Mandi L. Campbell
Birth Doula and Childbirth Educator
Benefits of Doula Care
The Doula Difference
Each role of the birth team provides vital care:
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Your medical care provider (midwife or doctor) focuses on the safety of you and your baby, and guiding you with possible medical decisions that need to be made.
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Love, companionship, feeling safe, and intimate knowledge of the birthing person is provided by the primary birth partner (when applicable).
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Your doula brings comprehensive knowledge of the physiology of birth, the importance of client-centered nurturing support, and the impact of the transformational experience the birth memory holds for the family.
Doula care is backed by research!
Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula's presence at birth:
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Tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications.
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Decreases stress reactions, fear, and anxiety.
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Improves birth satisfaction and positive feelings about one's childbirth experience.
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Significantly reduces the need for labor-inducing drugs, medical interventions, and cesarean delivery.
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Greatly reduces requests for pain medications and/or epidurals.
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Can lead to higher infant APGAR scores and breastfeeding rates.
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Reduces instances of postpartum mood disorders.
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Helps parents adapt to new family dynamics with greater self-confidence in their parenting.
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Not only are we beneficial to families who desire unmedicated birth, but also for those who require medically necessary induction or interventions, prefer medicated pain relief, planned cesarean, etc. A supportive doula realizes that not one type of birth is right for every family.
* Now partnering with a certified lactation counselor/postpartum doula to visit you upon returning home with your baby after delivery! Visit Life After Birth for more information!
How doulas bring the magic:
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Assists the family during the prenatal time to gather resources and information to develop their individualized preferences and desires.
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Provides continuous support throughout the labor and birth, utilizing comforting, affirming, and relaxing techniques.
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Emotionally supports the birthing person and partner with calm assurance and an objective viewpoint.
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Facilitates communication with medical care providers, as well as helping to gather information needed to make informed decisions.
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Support continues into the postpartum period, including breastfeeding support, and visit(s) to process your birth experience and gain your valuable feedback.