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I remember the first time I ever heard the word, at work, pregnant with my first child. A customer asked how my pregnancy had been treating me, and proudly announced that she was a doula. I smiled, nodded politely, finished her order and continued about my day- having absolutely no idea what she was talking about.
Flash forward to nearly 5 years later, and now I, too, am a fully certified Birth Doula and Postpartum Doula living on the Central Coast, NSW. Working with pregnant women through my small business, Better Birth Doula, has been the most fulfilling endeavour of my professional career.
So, what is a doula, anyway? You may have heard the term from a friend who hired a doula to support her pregnancy and postpartum period, or in the media when Meghan Markle birthed her royal baby with a doula by her side. Or, like past-me, you may have never heard the term before at all.
A doula (pronounced doo-lah) is a professional birthworker who provides informational, emotional, and physical support to parents-to-be throughout their pregnancy and birth. When people ask me what the difference is between a doula and a midwife, I simply say- “Doula’s don’t ‘catch’ the baby; we comfort, we coach, and we provide continuous care from pregnancy through to postpartum.”
Your doula will always be there for you to talk to from the day they are hired. We are trained to be open listeners, giving you a safe space to express your feelings without interruption or unsolicited advice. If you have questions, rather than turning to conflicting advice on the internet, you can easily reach out to your doula. We know and keep up-to-date with the most current, evidence based information available. If you are feeling fearful or nervous about your upcoming birth, we can help you unlearn those fears with facts- as well as offer a non-judgemental, unbiased open ear. We also know how to ease your pregnancy discomforts and prepare your body for labour. Throughout your pregnancy, your doula will meet with you, either in person or virtually, for prenatal sessions where you will get to know each other better, talk about how you have been feeling both in mind and body, and work together to create a birth plan containing the decisions and informed choices that matter to you. When your birthing time comes, your doula will attend to you throughout your entire labour, using skills, knowledge, tools, and strategies to ease your discomfort and contribute towards a better birth experience.
Statistically, having a doula attend your birth can result in a higher likelihood of spontaneous (natural) labour, a shortened labour time, decreased use of pain medication, decreased rates of synthetic induction, caesarean section, and complications, and increased rates of maternal satisfaction, breastfeeding success, and positive birth outcomes.
Some may think a doula only supports “natural” birth- but that could not be further from the truth. Doula’s support ALL births- whether you plan to birth at home, or in the hospital; with an epidural or without pain relief; in the middle of a field, in a bathtub, or with an induction or scheduled caesarean section. We believe in informed decision making and that the only experience and opinions that matter are yours.
You don’t become a Birth Doula without a passion for pregnancy, physiological birth, and everything that comes along with it. While some of us are certified birth educators, all of us are birth-nerds. Some of us are Hypnobirth or Calm Birth instructors, placenta encapsulators, birth photographers, or prenatal/postpartum health coaches. Some doulas specialise in fertility, bereavement, pregnancy termination, and teenage parent support. Some, like me, are also certified Postpartum Doulas, providing integral after birth care- light housekeeping, nourishing meals, newborn guidance, breastfeeding assistance, emotional nurturing and holistic healing- in the postpartum period.
We come from all walks of life, with different hobbies, interests, and prior skills and backgrounds. Doulas are becoming more and more “mainstream,” and as our popularity grows, so does our professional population. The pregnancy, birth and postpartum period is an exciting, emotional, and vulnerable time and as such, it is crucially important for you to feel fully supported. This is a life changing event and having a doula- the right doula for you and your needs- can make all the difference in your pregnancy and birth journey.
Laura LaGinestra, of Better Birth Doula- Central Coast, is a certified birth doula and postpartum doula living in North Avoca, NSW. She feels passionately about supporting families with empathetic and empowering birth coaching and postnatal care. A Uni graduate in Communications, Laura strongly believes in open listening, evidence-based information, and self-advocacy. With a professional history as a wholefoods chef and a personal interest in body/mind wellness, she also shares wholesome, healing recipes, holistic lifestyle advice, and childbirth education on her Instagram @better_birth_doula
Laura is a full-spectrum doula, supporting the journey from preconception through to postpartum. To learn more about how Laura can support you, both virtually and in person, visit her website at www.betterbirthdoula.com.au
