Commonly asked questions i receive as a doula.
HOW WILL A BIRTH DOULA WORK WITH MY PARTNER?
During your consult and your first prenatal meeting, we will discuss how you and your partner would like to work together in supporting your goals. In these meetings, I assess how involved a partner would like to be during the birthing time. I will be part of your team to support and guide you both in a way that is respectful of your unique needs as a couple. A doula does not replace the partner in any way. I like to encourage partners to take as active a role in the birth process as they are comfortable with. I do this by modeling comfort measures and asking for assistance with tasks that need to be carried out. This tends to be an organic process that happens naturally after spending time getting to know a couple. My goal is to support the partner in a way that encourages self-care and involvement to whatever degree is comfortable. I will be there to bring calm to the process, answer questions, remind you of options, and assess how we can best support the birthing person at different stages of labor.
HOW WILL YOU SUPPORT ME IF I HAVE PRODROMAL LABOR OR AN INDUCTION?
In some circumstances, such as prodromal labor and inductions, labor will be slow to begin. At these times, I am available by phone to support you until things are clearly progressing and you are in active labor. In these situations, it is particularly beneficial to be in touch by phone regarding how you are coping so that I can offer overall insight into the process and what to expect. I can suggest strategies for coping from emotional fatigue, physical discomfort, and advice on how to navigate any decision-making until it is time for me to join you.
DO I NEED A DOULA IF I AM WORKING WITH A MIDWIFE?
Absolutely! The combination of a doula and a midwife will make a great team. A midwife will be your medical provider, assessing and making sure everything is running smoothly with your pregnancy and birth. Your doula will be your emotional and physical support, providing you with information as needed so you can make informed decisions along the way. Although your midwife will check in from time to time throughout the labor process, they are rarely able to stay with you for any length of time. In contrast, your doula offers continouous labor support to you and your partner until your baby has arrived.
WHEN WILL YOU JOIN US IN LABOR?
You should expect to labor on your own with your partner throughout early labor. We will discuss strategies and comfort measures you can implement with your partner before my arrival. I will support and be available by phone during this time to offer suggestions and encouragement. I will come to you in active labor, when contractions are about 4-5 minutes apart, clearly progressing, waves are getting stronger, lasting at least 1 minute, for at least an hour (5:1:1 Rule), and you are ready for more support. When you think you would like me to come, we will speak by phone so I can assess where you are in labor and mutually agree if it is time for me to join you. I require two hours to get to you from the time this decision is made. For this reason, it is an expectation that clients maintain clear communication about how their labor is progressing and what their needs are throughout the process.
WHAT KIND OF TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION DO YOU HAVE?
I have trained and certified through DONA International, The Matrona, Hypnobabies & NC Reiki Training Center. I have additional training in the areas of Acupressure, Bereavement support, & supporting survivors of physical and sexual abuse. I am an OR trained doula at UNC. Only doulas who have this training may attend deliveries in the OR at UNC-Chapel Hill. I also have been trained in the traditional arts of Rebozo and Bengkung Belly Binding. I have been working as a professional birth doula for 10+ years and have attended over 150 births.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO HIRE A DOULA?
There is no hard rule about when to hire a doula! I have been hired as early as the first trimester and as late as 39 weeks. However, it is good to keep in mind that an experienced doula with a good reputation is more likely to book up quickly. For this reason, I encourage people to start the process as early as possible, especially if you are hoping to work with a well-seasoned and experienced doula. If you think you are interested in working with me, I recommend reaching out as soon as possible, as I tend to book up quickly and I only accept 2 clients per month.
HOW DO I DECIDE ON MY PLACE OF BIRTH AND A PROVIDER?
If you are not happy with your current provider or have not decided where or with whom you would like to birth, a doula can be an invaluable ally. An experienced birth doula will have relationships and experience in a variety of settings working with different providers. At our initial consult, we will discuss your particular circumstances and hopes for your birth. Based on your location and your particular needs, I will be happy to share referrals and experiences I have had and guide you through your process of choosing a provider and location that is the right fit for you! I have experience with home birth, birth centers, and hospitals!
