What is a doula?
Supporting you with your new family
A doula offers compassionate, judgement free support through pregnacy, birth and in the early days at home.
What does doula support look like?
Emotional
A doula provides a shoulder to lean on, a listening ear and can help you to feel safe and supported through your journey.
Practical
From helping you with practical preparation for your birth to supporting you to access support in the postnatal period.
Education & information
A doula can help you to understand how birth works and can help you navigate the maternity care system in the way that is best for you.
Decision making
There’s a mountain of information out there that your doula can help you sift through so you can make informed decisions
Your partner
A doula does not replace your partner but rather supports them to support you in whatever way is best for you both
Communication
A doula can help facilitate communicaiton with healthcare providers and others if needed
Pregnancy, Birth & Beyond
Some doulas offer only birth services, some only postnatal and some offer both
Birth doula
A birth doula wil support your choices without judgement giving encouragement, support and practical help.
You wil forge aclose relationship with your doula through pregnancy. They wil visit you before the birth to discuss your wishes and get to know you and your family. They wil get ot know your preferences, any fears or concerns you may have, your dreams for the birth and afterwards. This wil help them tailor-make their support and enable her ot provide for needs during labour.
They are there to support the whole family, making sure that your chosen birth partner is prepared and able to give you the love and support you need from them, whilst being cared for themselves. they are there to help you feel safe and well cared for emotionally throughout the whole journey. Your doula wants to make sure you have enough information to make decisions about your clinical care and to make the
birth of your baby as positive an event as possible – however or wherever your baby is born.
Your doula is not there instead a partner, unless that is what you want, but will support you both. Doulas are not medically trained and will not replace or interfere with the midwife or doctor. The support we offer is complementary to that of your maternity care team.
After the birth they will remain with you for a while, and may support you with the first feed or fetch you food and drink; leaving as soon as you are ready for some privacy.
Postnatal doula
Your postnatal doula is able to free you up to do nothing but be with your baby and the rest of your family fi that is what you need.
Adjusting to parenthood is a major life transition. Most people need to rest after birthing their baby so they can heal. Adoula can provide information and support during this period of adjustment. As you gain confidence, your doula can eg: provide nourishing food and drink, help around the house and offer a listening ear to debrief and talk about how you feel about your birth.
There are various reasons why parents often feel overwhelmed. Extended families that might once have helped out are now far flung. Economic demands might keep partners or other family members from being as available or flexible as they might like to be. Mothers may have to juggle parenting and work outside the home. In addition, the percentage of caesarean births have increased, which brings extra challenges.
As a new parent ti can be helpful to have someone with you who can give you a break so you can sleep. You might also want someone to listen without judgement to your feelings. Apostnatal doula can also offer some suggestions that might help you answer your
questions.
Some doulas have experience and training in feeding support. It is often helpful when a doula sits with you
as you feed your baby, it can be a time to reflect, relax and talk things through.
Are you a doula? Join us
If you are a doula offering your services in Cambridgeshire and would like to join our coommunity, we would love to hear from you. Contact us and we’ll get back to you.