Association of Female Executives of Trinidad and Tobago

Q: I am six months pregnant and starting to become a bit anxious. A friend mentioned to me that maybe I should hire a Doula…can you provide any information?

A: Giving birth is one of life’s most amazing and intense experiences. It is such a pity that today, so much conscious effort has to be made in order to have a baby naturally, The system as it is now (and thank God we are seeing signs of change) warrants mothers and couples to go through preparation for childbirth from attending pre natal childbirth classes to reading and researching extensively on what it is all about.

From in the olden days and in the traditional societies, it was always the practice that women in labour benefited from the support (physical and emotional) that was given to her during childbirth. This fact is still and probably more relevant today.

Very often support for the woman needs to begin long before labour starts. Supporting a woman in her decisions to take charge of her own body and not be dictated to by the system, reassuring her that it is ok to be in control, dispelling myths and providing accurate and non-biased information so that it will be possible to have the kind of birth that she wants. Just having someone to reinforce that notion, can help tremendously in her realizing her wishes, whatever they may be. One can become so empowered when there is this type of support and the benefits actually continue long after a baby is born, by positively influencing the type of parent one becomes and then by extension the type of society that can develop thereafter.

A Birth Doula is a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous emotional, physical, and informational support before, during, and after the birth of your baby. The Doula attends the birth, day or night, offers suggestions for coping with labour with respect to breathing, relaxation and positioning and helps labour unfold as quickly and easily as possible. She facilitates communication between the woman, her partner, and her clinical care providers, and tries to ensure that the birth experience is positive. With the flood of hormones that a woman’s body experiences during pregnancy and specifically during labour, senses are so heightened and emotions can be so fragile, that the presence of caring people (and more specifically a Doula) during this time provides tremendous benefit.

Labours attended by Doulas have been found to be shorter, with fewer complications and requiring less medical interventions. The women who have their babies with a Doula present feel more empowered and satisfied at the end of the experience. When a woman is in labour, this is not a time for her to be alone. Labour support, from simply being in the same room with the labouring mother, to actively massaging, and coaching with breathing techniques, keeping the labouring mother relaxed and focused, ultimately aids in the progression of labour, by reducing the fear and tension which in turn reduces the intensity of the pain.

Anyone having a baby can use a Doula. There are no women that Doulas cannot support. High risk or low risk, whether the baby is being delivered by a midwife or doctor, whether it’s a home or hospital birth. The woman and her partner are entitled to the support of a Doula. Some people believe that Doulas are only for women who want an unmedicated birth. This is not true. Doulas have very important roles to play in medicated and surgical births too.

Labour support is a gift that a Doula gives to a woman and her family, a gift of confidence and enablement. When there is support during labour, a mother’s self-esteem, her bond with her baby as well as her feelings of control are increased, and overall this decreases infant problems and postpartum depression.

The word, "Doula," comes from the Greek word for female slave or servant. The word has come to refer to "a woman experienced in childbirth who provides continuous physical, emotional, and informational support to the mother before, during and just after childbirth." (Klaus, Kennell and Klaus, Mothering the Mother)

Andrea Alkins-Doula

If you are interested in getting more information on Doulas please contact Mamatoto Resource & Birth Centre at 32-34 Clifford Street,Belmont 621-2368 or email at mamatoto_21@yahoo.com