Please reach me at sophie.armstrong@birthhero.com.au if you cannot find an answer to your question.
“Doula” is a Greek word meaning ‘woman’s servant’, and over thousands of years, women have supported other women in childbirth. A birth doula is a non-medically trained emotional and physical support person for you and your partner, who provides education and continuity of care throughout pregnancy, birth, and postnatally.
In recent decades, childbirth has become more and more medicalized, and with most births taking place in hospitals, the village-like networks that once existed to aid women through childbirth are now disappearing. That’s where doulas come in. Maternity care can be quite fragmented so it’s important to assemble the best team ever to help you through your birthing journey and your matrescence. Never underestimate how transformative it is to become a mother!
Findings. Women who received doula care had 52.9% lower odds of cesarean delivery and 57.5% lower odds of postpartum depression/postpartum anxiety*. This is why you need a doula to be part of your team. We do not replace your birth partner in the same way we do not replace midwives or doctors, we work together as a team towards a positive birth for you and your family! We ensure that your birth partner has all the skills and confidence to be the perfect birth companion for you. Trust me, you will need it!
*Click here for the full study: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9257331/
Absolutely not, doulas do not support unmedicated “natural” births at home only. That’s a big misconception. I gave birth in hospital and had very positive experiences so I support all women and all births. So whether you decide to give birth in hospital or at home, to have an epidural or not, to have an elective cesarean or an induction, we are here for you to support your preferences and your choices and give all the resources you need to make an informed decision. If you decide to have a planned cesarean birth, we can explore your options to make sure you have the best experience possible and you are still the hero of your birth!