You Don’t Need a Doula
You don’t need a doula. You have the power within you. You have your intuition, Google research and friends’ stories to go off of (those those last two may require some navigation) You have your birthing partner and the medical staff to turn to. So yes, you don’t need a doula.
However, you do deserve a doula.
A doula is a non-medical support person for a birthing person and their family while they are on their pregnancy, birth and/or postpartum journey.
Birth doulas bring emotional and physical support, along with resources and birth preparation to an expecting family prenatally, during birth and shortly after.
Postpartum doulas come with endless resources, support and guidance during the transition into parenthood - for each new addition to the family, not just the first - from the first few weeks to a few months postpartum.
There is evidence, a deeply rooted history and power behind the role of a doula. Your emotional, physical and informational needs deserve to be fulfilled and held with compassionate, unconditional care and attention.
Doulas work with you for all types of births and postpartum experiences: unmedicated, medicated, hospital, homebirth, vaginal birth, cesarean birth, “crunchy” families, “modern” families, single parents, large families, only children, siblings, military families… all races, genders, financial standing, political preferences, parenting styles, etc.
Hiring a doula means:
Your chances of a more comfortable, faster labor and pushing time increases. With postpartum doulas, your physical recovery will be supported as your new chapter begins.
You will get to know and trust an experienced professional who will stay with you for the duration of your labor with no shift changes or be with you at random hours of the day as you navigate your fourth trimester.
Your options and resources will be outlined, explored and emphasized. Your community will be shown to you if you are not sure of where to turn.
Your partner will receive unconditional support so that they can be in a good place to support you, and they will learn about how they can bond with your newborn(s).
Your confidence, your voice and your feelings will be amplified, empowered and validated and be supported, without any bias.
A doula helps to hold space, listen, and offer reassurance, precious resources, companionship, empathy, education and so much more.
This is such a transformative time. You definitely deserve a doula.
Thank you to previous clients and to Kreativ Studios for allowing these beautiful photos to be shared of our work together.
The mission of Holistic Birth & Beyond is to provide comprehensive and compassionate care during the prenatal, birth and postpartum periods, in which the mind, body and spirit of families served receive the resources and support they need in a safe space of validation and empowerment.
Learn more about doula services here or email Allison at hello@holisticbirthandbeyond.com
