Surrey and Sussex Doulas

                          Antenatal, Labour and Postnatal support in Surrey and Sussex.

ABOUT DOULAS

 

A Doula is a Greek word meaning “woman servant or caregiver”.  The word now refers to a woman           experienced in giving emotional and practical support to a woman (and her family) before, during and after childbirth.  A Doula believes in ‘mothering the mother’ which leads to more satisfying and empowered experiences, a decrease in interventions, caesarean sections, postnatal depression and an increase in breastfeeding success.

As childbirth has become increasingly medicalised, and moved from home to hospital, a vital element of care has been lost.  Women no longer have the support from one carer during labour.  Having a doula present during birth means you will have continuous support with no shift changes for the whole of your labour.  Research has shown that having a doula present at birth will:

 

 

  Shorten first time labour by an average of 2 hours.

           

Decreases the chance of caesarean section by 50%.

 

  Decreases the need for pain relief.

 

            Help fathers participate with confidence.

 

            Increases success in breastfeeding.

 

(Findings from ‘Mothering the Mother’: Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, 1993).

 

 

 

 

Can Doulas provide a continuity of care that midwives are unable to?

 

A: Doulas are excellent for providing continuity of care, especially in this climate when staffing levels are so low.  However I do believe that the midwife is the best professional to provide continuity of care.  Those women who are fortunate enough to have one-to-one midwifery care in labour, always have better birth outcomes than those who have to share their midwife with other women.

 

A: Doulas are able to provide continuity of care that is special to women, as is their relationship of employer to employee.  Midwives should embrace diversity and support women’s choice for what must be seen as enhanced maternity care, rather than feel threatened by this purchased effective support system.  The unique, professionally accountable role of a midwife may be enhanced by the support of a suitably trained and experienced doula, but will not be replaced by it. 

 

A: At a home birth women have a much higher chance of one-to-one midwifery care throughout the whole labour/birth.  In the hospital environment, a doula would certainly be able to provide continuity of care.  In my experience of a busy labour suite, midwives often have to look after more than one labouring woman, excepting those women classed as high risk or with epidurals, who will have one-to-one care.  Women who do not opt for epidurals or are considered low risk can see several midwives or just one very frazzled midwife who pops in and out all the time!  Ironic or unfair? Probably both and may explain why some units have low normal birthrates even for low-risk women.  In this kind of situation, a doula could make a difference in providing continuity.

 

A: Doulas are committed to one person and have usually formed a relationship before labour has started.  If the partner is unable to be present for labour, they provide invaluable support alongside the midwife.

 

A: With the unfortunate lack of midwives in our maternity services, resulting in a lack of one-to-one care for women, doulas appear to be able to provide the continuity of care that midwives often cannot provide on a busy labour ward.  Doulas can provide vital encouragement and advice to women during labour, while a midwife is not in the room and can compliment the normal birthing process that as midwives we proudly promote.  I do however believe that a midwife is best equipped to support women during labour and that this role should not be replaced.

 

 

Extract of article from the Royal College of Midwives magazine ‘RCM’ November 2007.

                   Surrey and Sussex Doulas

                          Antenatal, Labour and Postnatal support in Surrey and Sussex.