Frequently Asked Questions
What does a doula do?
When it comes to pregnancy and birth, there is no such thing as a silly question. Growing a new human and bringing them earth-side is the most momentous thing many of us will do in our lifetime - you deserve to have all the information you need to navigate this rite of passage with confidence.
By far the most common question I get asked is, "So what does a doula do?". The short answer is that we support women and birthing people through pregnancy, birth and the early postnatal period. The long answer starts with "Well, it depends." It depends on you, your family, your unique needs, your experiences, your wishes. It depends on the doula and her skills and experience. Perhaps you're a solo parent - a doula can be your primary birth partner. Perhaps you're expecting your second baby after previous birth trauma, and need additional support - a doula can work with you to process your previous experiences and rebuild your confidence in your body. Perhaps you're feeling overwhelmed with the idea of giving birth and need some help figuring out exactly what you'd like that experience to look like - a doula can help you create a kick-ass birth plan that feels right for you. Whatever the situation, many people find support from a doula to be invaluable.
Throughout your pregnancy we might explore your previous experiences in a birth debrief, offer antenatal or hypnobirthing classes, work with you on creating a birth and postnatal plan, talk about comfort measures in birth and practice these in advance, where applicable.
During birth we may hold a cold cloth to your forehead, use massage or aromatherapy to aid comfort and relaxation, inflate and fill the birth pool, help set up your environment with candles and affirmations, use a rebozo, feed you jelly babies and lucozade, protect your birth space from unwelcome intrusions, advocate for you, help you to the loo or simply hold your hand and remind you that you're doing a wonderful job.
After your baby has arrived, your doula will almost always debrief your birth experience and give you the space the talk through your story without judgement. Giving birth is a really big deal and being given the space to process that experience is so important. We can offer breastfeeding support, and signpost to additional services as needed. We can help you learn how to use a sling, so that your new baby feels safe and settled against your chest. We might hold your baby while you shower or take a nap. Often, doulas will support new mums with light housework - washing up the breakfast things, or getting a load of laundry on, so that you can sit on the sofa and snuggle your baby in peace. We might help with entertaining other children. We might just sit quietly and hold your hand, if that's what you need.
Some doulas offer additional services - reiki, homeopathy, placenta encapsulation, closing the bones, reflexology, baby massage...the list is extensive.
You do not need to *know* in advance exactly what you want from your doula - part of the joy of how we work is that we have the opportunity to really get to know each other, so that by the time I am supporting your birth I will have an instinct for what you may find helpful. If you have specific questions about my services and how I might be able to support you then please get in touch.