meds, episiotomy, etc) is offered, it is our job as advocates to remind the mother to ask questions so that she can make an informed decision HERSELF (or with her family). We are trained specifically to not speak for the mother/family, only to help the mother feel like she has made the decisions rather than have had things done TO her with little or no understanding. One of the best ways to ensure that a mama comes away from her birth with a positive memory is to help her feel that she was involved in the courses taken. Even if mama ends up with four IV's and a c-section, if she was involved every step of the way, she is more at peace with the birth in hindsight.
We don't tell mamas to refuse meds, but offer alternative coping techniques to try first if they want. We help with breathing, visualizations, and massage relaxation techniques. We show them different positions to try to help with discomfort and labor progress. We draw warm baths for them to relax in. We bring cool cloths for their foreheads and hold the basin when they vomit. We encourage and cheer them on, boosting their self confidence. When the doctor or nurse offers suggestions, we listen attentively and if the mama seems unsure, we ask if the family has questions or if they could have a moment to talk as a family and decide. If the suggestion is something that for the mother or baby's safety, they can't delay long or refuse, we still ask for a moment so the family can take a few breaths and accept the deviation from the birth they hoped for.
The actions of doulas that cause hesitation or bad blood with hospital staff are often uncertified doulas. Even if they are certified, they would promptly be fired from our group. It is those few doulas that give the rest of us a bad reputation. When we hear of hospitals banning doulas from the birth rooms, we are dismayed and frustruated with the doulas that have acted unprofessionally. Please don't judge every doula by the actions of a small group. Recognize that in every profession, there are practitioners that you should not hire.
As a mama-to-be, please interview multiple doulas to protect yourself from one who might force her own ideals onto your birth, or act unprofessionally with your healthcare providers. Doulas are supposed to help you have the best birth according to you and your family's preferences. And they should also be able to adapt to necessary changes in the birth plan as outlined by your doctor.
Thank you for taking the time to hear my side. I hope you will make up your own minds about doulas. DONA.org has statistics on the benefits of doulas if you would like more information.
