Why Hire a Doula For a Home Birth?

In my last post, I talked a bit about what a doula does, and how they can encourage, support, and serve during the transformative experience of childbirth. However, the role of a doula in the hospital is a bit different than that of a doula in a home birth, and I'd like to chat a bit about those differences.

In a hospital setting, a doula does a lot of question asking, and encouraging parents to speak up when things are happening TO them, rather than decisions being made by their choice, with full informed consent. While this type of role can be needed at times in the home setting...by and large the things you will have to really stand up and advocate for in the hospital are standard practice in home birth midwifery care. This is one of many reasons that I cannot recommend home birth midwifery enough...they truly value their clients' experience of pregnancy, labor, birth, and postpartum in a way that hospital providers at times do not. For example: I've heard many stories in which something truly traumatic happened to someone during their hospital birth, and when they tried to discuss it afterwards with their provider, they were met with the statement, "Well, at least you and baby are healthy, that's all that matters." It's as if the thought process is, "As long as the mom and baby have a pulse at the end, we did a great job." This is NOT true patient care! I digress.

When you are birthing at home, your doula can do many of the same things she would do in the hospital: comfort measures, position change suggestions, fetching food and drinks, massage, counterpressure, etc. One of the other main things she can do is

arrive to help you in early labor. For the most part, home birth midwives prefer to arrive at your house once you are in active labor (at least 5cm dilated, or other markers that indicate an active labor pattern). There are great reasons for this...one of the main ones being that once the midwife arrives, you can sometimes feel like you are "on the clock" or feel like a watched pot, which can make labor stall if you are too early on in the process. Even if you love and trust your midwife, this can still happen, so it's usually just better all around for them to come a bit farther along in the process.

However: sometimes that early labor process can go on for a very long time, especially for first time mamas. It can also be really hard to know when is the best time to call your midwives to come and attend you. And that's where your doula can step in! If you are in early labor, and are feeling like you need some extra hands for support, but aren't yet far enough along to call the midwives, your doula can come over. She can either stay to help, or even offer a short time of comfort and suggestions, then come back again later in labor if that is preferred. She can also help you analyze your labor pattern and determine when to call the midwife, or even help out by texting/calling the midwife for you so your husband can continue focusing on labor support.

An important note here before I continue: A doula does NOT replace your husband for support!! In fact, part of a doula's role is to encourage and empower your husband to be confident in better supporting YOU. Sometimes it can be challenging for first time dads to know how best to support their wives. Your doula can offer suggestions for ways that he can truly be a help to you, instead of feeling powerless. After all, it's his baby as well!

Once the midwives arrive, your doula is an extra set of hands for labor support, setting the environment with lighting, music, etc., birth pool setup, cleanup, and making you food and drinks after baby arrives. She can give your husband a break to eat or use the restroom, and takes care of other tasks so he can be fully present with you. She offers help with non-medical support, so your midwife can focus more fully on the clinical monitoring: keeping you and your baby safe and healthy throughout the process.

Having had three home births myself, I am beyond excited to offer home birth doula care in my area. Please feel free to reach out for a consultation if you are delivering at home in the Columbia, Missouri area!