Skip to content
This morning my doula certification organization, ProDoula, issued a challenge to it’s members. We were encouraged to ask people why they chose to hire a doula.
The answers varied.
When talking with other ProDoulas it became clear that many people still don’t completely understand the role of the doula. Many people were answering that they wanted a doula to stand up to the nurses and hospital staff and basically protect them from anything that wasn’t on their birth plan.
I get it. No one wants to be bullied into anything while focusing on bringing a new life into the world.
One thing that I really appreciate about ProDoula is how hard they work at helping doulas understand the importance of relationships. Their curriculum puts a lot of focus on communication.
I have learned how to communicate better with people in both my professional and personal life. I have created mutually respectful relationships with doctors and nurses. And because I want to be welcomed into these hospitals time and time again, it would be not only detrimental to me and my business to take on an advocacy role for a client, but detrimental to doulas everywhere.
It is a very common misconception that doulas are advocates. They aren’t. They are supporters. I work tirelessly to try to clear up this misconception. I speak to people every chance I get about what a professional doula does and how we strive to elevate the perception of doulas.
So why would anyone even want a doula? If they aren’t advocates, what are they?
“The hospital experience is so cold and sterile…Having a doula would have been so calming”. – Charissa Johnson
A doula can provide physical, emotional, and informational support to your birthing experience. She is knowledgeable about touch and can rub sore achy muscles or suggest position changes that may aide in comfort. She is there to cheer you on when you feel like you can’t make it through one more contraction. She understands hospital policy and is informed about medical interventions and can help answer questions about what to expect. Having a doula who has built positive relationships with medical care providers can bring a calm presence to the sterile hospital environment.
One of my very first clients shared a little about her experience. “We chose to hire one for our third birth. We wanted to do it as natural as possible… So very happy we did hire a doula. You were there throughout the night while my husband rested and throughout the morning while I labored my way through… I got my dream birth! Wish we would have known about you for our other babies.” – Shayla Trentman
Every single family I serve, either through their birth experience or postpartum, is an absolute honor. Being able to come alongside a woman and her partner, fully listen to their desires about what they want, and be with them every step of the way, providing support, free of judgement is truly the best job I could ever ask for.