Wise Women Birth Services

Studies show that the presence of a doula (sometimes called a “labor assistant”) results in a shorter labor, a reduced need for pain medication, a reduction in cesarean births, and better outcomes for both mothers and babies.

Since doulas are trained in attending to the physical, emotional, and informational support of women before, during and just after labor we will do everything that we can to ensure your comfort during every step of the process.

During the Initial Consultation and Prenatal Visits we will get to know one another and by the time you reach your due date, your doula will be a familiar presence and a welcomed one during your labor.

Won’t your own agenda get in the way? The doula's true agenda is to help ensure that the mother’s or couple's agenda is acknowledged and followed as much as possible. If the doula is thoroughly familiar with the couple's wishes and their birth plan, she may actually think more about it than the couple, especially when labor is intense and things are happening rapidly.

The doula can actually bring the couple closer. By making sure that the partner's needs are met (food, drink, occasional back rubs, and reassurance), the woman and partner can work more closely together.

The doula allows for the partner to participate at his own comfort level. Some partners prefer to be there only to witness the birth of their child and to share this experience with the woman they love. They may not want to play an active role and do not want to be responsible for the woman's comfort and emotional security.

The doula can fill in and allow the partner to participate as he wishes, without leaving the woman's needs unmet. When the partner chooses to be the major source of emotional support, the doula can supplement his or her efforts by running errands, making suggestions for comfort measures, and offering words of reassurance and comfort. During a long tiring labor, she can give the partner a break for a brief rest or change of scene.

While the doula probably knows more than the partner about birth, hospitals, and maternity care, the partner knows more about the woman's personality, likes and dislikes, and needs. Moreover, he loves the woman more than anyone else there. The combined contributions of partner and doula, along with a competent, considerate and caring staff give the woman the best chance of an optimal outcome.

In some cases, the couple will bring several other friends or family members into labor with them. Sometimes these people can be uncertain of how to help which leads to confusion and actually adds to the woman's stress. The doula can direct and coordinate the efforts of a group of people, giving them all something useful to do, so they work as a team on the woman's behalf.

Many women having their second or consecutive child seek out the services of a doula.

The reasons for doing this differ, but typically if something didn’t happen as planed during a previous birth then a doula can be helpful in clarifying and supporting a family's wishes for their next birth.

Often, women don’t know about doula services until after the birth of their other child(ren) and want the experience of being supported in labor by someone who is solely there for their comfort and emotional well being.

Also, medical interventions are always changing and if it’s been a while since the last birth, a doula can be very helpful throughout the pregnancy by providing informational support as well as being helpful during the labor.

A woman with an epidural still needs and deserves sensitive and appropriate labor support. Although the doula is no longer needed to help cope with pain, she can minimize many of the undesired side effects of the epidural. She still provides emotional support, reassurance and information. She helps the laboring woman remain focused on her labor and her baby.

She helps the woman get into favorable positions and to push appropriately during the second stage. The doula’s role is still to nurture and protect the woman’s memory of the birth and also to help ensure a vaginal birth. A recent study found that even when the use of epidural anesthesia is very high, the presence of a doula reduces the cesarean section rate, which otherwise tends to be higher when an epidural is used.

The doula maintains her focus on the woman as the central player in the birth, even though the clinical care provider must take on a much more active role in maintaining safety and labor progress. Thus, the doula not only ensures that the woman’s emotional needs are met, but she also helps the mother utilize the important resources (positions, pushing, active mental participation, early breastfeeding) that only she can contribute to a favorable outcome.*

*adapted from “The Doula and the Epidural” by Penny Simkin, PT, CD(DONA)

The surgery takes about one hour; the first 15 minutes is when the surgeon will deliver your baby. It takes an additional 45 minutes to complete the surgery. After the birth of your baby, your partner can go with the baby to the nursery and your doula can stay with you in the operating room (OR).

A doula will keep you informed during the surgery, letting you know what your surgeon is doing and how much longer you can expect to be in the OR. When the surgery is over your doula will go with you into the recovery room.

Once you’ve had a chance to rest in the recovery room, you (along with your doula) can speak with the nurses about having your baby brought to you. Your doula will help you initiate breastfeeding and answer any questions you have about lactation.

Many women who have a c-section have never had surgery and find it comforting to have the doula there with them, offering continual support so they are never alone.

The doula may be the only person at the labor besides the partner who is there solely for the emotional wellbeing of the woman.

The nurse, the doctor, and the midwife have other priorities that compete with the emotional care of the woman. These [competing] priorities include clinical care, as well as shift breaks, shift changes, office hours and hospital policies.

The doula has no other priorities. She stays through shift changes and until after the baby is born. She is not just another person in the room.  She has the woman's needs as her sole priority. A doula’s role is to comfort and support the mother and to enhance communication between the mother and her clinical care providers.

A doula can support you in whatever way you need during labor. If it is your first priority to have her tend to her older children then she can do this.

Keep in mind, however, that she cannot take care of them and support you in your labor at the same time. Many women find it helpful to hire a doula for themselves and another caregiver for their older children.

In October 2009, doulas were given the option of obtaining a "provider number."  The provider number can be used to submit claims for third party reimbursements. We have provider numbers and can will supply those to you, along with a receipt of services, so that you can submit a claim for reimbursement. Some medical flexible spending accounts also approve the use of funds for doula services.

Check with the rules on your particular insurance plan or flexible spending plan to find out if doula fees are covered, you might be pleasantly surprised!