The trends of the 21st century affect absolutely all spheres of modern life. Over the past decades, much has changed in the approach to pregnancy management, the choice of tactics of childbirth. Today, in the ward, mother and newborn are no longer separated. The so-called partner births have also become familiar . Some even choose a country in which they want the baby to be born. Expectant mothers are increasingly using concepts borrowed from foreign languages. One of them is the Dole. Who is it? Why is this specialty gaining popularity in our country? You will find answers to these and many other questions by reading the article.
Doula - who is it?
Doula (translated from Greek means “maid”) is a pregnancy and childbirth assistant, a woman whose responsibilities include providing practical, informational and psychological support. Also, her services are often resorted to after the birth of a child. It has been proven that inexperienced women often fear the birth of crumbs. They do not always control themselves; they can control the situation in the hospital and find contact with doctors. Unlike a midwife and gynecologist, Dole does not provide medical services. Her work is more focused on moral and psychological support. Dole is a birth assistant who can also act as the legal representative of the expectant mother. She monitors the observance of the rights of women and the fulfillment of her desires.
History reference
Throughout history, women during childbirth have resorted to outside support. Previously, specially trained women controlled the entire process and provided the necessary assistance. They cut off the umbilical cord, sutured existing gaps, and prepared soothing decoctions based on medicinal plants.
The palm in this matter belongs to the so-called midwives. They were presented with a number of requirements, the implementation of which was monitored without fail:
- the presence of several own children;
- material wealth;
- good reputation;
- quackery skills;
- knowledge of a large number of prayers and conspiracies.
Midwives in those days were equated with magical creatures. It was believed that they could make the girl barren and even affect the future life of the newborn.
Later, midwives partially took on the role of midwives. These are medical workers assisting pregnant women and newly mummies. Their main difference from midwives is the availability of specialized medical education. Representatives of this profession provide completely different services in maternity hospitals. They help a woman go through hygienic procedures even before the birth, set up directly to the process itself, and take care of newly made mothers and their children.
The main difference between a midwife and a doula is the ability to provide qualified medical care and the availability of specialized education. Recently, however, both of these specialties have often been combined. Moreover, you can come across the concept of “midwife-dole.” Many medical workers of maternity hospitals finish special courses in order to assist women not only at the physiological, but also at the psychological level.
Considering the profession of doules as a replacement for the first two is considered inappropriate. The work of spiritual midwives implies slightly different responsibilities and relates more to practical psychology. In case of unforeseen circumstances, the dole will not be able to provide medical care. She more acts as an intermediary between a woman in labor and medical staff.
Varieties of dole
There are several varieties of spiritual midwives. Let us consider in more detail the distinguishing features of each of them just below:
- Prenatal dole - who is it? The duties of the assistant include supporting the woman during the period of the pregnancy itself. During the meetings, the dole and the expectant mother discuss the plan for the upcoming birth, work out the optimal strategy. The assistant tells in detail what will happen during the process in the ward, how to behave, what points to look for when talking with a doctor. In addition, she can tell you how to breathe correctly in different periods of childbirth. The attitude to a positive outcome of such an important event is another duty of the spiritual midwife.
- Dole at birth. The assistant comes to the future mother at the first sign of childbirth and stays with her until the baby is born. In the hospital, she also must constantly be present with the woman, suggest the correct posture, give water or food. Dole may remind the doctor what the initial birth plan was. If the circumstances change, and the obstetrician-gynecologist offers a medication, the assistant should explain in plain language to the pregnant woman what happened.
- Postpartum Doula. At home, she provides comprehensive support to a woman for the care of her newborn, advises on breastfeeding. If necessary, dole can help with the housework. Such conditions are negotiated separately.
Who needs a spiritual midwife and why?
Absolutely any pregnant woman can resort to doula services. In many European countries and the USA, spiritual midwives are hired, even in the case of Caesarean section. They often provide support to single mothers and other women who find themselves without assistance from close relatives.
Even doctors do not deny the beneficial effects of an experienced doula during childbirth. According to statistics, the presence of such an assistant in the ward reduces:
- 50% chance of cesarean section;
- the use of drugs for stimulation by 40%;
- the duration of the birth process is 25%.
In some European countries, medical clinics operate permanent doules, and they provide assistance completely free of charge.
Assistant Responsibilities
Despite the fact that dole services have begun to gain popularity relatively recently, now it is already possible to determine the list of duties of a spiritual midwife:
- maintaining the correct emotional and psychological mood of the woman in labor;
- conducting and demonstrating various breathing techniques used during the delivery process;
- escorting a woman to the hospital;
- assistance in the delivery process (massage, acupuncture, aromatherapy);
- communication with relatives and a doctor as an intermediary;
- help with the child in the first days of his life.
It is not possible to list absolutely all the duties of a doula. The main points are usually agreed upon by both parties during pregnancy.
How do doctors relate to third-party care?
