Do I Need a Doula?
From celebrity moms to holistic care enthusiasts, having doulas during pregnancy is becoming increasingly common, and it might make you wonder if you need one too.
Pregnancy can be both physically and mentally challenging for all mothers. While health care providers do what they can to ensure you’re healthy physically, it’s equally important to pay attention to your mental health.
Having your friends and family around is wonderful for emotional support. But, you might just need a little extra help sometimes (which is completely okay!) This is where a doula might be able to help you out.
What is a Doula?
A doula is professionally trained to provide emotional, educational, and even physical support to the mother throughout the pregnancy and labor.
They are different from health care professionals in the sense that they can’t help you with obstetric issues or prescribe any medications or tests.
Instead, they specialize in handling pregnancy-related depression, anxiety, and other such issues to help you safely get through them.
You can choose to hire a doula whenever you feel the need for some extra emotional support. Doulas are available for prenatal and postpartum periods, or both if you want.
What are the Benefits of Having a Doula?
Having a doula can do wonders for making pregnancy a mentally rewarding and less-overwhelming experience for women. It helps them get well-informed guidance and emotional support whenever they need it.
Here are some ways you might benefit from having a Doula:
- Doulas may be able to help you with physical discomfort by guiding you through soothing massages and breathing techniques
- They can provide you with emotional reassurance when pregnancy-related issues get too overwhelming
- They might be able to answer a few pregnancy-related questions to calm your anxiety
- They can provide you with guidance and help you make your birth plan
- They may help you deal with common pregnancy-related problems like nausea and back pain
- They provide you with constant reassurance and support during labor
- They can guide you through breastfeeding-related issues
Having a doula may help reduce the chances of labor complications like the need for medical or surgical interventions. It may also help prevent postpartum depression and make the postpartum period a little more bearable and pleasant for new mothers.
How do I find one?
Join mother communities online or otherwise in your area and ask for recommendations! Word of mouth and other people’s experiences can be a huge help when looking for a doula.
Having a list of requirements set out before looking can really help narrow down your search and aid you in finding a doula best suited for you!
Look into agencies or doula-hiring services online. Check reviews and do your research beforehand. Interview different doulas and see who you most connect with, and then hire them to make pregnancy all the more comfortable for yourself!