Having a doula

[winter_green]

I'm currently reading a book, "The Doula Book" and it's been an eye opening experience... I never realize how scary the birthing process can be for the mother and even for the father ... and how helpful it can be to have a doula around since nurses may not be able to be in the room all the time to emotionally support the laboring mom.

And now I'm wondering... are their any known doulas on your L&D unit? Does your hospital have any doulas who work for the hospital? How are they viewed? What are your thoughts on doulas?

[heatheryk]

I was a doula for many years before becoming a nurse. I think it is very important to have a doula for a hospital birth. As a doula I felt one of my most important jobs was "holding her space". Protecting her and her memory. Studies have show that how a woman precives her birth memories has a long term effect on mothering. As a nurse you can do a lot to help with this. Nursing is so task oriented that it is difficult though. We have a hosptial based doula program at our hosptial. Most of the nurses like having a doula...they know them, know their training and know they will call if something doesn't look right. The doulas are also CLCs so the nurses know they will have someone their for the "golden hour" as well as the labor.

[klone, MSN, RN]

We don't have any doulas who work for the hospital, but we have a lot of doulas that are hired by our patients. Our facility is very doula-friendly, and both of the midwife practices that have privileges at our facility give out a list of doulas to all their clients and encourage their use. One of my very good friends is a doula that I met through work as I had worked with her several times. Even the homebirth midwife I work with encourages her clients to hire doulas for the birth.

IMO, every woman should have a doula during labor/delivery.