The practice of obstetric care in our country is not common, therefore, one can often observe the ambiguous attitude of medical personnel to such a profession as doula. Who is this and why is an assistant needed, many doctors simply do not understand. The question of her presence in the hospital is recommended to be agreed in advance. To prevent the appearance of slanting glances and disputes, you can imagine the dole to the medical staff as your relative or girlfriend.
Sometimes there are situations when both the assistant and the future dad are present at the birth at the same time. However, most often men prefer to wait in the corridor or on the first floor, observing the distance. If the partner is ready and wants to attend the birth, the dole adjusts to the team. She can simultaneously help a woman and provide psychological support to a future dad.
Selection tips
If you decide on the presence of doula during childbirth, pay attention to the following tips:
- To search for a spiritual midwife, it is better to use specialized Internet resources. Despite the novelty of this profession, in our country today there are several companies that are looking for dole. Many of them have personal sites where they talk about the package of services provided and their cost.
- Recommendations play an important role in choosing a woman for such a role as doula. Feedback from other women who have already given birth to them is often crucial. Do not be lazy and contact them to find out all the information firsthand.
- A great advantage for a spiritual midwife is her experience (childbirth should not be the first or even second in a career). It is worth paying attention to her diploma, the presence of foreign certificates of professional development. Many representatives of this profession regularly undergo internship abroad in order to confirm and improve their skills.
Before direct birth, it is recommended that you hold several meetings with a potential dole. The future mom should be comfortable talking to her.
Registration of a legal contract, cost of services
The conclusion of legal contracts is extremely rare, since in our country this service has not yet managed to enter a wide market. In addition, women often find their assistants “by acquaintance,” which virtually eliminates the possibility of meeting an unscrupulous lady or swindler. If the parties wish to conclude a contract, it is better to discuss the matter with a qualified lawyer.
How much does it cost to give birth with a dole? The average price for such services varies from 10 to 12 thousand rubles. This includes repeated meetings during pregnancy, continuous communication at any time of the day, support during childbirth and several hours after the baby is born. Also, consultations after discharge from the hospital are sometimes included in the package of services so that the assistant can verify the normal psychological state of the newly mummy.
How to become a dole?
First of all, it is worth noting that the availability of specialized medical education is not important. Almost any woman who possesses such qualities as:
- positive experience of several births in a natural way;
- the ability to find a language with any people, the desire to make contact and take into account wishes;
- awareness of certain medical issues;
- knowledge of the birth process;
- sincerity and goodwill;
- availability of skills to care for newborns.
Given the unpredictability of the course of childbirth, the doula must necessarily have obstetric experience. Useful skills are needed in order to calm the future mom and tell her what is happening. It is worth noting once again that she has no right to perform medical manipulations. Her work consists solely of psychological counseling. However, she should be ready for calls in the middle of the night, work for several days without rest. Usually, future midwives or women who already have a psychologist's education take on the role of assistant in childbirth.
It is believed that the most qualified and qualified support can provide a certified dole. Education in the specialty is not carried out at any university in our country. There are companies that conduct annual trainings for dole, including in Russian. The first organization that began to train assistants in childbirth was the Association of Natural Parenting Specialists. It officially exists since 2011 and regularly conducts educational programs for everyone. Participants who have received certificates of this organization have the opportunity to work in different countries of the world.
Can a relative replace doulou?
If she has the qualities listed above, then the answer will be yes. When a woman makes a choice in favor of her mother or sister, she is not quite right. A close person or relative can sometimes not maintain composure in difficult times and at the same time provide support to a woman in labor. The lack of necessary experience will further aggravate the situation, and the future mother will feel defenseless.
The presence of her husband in the birth chamber is justified only with his conscious desire. It is better to take pre-birth training courses before this. Often women go to them with their husbands. In all other cases, you must trust the doula.
Celebrities helped by professionals
Many stars of show business have repeatedly sought help from douls. The most famous supporter of home birth Alexander Zverev is among them. After moving to America, during her third pregnancy, she hired an assistant. Childbirth with a doula, according to her, passed easily and without problems. Now she recommends everyone to follow in her footsteps.
Tutta Larsen (Tatyana Romanenko) also used the services of a spiritual midwife. She spoke about this in detail in her microblog and shared her impressions.
Julianne Moore was once lucky to play a mother who gave birth at home. As it became known later, the actress herself is a supporter of such practices. Her daughter Levy was born surrounded by her husband, midwife and dole.
To summarize
Childbirth is a natural process. Many women go to special courses to prepare for the birth of a child, while they feel absolutely confident. They rarely need a doula (birth attendant). Other women can not do without psychological support. Most often these are primogenous ladies who are overly worried about the outcome of such an important event in life. Therefore, they turn to spiritual midwives for help. It is impossible to say for sure whether such an assistant is needed or not. The final decision always remains with the pregnant woman. And if you take into account the reviews about such assistants, then they are mostly positive. Women are comfortable, they feel protected and ready for any situation.