“Doulas are the most positive innovation I’ve seen. And that’s because they fit in anywhere:
at home, at the hospital, at birth centers.” Penny Simkin
Birth & Postpartum Doula – Lansing, Ann Arbor, Jackson, MI
“Sara was absolutely invaluable in the birth of our daughter. She helped me achieve my goal of a vbac. Her support,
massage, distraction, presence, touch, and encouragement was integral and helped me stay very focused. She is very
professional and did her job with her heart. Should I find myself pregnant in the future, working with you will be one of
the things I would look forward to!” – Krisdee
Birth doulas are especially helpful in assisting the laboring person stick to their birth plan while maintaining a calm atmosphere during the labor and delivery process. A birth doula does this by helping the laboring person stay focused and remain relaxed through contractions, going to a “happy” place in their mind, breathing, visualization, showing the partner how to be as supportive as possible throughout the process, providing massage and other touch therapy. She also assists with walking and changing positions to speedup labor, use position changes to turn the baby in the womb or encourage baby to descend, and shows the partner what techniques can help relieve pressure (like the double hip squeeze or lower back pressure). A doula also helps the birthing team communicate efficiently with their healthcare professionals by providing information, and helps explain any possible medical procedures to the parent(s), thereby helping avoid any unnecessary medical interventions. A doula also helps the partner feel more comfortable so that they can participate during the labor and birth and so that they can better offer support to the laboring person.
The presence of a birth doula has been proven to:
Reduce the need for cesarean section by 50%
Shorten Labor Time by 25%
Reduce in Epidural Requests by 60%
Reduce the use of analgesics (pain meds) by 30%
Reduce the need of a Forceps assisted delivery by 40%
After the birth of the newborn, the doula stays with the mother and baby for about an hour to help the mother with the basics of breastfeeding and to make sure the new family is as comfortable as possible. She answers any questions the parent(s) may have about how the birth went, about the recovery period, and first few days or weeks of their new baby’s life.
