Frequently Asked Questions

What is a doula?

Doulas are trained and experienced in supporting families through pregnancy, childbirth, and the immediate postpartum periods.
Doulas believe that these periods can be incredibly empowering for families when they are supported and respected.
Doulas support families from ALL backgrounds without discrimination or judgement. 
Doulas provide educational, emotional, and non-medical physical support.
Doulas respect each families' choices about how their baby is birthed, nourished, and nurtured. 

What is the difference between a ​midwife and a doula?

Midwives are primary health care providers who are fully trained and experienced in caring for families and babies through pregnancy, childbirth, and the immediate postpartum period. 
They perform clinical tests and tasks as well as safely help you birth your baby at home or in the hospital.
Doulas provide NON-MEDICAL informational, emotional, and physical support to families during pregnancy, childbirth, and the immediate postpartum period.
They work alongside midwives, doctors, and nurses but are employed and work for the families they serve.

What kind of births do you support?

I support the right of all families to chose how and where they birth their baby.
From home to hospital, unmedicated to elective cesarean births, as long as families are receiving prenatal care and giving birth with a registered BC midwife or doctor, Cowichan Doula supports all types of births.  

How do you help during pregnancy?

During pregnancy I provide emotional support during pre-arranged prenatal visits as well as by phone and via email.
I help families work through many of the emotional struggles that arise when preparing for a new family member by identifying concerns and finding practical solutions to manage them.
I provide educational support in the form of resource distribution/direction and referrals to seek further support if desired.
We will discuss the phases and methods of labor & birth and help clients develop a brief outline of birth preferences to discuss with their health care provider.
Physical support in the form of comfort measures that are useful during pregnancy, labor & birth, and postpartum are also discussed and practised. 

How do you help during labor & birth?

During labor I offer continuous (no shift changes, etc.) emotional, physical, and informational support to all members of the family.
A client can call for my presence at any point in their labor and I provide reassurance and practical solutions for maintaining a calm and peaceful environment.
I am trained and experienced in delivering non-medical comfort measures from massage and counter-pressure to TENS and rebozo work.
Birth partners and siblings are taken care of as well in the form of breaks (when needed/desired), reassurance, and emotional support.
Photos of families during their transition into parenthood can also be taken as I am often in a position that allows us to capture these powerful and tender moments.   
I usually stay until our families are settled in after birth and feeling comfortable with their new little one (usually after 2-3 hours).

What do you do in a cesarean birth?

I discuss the process of cesarean births during prenatal visits so that clients can feel confident should the need for one arise.
Should a cesarean birth become necessary during labor, I reassure clients that they are in capable hands of their care providers, and help prepare them mentally for their experience.
Sometimes there is little notice that a cesarean birth is necessary so reviewing the process prenatally can help everyone in the family feel more confident in, what can be, a sudden change in plans. 
During scheduled cesarean births I usually accompany clients to the hospital at their prearranged date/time and stay by their side throughout the day* offering our support to all members of the family. 
I stay until everyone is settled in after birth and feeling comfortable with their new little one (usually after 3-5 hours).
*As a general guideline only one support person is allowed into the operating room and, as a doulas, can step into this role should the birth partner choose not feel comfortable.

How do you work with partners?

Whether it is a romantic partner, relative, or friend I am happy to work alongside birth partners and guide them as they support the birthing client.
During pregnancy I will share several comfort measures that can be used to help with the discomforts of pregnancy and labor & birth as well as what can be done to prepare for the birth and postpartum experience.
Hiring a doula lifts the sole responsibility of providing support and comfort off of the birth partner and allows them to participate to their own comfort level.
Additionally I ensure that partners receive educational and emotional support.

How do you work with siblings?

During pregnancy the birth of a new sibling is an exciting time that can also be full of strong emotions and opinions from older siblings-to-be.
During pregnancy we can help find ways of preparing child(ren) for their new sibling, from recommending some great story books to involving them in prenatal visits and giving them important roles for the upcoming arrival.
During labor & birth we are happy to reassure them that everything is okay and explain what is happening (if they are attending the birth). 
When labor begins we are able to come and provide care and reassurance to older siblings when parents go to the hospital (for hospital births if the siblings will not be attending).
In the postpartum period we can help find time and free hands for parents to snuggle and spend time with older child(ren) and again provide reassurance about their new role in the family.

Have a question or want to know more?