First, Let me clarify a common misconception. Doulas are not just beneficial during hospital births. A doula’s role extends to almost every area of pregnancy, birth and postpartum to some degree. Even in home birth and birth center settings a doula usually arrives at your labor much sooner than the midwife does and a doula would be with you continually even in the event of a transfer. Doulas offer support and midwives guard the process. They are two very different jobs.
According to a clinical trial review that studied the role of a doula, women who received doula support had:
- Shorter labor by an average of 98 minutes than women who had no additional support
- 36% less likely to need analgesia
- 71% less likely to receive Oxytocin (Pitocin)
- 57% less likely to have forceps delivery
- 51% less likely to have a C-section (Scott, K., Berkowitz, G., & Klaus, M. – 1999)
- 60% reduction in epidural requests
Several studies have found that nurses who care for women in labor spend only 6% – 12.5% of their time in supportive care activities (Tumblin, A., & Simkin, P. – 2001). A doula will be with you from the time you want her with you until your baby is nestled in your arms. She will also be available as you need her during and after your pregnancy for support and information.
- Mothers report they are more satisfied with their birth experience.
- Doulas can be key support person from dad’s perspective too (see below for one dad’s story)
- A doula is someone who will respect your desires for your birth and will be there to encourage and remind you of what your desires are.
- A doula can be a great resource as you look into your options and learn about labor and birth.
I believe all women will make the best and safest decision for themselves and their babies if they are given all the information. I believe that the key to avoiding regrets in labor is to be well informed and make decisions based on that information. Couples who take an active role in their pregnancy and labor are more satisfied with their birth experience.
My goal is to help you become informed about your body’s ability to have a baby and your husband’s ability to support you in that journey. I am there so that he can feel supported as well. I am not there to take over his position, but to give him that freedom to be with you. My job is to fill in the blanks. He cannot be everywhere and everything. I will be an advocate for you and do everything possible to see that your wishes are respected during your labor and birth as well as offer physical support and comfort measures.
Fees
$600-$750. Please contact me for more detailed information.
*prices subject to change without notice*
A few words on why you, as a husband, should be 100% in favor of your wife hiring a doula for her natural childbirth experience, and specifically hiring Brooke Atkinson as your doula.
If you are expecting your first child you are probably like me and you have no idea what a doula is. So, when my wife came home and said she hired one, I just said, “OK”, but then asked, “What’s a doula?” When I found out it was a childbirth coach, I was “OK, whatever you want, sweetie,” assuming she knew what she was doing (she did). However, I was not aware of the positive impact the doula experience was going to have on me.
Again, if this is your first child, erase any knowledge you think you have on labor that you may have derived from watching TV or listening to your friends. Believe me, they’ve edited out the tedious and sometimes most graphic parts. Personally, I thought my responsibilities as a father stopped at conception and would resume upon being asked to cut the cord…that’s far from the truth. Thanks to Brooke’s classes on natural childbirth, I became educated on some of the necessary exercises and techniques required to ease labor pains and ensure as safe and pain-free a delivery as possible for my wife.
In as much as you think at this moment your wife is going to want you by her side for all of this, she may not. With all of the discomfort from contractions and hormones racing through her body, your best friend might want anyone BUT you by her side for her labor. Don’t be offended. This was my experience with my wife…and this is where Brooke came in. (This is a side note from Brooke: Some women want do not want dad to leave her even for one contraction and others prefer having a woman with her primarily. It varies birth to birth and is not a reflection on dad at all!)
Basically, Brooke did all of the “heavy lifting”…the stretching, the pain easement, assuring my wife that everything that was happening was natural and not to get worried. Those were three things I didn’t know how to do in the first place, and was not allowed to do when my wife said “don’t be offended, but I want Brooke in here with me, not you.” Had we not hired Brooke, this point in my wife’s labor could have become a catastrophe.
My wife had a long labor and the end result was a C-section. Brooke is obviously in favor of natural childbirth and against unnecessary surgery and artificial hormones unless absolutely necessary. But after 28 hours, and all natural and medical techniques had been exhausted, we realized there was no other option for my wife in order for us to have a healthy baby upon delivery.
Even after the birth, Brooke has stayed in touch with us constantly, helping with breastfeeding and other feeding and parenting issues. She has been a wealth of knowledge and a good friend to our family.
