This is What a Doula Looks Like

Jun 09th 2010

Years ago, I had some pretty wild ideas about what a doula was. I’m ashamed to say that I stereotyped the profession, letting my imagination run wild with the “type” of person I thought would go into that line of work. I never thought of hiring a doula because I believed there was a major cultural and generational gap between myself – the 20-something modern rocker chick – and whatever-it-was I thought a doula was. I’ll be totally honest here: when I pictured a doula, I imagined a patchouli-wearing, middle age, witch-craft-practicing woman who’d bring incense to my birth and expect me to sing “Kumbaya” with her during contractions. I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with witchcraft or Kumbaya… but that is SO NOT my bag.

Okay, c’mon – don’t throw rocks at me just yet. I know now that my wild notion was both a figment of my imagination, and terribly judgmental at the same time. However, what I’ve discovered over the years is that I am not the only person with this misconception. This job seems to be shrouded in mystery for those who aren’t closely acquainted with the birth field. Heck – some doctors don’t even know what a doula is, or does.

Tonight I got an email from a friend asking me to help convince her friend’s husband that doulas weren’t all (insert unflattering stereotype here) and that they weren’t there to try to start a fights with the doctor during the delivery. Because I’ve received emails like this a half a dozen times before, I decided that instead of just responding to this one email again, I wanted to write one post that people could share with others any time they noticed this come up.

On more than a few occasions I’ve found myself defending doulas, and explaining to my hipster friends that doulas come in all shapes, colors, and personality types. I feel myself pressing upon them that the doulas really do walk among us.

You see, I’ve become a doula evangelist. I started out my journey into motherhood thinking that a doula wasn’t for me, and then I met a punk-rock, roller-derby loving doula who became my saving grace during my VBAC birth. After that, I realized not only that doulas are real professionals with real skills, but many of them weren’t at all what I had pictured in my mind. Some were just like me! We had something in common! Some are punk-rock moms, and some are Christian sisters. Some look like your sweet grandmother, and some are more like the tattooed aunt that took you to see Def Leppard when you were in 6th grade. Some look like your little sister, and some look like your next-door-neighbor. There really, truly is a doula for everyone.

And I can hear some of you asking “But what does a doula do that my husband, or best friend, or my own mother can’t do?”

Well, here’s the thing – having supportive friends and family is wonderful, and I hope everyone can get that kind of support. But doulas do offer something different – doulas are trained labor support specialists. They know all the medical terminology being thrown around by the doctors or midwives, and they understand the physiology of birth. Doulas offer physical, emotional, and informational support – and they are there for you and only you. But that’s not all – there are real medical benefits as well. According to Doulas of North America (DONA):

Numerous clinical studies have found that a doula’s presence at birth

tends to result in shorter labors with fewer complications

reduces negative feelings about one’s childbirth experience

reduces the need for pitocin (a labor-inducing drug), forceps or vacuum extraction and cesareans

reduces the mother’s request for pain medication and/or epidurals

Research shows parents who receive support can:

Feel more secure and cared for

Are more successful in adapting to new family dynamics

Have greater success with breastfeeding

Have greater self-confidence

Have less postpartum depression

So now you know WHY you should hire a doula, but maybe you think you can’t afford it. Not true! There’s a doula for every budget. Check into community-run doula programs or volunteer programs. Ask local childbirth educators if they know any doulas who are in the process of certifying – they may work for free or at a minimal cost. Many highly experienced doulas even work on a sliding scale or a payment plan. In most cases, you just have to ask. In some states, doulas have billing codes meaning you can submit the cost to your insurance and see if they’ll reimburse you.

Suffice to say, I’m a big fan of doulas, and I think even the most skeptical person can become a believer when they see the reality of doulas, instead of the myths and legends. For that reason, I launched a site called “This Is What a Doula Looks Like.” Here, real doulas from all over the world can submit photos of themselves along with their contact information. Perhaps if we can put a face on the modern doula, we can demystify the profession just a bit.

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If you are a doula, I would love for you to submit your info to the site. I’d also love some help running it so please let me know if you have anything you’d like to add to it. I’m open to suggestions.