“Woman to woman help in childbirth is the norm almost everywhere in the world. Men are usually absent and the emotional support, practical help and spiritual succour is offered by women friends, neighbours, in-laws or kin.” (Sheila Kitzinger. Rediscovering Birth.)
The concept of a doula is age-old. A woman, experienced in birth herself, accompanies you through labour, offering practical care and loving kindness. She offers a hand to hold. Like Michel Odent, who trained me, I do not believe that women giving birth need supporting in the conventional sense, as if the woman is enfeebled by labour and needs ‘helping’ through it. Rather that she needs the comforting presence and full and sensitive attention of someone who knows and understands exactly what she is going through. Someone who can nod and smile and with just a look say, “this is exactly right, this is exactly as it should be. You are quite safe.”
If women could see the effects this simple reassurance can have on the progress of labour, the almost magical power the safety of the doula-mother relationship conjures, any fears they may feel about childbirth would be profoundly reduced.
Studies, only confirm this and show that women who have a doula present at their birth:
* are 50% less likely to have a caesarean
* find their labours are significantly shortened
* have less need for medication
* rate childbirth as less difficult and painful than do women not supported by a doula.(findings from Mothering the Mother, Klaus Kennell and Klaus 1999)
As your doula, I would provide:
- 2 antenatal meetings to discuss birthchoices, preferences and practicalities
- 24-hour phone access for two weeks either side of the birth
- continuous emotional and practical support, for both the woman and her partner before, during and after birth
- phone and email contact for other birth and pregnancy advice
- 1 postnatal meeting (breastfeeding support and babycare advice)
- postnatal phone and email contact
I am experienced in homebirth and waterbirth. I have attended c-sections and supported women through assisted births. I also speak German. Please note that I will be active as a training post-natal doula by the end of this year.
Birth Doula fee:£750 (including expenses)
(a £200 deposit is required on booking, and the remittance preferably paid, from the on-call period)