WHERE DO YOU ATTEND BIRTHS?
I specialize in out of hospital, physiological birth throughout the Triangle of NC. Please reach out to learn more about your options for a home birth or birth center delivery in our area. I also work with those choosing to birth in the hospital if they are delivering at UNC-Chapel Hill with UNC Midwives or Duke(Durham) Regional Hospital with Chapel Hill OBGYN. I limit how many hospital births I attend each year so I recommend reaching out early if you would like me to attend your birth at one of these hospitals.
SHOULD I HIRE A DOULA IF I AM HAVING A HOMEBIRTH?
If this is your first birth or first time having an unmedicated birth, I highly recommend having a doula present to help educate you about what to expect and what comfort measures are available to you as you navigate a normal physiological birth experience. It’s also important to understand that your midwife and assistant will play very different roles from a doula and will be limited in how much physical and emotional support they can offer during the birth process. It is always worth considering your particular circumstances and your need for support. Even veteran homebirth parents will hire a doula if they know they value that extra support or they plan to have older children present that could take the attention of their partner. Above all, be clear about how well you know yourself and what kind of support you might value most. For more insight and information about this topic, check out this blog.
DO I NEED TO TAKE A CHILDBIRTH EDUCATION CLASS?
Yes! If this is your first baby, your first homebirth, or your first birth without medication, you need to be informed about your options, the physiology of birth, and alternate scenarios that could play out. Even when planning a medicated, hospital delivery it will be important to know the benefits and risks regarding your options and how to best utilize the resources in a medicalized setting. Childbirth education is designed to help birthing people access accurate and up to date information about childbirth and make informed decisions about their care. The more informed you are, the more likely you will be able to advocate for yourself in the moment about what is best for you and your family. And there are so many options out there! Whether you prefer in home online learning, private classes, or group classes geared toward a particular philosophy, there is something for everyone these days!
The exception would be if you have taken a childbirth class with a previous pregnancy or you have achieved a birth along the criteria you hope to achieve with this birth. In some circumstances it may be more appropriate to take a class specifically addressing a unique situation, such as preparing for VBAC, Homebirth Preparation, Inductions, or Planned Cesareans.
WHAT IS HYPNOBABIES? HOW CAN I LEARN MORE ABOUT HYPNOSIS FOR CHILDBIRTH?
Hypnobabies is a comprehensive childbirth education course that was adapted with permission from Master Hypnotherapist Gerald Kein’s “Painless Childbirth Program”. This program uses “eyes-open childbirth hypnosis”, allowing for a state of deep hypnosis while walking, talking and changing positions; being as mobile as possible during childbirth. Hypnobabies is well-known for helping women to create much shorter, easier and more comfortable labors, making childbirth the joyful experience it was meant to be. Hypnobabies offers in person classes as well as a Home Study program when a local instructor can not be found. A Hypno-doula has been trained in these specific techniques and understands how they work. A hypno-doula will assist and guide you through the program in pregnancy and will be an asset during your birthing time. To learn more about the Hypnobabies program and Hypno-doulas, go here.
HOW FAR WILL YOU TRAVEL?
I generally like to stay within a 45 minute radius of my home. However, I have taken clients who have lived as far as 2 hours away if they are birthing at a birth center that is within the Triangle. In these circumstances, our prenatal meetings take place virtually or at an agreed upon location. I will also consider taking homebirth clients who are up to an hour away, especially if we seem to be a particularly good fit. If you would like to explore working together, please be in touch so we can discuss your particular circumstances.
CAN I PAY FOR A DOULA WITH MY HSA/FSA?
Absolutely! I have had clients use both HSA and FSA to cover doula expenses. Just check ahead of time to make sure it will be covered. You pay up front and I will provide you with an invoice that you submit for reimbursement. Its that easy!
